Publish Your Poetry Now

If you have ever thought about publishing your poetry, but don't know how, read on for some tips that are sure to help.

1) First and foremost, you need to read what type of poetry is being published. You can go to your local bookstore and read the literary magazines available or you can search for online versions of literary magazines. If you think that sonnets are all the rage in the poetry, you definitely need to check out what is currently being published.

2) Either buy Poet's Market or check it out from your local library. You will find over 1,500 places to submit your poetry. There are so many literary magazines that your local bookstore has no chance of carrying them all.

3) Make sure to read each listing carefully. The editors will tell you what type of poetry they prefer, how to submit, advice, and possibly a website so you can see the type of poetry they publish.

4) Hit your target market. If you like to write religious poetry, it would be a waste of time submitting your poetry to a gothic literary magazine.

5) Even though most listings have an email address, do not send submissions via email unless the blurb says it is okay to do so.

The first five tips focused on how to find markets; the rest of the tips will focus on how your submission should be sent.

6) Do not handwrite poems.

7) Make sure to include enough postage. If you have five sheets or more, one stamp will not suffice.

8) Make sure to include an SASE (Self Addressed Stamped Envelope).

9) Make sure your contact information (name, address, phone number, and email address) appears on each page. It would not be good if a company would like to publish your poem and then can figure out whose poem it is.

10) Make sure to include a cover letter. If an editor says "cover letter preferred," that means that they want a cover letter.

11) Do not use any fancy fonts; stick to the basic like Times New Roman or Tahoma.

12) Check for grammar and spelling mistakes before you mail out your submission.

13) Make sure to be neat.

14) Make sure you write the correct editors name on the envelope. If you have a Poet's Market that is more than a few months old, the editor may have changed. Check the website for updates.

15) Don't stress over rejections; they happen to the best of authors. The first Harry Potter book was rejected a few times, and look at the success it is now.