i need some help..before i give up?!?!?

Question

okay you see,poetry is what i do..i write about the good things the bad things,i can even write about grass and make it into a love poem.but my problem is that i am getting really tired of looking for a company to publish my poems.most of them ask me to pay but shouldnt they be paying me not the other way around?im only 13 but i think im an awesome writer and so does my family and friends...so my questiong is,do any of you know a great poetry company that could publish my poems without making me pay for them?and also i love writing childrens' stories so even if the company only publishes short stories..thats okay too..please help me because i do not want to give up my writing because its something i love but i also dont feel like waiting my entire life waiting for a company to sign me

Answer 1

Go to your library and get a book titled a "Writer's Guidelines". It list the majority of magazines and publishing companies that publish and what the guidlelines are. You should NOT pay anyone to publish you unless you are printing your own book OR entering some poetry contests. This is a great book - see if your parents will buy it for you but at least check it out at the library...good luck...and yes I am a poet. and essayist.

Answer 2

Serious Facts About Poets And Publishers:

1. Almost no poets today can make a living from their poetry and published books of poetry rarely ever make money. The reasons are that very few Americans read poetry often. Anne Rice and Stephen King, yes. Poets, no! It's that simple.

2. The few legit publishers, like Random House or Dutton or whoever, rarely ever publish collections of poetry. The exceptions are for already well-established, well-known writers. An example: If J.K. Rowling wanted to publish a collection of poetry her publisher would be happy to do so just to keep her happy.

3. There are many outlets, like regional and national and literaly magazines that do publish poetry and many pay. Get a copy or The Writer's Market and look up the ones that do and their guidelines.

4. Stay away from 'vanity presses.' These scam, like Vantage, take your money, will publish anything if you pay them, good poetry or junk, and will print out your book for you. However, few if any bookstores will offer vanity press collections for sale because they know from experience that most of these are crapola and they won't sell.

5. Try the mag route, get a few published and try to build up a repatition. If you're lucky enough and talented enough then maybe you'll get a legit publisher interested in you.

6. There are are a few, sadly just a few, literary publishers, like Black Sparrow Press, that will take a gamble on an unknown poet from time to time. Even if you do get Black Sparrow to publish your collection I wouldn't expect more than a few thousand copies sold anytime soon.

7. My daughter has had sixty something short stories published on-line. She doesn't get paid for these but some day perhaps a publisher will take a chance with her.

8. Write because you love writing, because that's who you are.

Answer 3

I cant give you any solid facts, I can however give you some moral support and some insight from my years of living and wanting to write too.

Poetry is not something that many people get into these days. Very few people write and publish poems, most likely because the publishing house like Random, Doublday, etc, wont publish anything that they cant make a lot of money at. But....you wanting to write childrens stories is something completey different. Childrens books and stories are always in demand, and because you are young, and would be a young author, you might have a better chance at writing a childerns book, maybe even a book that uses some of the basic ryhmning technics that your use in your poems. I know that in Barns and Noble bookstores there are many books on how to get published.

whatever you do, do not send any of your material to a publishing house without it be copywritten. Copywrite everything you send to anyone or, put the orginal story in an envelop and remail it with certified mail to your self. DO NOT OPEN IT, just keep it in a safe place.

There are some many magazines and publiscations for young people that would even take your poems and pay you for them. Even card companies will pay at least 35 dollars for a good new sentatment.

Dont give up, keep everything you write. For when you get to be my age you may start your own business and take those writings and develope them into something you never dreamed.

I took my drawings and made them into cards! Greeting cards, and sold my first sale 7 years ago to Nieman Marcus, a department store with 53 branches across the USA. I still publish my cards, all by myself, and enjoy the joy others receive from them. I am presently working on a book, kids called "roxy goes to paries" Roxy is my yorkie. I have published a childs book once many years ago, which started my adventure into drawing, call, "My Search for God".

so you see...put on that thinking cap...You will find a way. Good luck

Answer 4

1) There is a book entitled the Writers Market; it has everything you need to know about publishers: which publications are purchasing written work, what kind of work they are looking for, how much they pay, what the audiences are, etc, etc, etc. The book has a new edition out each year. Don't waste your money purchasing it because the information becomes obsolete so fast. Just use the library's copy.

2) The book had guidelines for how to approach publishers with your work. Follow the guidelines! Practice writing the Query letters! It is the unromantic hard work and determination that will get you noticed, not the inherent quality of your work. There are a lot of good writers out there, and there are even more writers that want to be published. To get published, you are just going to have to keep trying until you click with a publisher who picks up what you're putting down. Writing good work is hard enough. At least you have the talent to do that. Now you just need the discipline to stick to your guns and not be discouraged while you're putting your stuff out there.

3) If you want to be inspired to have the attitude of someone that gets published, I highly recommend Steven King's book "On Writing." It really gives you a portrait of how writing has fueled, changed and directed King's life; it gives you an idea of how to balance writing with living; and it's funny to boot.

Answer 5

Unfortunately, poetry doesn't pay for itself. Most published poets are already well known writers or personalities in other fields before they get published. These people also usually have agents who help them get things published and they also get part of the money. The publishers who are asking you to pay them are called vanity presses and they will publish anyone with the money to pay. Then you are responsible for selling the books yourself.

The best place to start publishing is in journals and anthologies that specialize in student poetry. There are also web sites that will publish your poems for free, but you don't get paid anything for it. It is a great place to read poems and stories by other budding writers as well. Talk to your teachers about entering contests. There are hundreds of them out there and most English teachers are looking for students who are willing to enter. When you get to high school your school may have a literary magazine in which you can publish. Local colleges sometimes let high school students publish in their literary magazines too.

All writers have to pay their dues and most published writers can wall paper a house with the rejection letters that they got before something was finally accepted. Keep writing and you will get better and better. One word of caution, though; keep a copy of everything you write, even if it is for school. You will be glad you did.

I wish you success in your writing. Keep it up. I hope you are also a reader because the more you read, the better your writing will become. Great writers are also great readers.

Answer 6

Hi - You face a difficult situation. Let me start by saying: DO NOT GIVE UP YOUR WRITING! EVER! Whether you get paid or not is not why you write. That's number 1. Number 2 is this: You have to realize that we live in a world where creative people are often scammed as you might get scammed here too. Those companies that want you to pay do nothing more than you could do yourself.

If you want to earn money writing poetry, call the publications (magazines, or papers, or books) that routinely publish poetry, and ask them what their submission guidelines are.

But dont expect a lot of money for poetry. Most writers of poetry consider their poetry to be just one aspect of their overall writing talent. So my suggestion to you would be to develop all of your writing ability in any aspect that you love and are talented in.

Creativity is a gift that few have. Don't give it up just because you dont have money yet from your writing. You are only 13. BUT -- DO NOT give any money to any of those companies that promise the world.....

Answer 7

I'm happy that you are so interested in poetry, and that you have confidence in your work. I have been writing since I was a very young girl, and am now a published poet, but not on a large scale. Beware of any company which asks for money to publish your poetry or stories.

At your age, you might be wise to purchase some magazines which are geared toward young people and check their policies on stories and poems submitted by their readers. Some of them allow you to submit a piece or two of your work and if they select one for publication, they usually pay you something, (but not a lot). This is the usual process for poets to get started. It will also help you to learn what kind of other poetry these publications are looking for.

It might take some time and a few rejections before you have a piece accepted for publication, but if you really think you have ability, then you must have faith in yourself and keep trying. Meanwhile, read the work of others, not to copy of course, but to see what they have to offer in insight and originality), join some online poetry sites for critique and improving your skills. Remember, no one is so good that they can't use some advice on improving their writing skills.

Some good sites are;

The Poet Sanctuary, (TPS)
poeticworldforum
passionsinpoetry

These are all free poetry writer's sites for submitting and having your work read. The people there will read and comment on your work in a constructive way. I belong to all of these and several others.Look for me there as tentoes, biskit, or calliope whispers.

Good luck to you, keep writing, keep learning.

smiles,
C. Briggs

Answer 8

Merlin's Pen is a really good publication for teens, that's where I first published my stuff.

Other than that, your best bet is to buy a Writer's Market or a Poet's Market (they're about $20, but an excellent investment). Start with the more obscure literary mags, don't tell them your age in your cover letter, and don't look for high-paying pubications until you've got a few published poems under your belt. Your first few sells aren't about money, they're about having a line to put on your resume.

Other than that, don't give up. Poetry is subjective. Editors have their own specific tastes. I had covered almost three of my bedroom walls with rejection letters before I sold my first piece. And now, I have two books of poetry in print and I'm working on my first novel.

I wish you every luck. Don't stop writing. And don't stop editing, either.

Answer 9

Start by Publishing your poems on your 360 page.

If people think they are as "awesome" as you say they might write you and tell you so and you might get a following.

Go to your next book fair and talk to poets who have published that are in attendance.
Publishing companies sign few writers and even fewer poets.
Your expectations may be a bit high start the bottom and work your way up.

I hope you have success with your poetry.

Don't give up

Now go get your 360 page so people can see what you got.

Answer 10

Don't give up, but you need to focus your energies on learning to write more stories and poems that will make you even better. Forget this publishing thing for a while. You may be a very creative and articulate writer for your age, but professional writers study for many, many years learning how to tell great stories. Don't get ahead of yourself trying to get published. Instead of contacting publishers, look for literary magazines that have poetry contests, or find gatherings of writers or poets in your area, and ask them where they try to get published.