Submitting Poetry 2
Wednesday Writing Weekly #65
There are many different ways to submit your poetry, but time is limited and there are only so many hours in the day… let’s explore some of the more efficient ways to do so!
How to Find Submission Opportunities
My favorite advice is, if possible, go to a local bookstore or library! There are yearly publications listing publication opportunities, writing magazines, and individual poetry journals with submissions information in their publications.
Poetry Market by Writer’s Digest Books: a list of sources accepting publications.
Writer’s Digest Magazine: List of opportunities throughout and in the back!
Poets & Writers: List of opportunities throughout and in the back!
Ways to Submit Your Poetry
Submitting your poetry can be done online, via email, or snail mail. Every publication has its own set of restrictions and rules.
Submittable: Submittable is a great website to not only search for places to submit but to keep track of all your submissions. Over the recent years it has become harder to use as the filter systems is not as accurate, but I still think it is useful. Because this is an easy way to submit, it is harder to get your work noticed as it is one out of many in their huge digital slush piles. More journals are only accepting certain numbers of submissions instead of staying open during their reading periods. Be sure to get your submissions in early!
Email: Email is more direct than submittable if this is allowed by the publication. It gives you a chance to introduce yourself (In one sentence. Be quick!) and reach out to the publication directly. If you can, choose email over submittable.
Snail Mail: The regular mail has lots of drawbacks. You need to buy stamps and envelopes, print out your work, and hope your work gets there in time. Of course, it is usually fine, but I have had quite a lot of mail lost this year. This is an incredibly important option and more of the older and more established journals does this. While Submittable is the “new way” a big reason this is so important because some people might not have access to the internet, or it is their only option. I used to volunteer as a reader and editor at the Hiram College Poetry Review. The snail mail was amazing because we were fortunate to receive many handwritten poems from local prisons, jails, and juvenile centers which made our jail accessible to them.
Follow Directions
Follow all directions to improve your chances. Your poem can be the best in the world but if you submit your work incorrectly, you will be turned down. All publications will spell out these rules on their website so be sure to check ahead of submitting. Here are some examples:
Poem formatting, font, and font size.
Do not put your name on the submitted files or poems.
Write a cover letter.
Submitting preference Word, PDF, etc.
If you want to learn more about this, read my original poetry WWW: Poetry Writing and Submitting.
Pick a Good Fit
Do not submit everywhere. If you just want to be published, fine, but getting published at a small or unknown work with a small audience does not benefit you in any way. Think about this as a portfolio.
If a journal or magazine is looking for a specific kind of work, only submit if you fit those guidelines. The submission trenches are not the time to convince people to read and enjoy your genres, when they are not being asked for. For example, if a journal is looking for general fiction or women’s fiction, don’t send them an epic fantasy piece. If they are looking for underrepresented writers i.e. BIPOC or LGBTQ+, only submit work if that includes you or your work. There are literally thousands of places to submit to—there is plenty for everyone!
Conclusion
I think these tips will give you a good start to publishing your poems! There are many ways to go about it and I recommend tracking where you submit as you go. Track where you submit, what the reading period is, when you should hear back, and when you can submit again. This will help you know when you can send new work to the same place, rather than randomly searching each time you begin. To give you a head start, I do have an ongoing list of places to submit (by month) over on Patreon, starting in April. This will be available for tier 2 and up!