This information provides advice to poets on how to go about submitting poetry while avoiding common mistakes, overcoming fear, and staying focused and sane during the process.
Be reasonable. If fledgling poets start by sending their poetry to Atlantic Monthly or The New Yorker, chances are they won’t be successful. Instead, they should start with publications that accept formerly unpublished poets, and/or those that accept well-published and “emerging” poets.
Be patient. The thought of being a published poet is so thrilling; the temptation is strong to accept the first opportunity. Be careful, though. The last thing you want to do is publish in a journal that will later make you cringe.
Be strategic. Send out poems to 5 or more places at once. Have the next 5 ready to go, so that if the first batch is rejected, the next batch gets the poet right back out there. Doing this is empowering and increases the chances of success.
Use all the Tools at Your Disposal:
- Buy Poet’s Market (or check it out at the library). It provides a comprehensive list of places to publish. For each publication, there is a description of types of poetry they publish, their submission criteria, and who publishes there (e.g., whether it accepts “new” poets or not).
- Subscribe to Poets & Writers, which is a rich resource devoted to poetry and fiction, including a submission calendar for contests, and journals actively looking for submissions.
- Apply to poetry contests. There are scores of contests one can submit to, most for a small fee. And many contests consider work for publication even among those who don’t win a prize.
- Attend or read at poetry readings. “Open mike” readings are a great opportunity for networking with other poets, and to learn about publishing opportunities. They also can help poets gauge audience reaction to their work. If the poet is really lucky, an editor might be in the audience who asks for a submission. See this article on how to feel comfortable reading poetry at open mics.
- Publish on the internet. The number of on-line poetry zones is rapidly growing. Be sure to take advantage of those opportunities as well as the ones offered by print journals.
- Use the internet as a teaching tool. The internet is a valuable source for editing and getting feedback on your work. Many writing groups will provide feedback on poems you send them. If you disagree with the advice, see if it comes from a reliable source, a writer whose opinion is to be valued. Of course, the last word is always the poet's in any case.
Above all, stay positive! Acceptance is highly subjective, and there are editors out there waiting for literally every kind of poem. It's just a matter of finding them. When a poem is rejected, it's important to take a good look at it to see if it needs strengthening. If not, keep submitting it until it ends up in the hands of someone who has the right eye for it. With patience and discipline, that will eventually happen.
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