Poetry Publishing: Companies, Publishers, Guidebooks, Online And Self Publishing

Poetry publishing is a true labor of love nowadays, largely because poetry simply does not have a strong commercial market anymore. Even the most well known poets do not live solely off of their writing; their money comes through other means. Poetry publishing does not rake in money for magazines, either; most of them are small operations that aim to break even. Yet poetry still holds a unique allure in the literary world, and the difficulties of poetry publishing are simply part of the game the dedicated writer must play.

For poetry publishing, the essential starting point is the annual Poet's Market guide, an encyclopedic listing of publishers, with detailed information regarding what each is seeking. It is also one of the better poetry publishing guidebooks on the market, with advice on how to tailor submissions to a particular outlet. It is essential to submit poems to many publishers, as rejection is a common part of the process. Companies receive tremendous numbers of submissions, and most publishers have a particular emphasis. In addition, most have specific requirements for submissions, and will not consider the work if they are not followed. Poetry publishing is not easy, and is often a long process. Several other guidebooks also give helpful advice on how to make submissions their best.

First, the good news: poetry publishing does not require the work of an agent. The bad news is that poetry publishing is not at all lucrative, and is difficult even for the best writers. The major companies do not print much poetry at all, so the market mainly consists of publications that run on very small budgets. Most of them will not pay more than a free copy if the work is accepted. It is essential to practice good submission etiquette for poems to be considered; self addressed-stamped envelopes should always be included, as most publishers will not pay for return postage. Distracting fonts should be avoided, and noting the copyright is redundant, as the copyright lies with the author anyway. While the online world has given rise to various e-zines, most print publications will not take email subscriptions.

Self-publishing will not make it any more lucrative, but it will get the body of work available to people.
There are some traps to avoid, though. Vanity publishers should be avoided, as they will charge a fee up front to publish the work. The books have a cheap, generic quality to them, and most copies go unsold. One should not pay up front for poetry publishing; such a request is a sure sign of a scam. A number of online contests have been found to be fronts for scams in the past, and while not all are dubious, caution should be exercised. If self-publishing is the route taken, the copyright becomes a much more important issue. The copyright is owned by the author by default, but it must be registered if it is to hold legal weight. Despite all the inherent difficulties, poetry publishing can still be very rewarding, as the opportunity to share original artwork often makes the struggles worthwhile. Poetry publishing is not for the casual or the easily discouraged, but the moment something finally gets accepted cancels out all of the rejection letters.


Sources:
"How To Publish Your Poetry - Some Advice." Empty Mirror Books. 2007. 7 Nov. 2007. http://www.emptymirrorbooks.com/publishing/advice. html.

Rimbaud, Dee. "Advice To Novice Writers." AA Independent Press Guide. 7 Nov. 2007. http://www.rimbaud.org.uk/aaipg2.html.

"Writing and Publishing FAQ." Poets.org. 2007. Academy of American Poets. 7 Nov. 2007. http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/56.