How do I find a publisher for my poetry?

Question

I have a large body of work, how do I find a publisher for a book of poetry? There are about 270 poems in all.

Answer 1

There are two types of publishing: Tradition and Self-Publishing. You will first need to decide which of these methods you want to pursue. Each has advantages and disadvantages that need to be researched. For instance, traditional publishing can be a very long road, littered with MANY rejections. Self-publishing will guarantee you a printed copy of your book, however you will not see it in a brick-and-mortar bookstore.

http://www.lulu.com is, in my opinion, the best self-publisher around. You can set up your book on their website, for free, and they will print copies as they are purchased. They do not edit your book, so you will need to take care of that on your own. This will also NOT get your book in a traditional bookstore, although you can purchase a very affordable package that would allow sale of your book through online bookstores like Amazon.

"Writer's Market", along with "The Guide to Literary Agents" are my two suggestions for diving into the traditional publishing market. I suggest looking for an agent first because they are the best step through the publishing door. You will create a submission package that matches the agents preferences (some, for instance, just want a query letter and summary in your first contact with them while others want more). Once you find an agent that is willing to represent you, they will market your book to publishers. Remember, in traditional publishing you should not be paying for anything! They get paid when you get paid!

Keep in mind that the market for poetry is incredibly small. You will actually do better with agents if you have publishing credits already, so you might want to start submitting individual poems to magazines and journals (which you can also find in Writer's Market).

Have patience and determination, as you will recieve many rejections. But if you keep working at it, your book can find a good home!

Answer 2

Hey. I've been a published poet and novelist for more than 5 years, so I know what I'm talking about, k? =P If my answer is long, I'm sorry.

Whatever you do--DO NOT USE POETRY.COM!!!!!!! They will publish your poems in a book, but only if you order one book for a very high price. Whatever you do, DON'T DO IT!

First, gather it together in one manuscript. Title it, organize it the way you like it, and then submit it to the library of congress. That's what I did with my novel. Publishers will begin to contact YOU.

Meanwhile, look for reputable publishers. They are hard to find. Avoid anything with "subsidary" in its title. Do not use vanity publishers. They will charge you an arm and a leg, and you will see next to nothing for your efforts. Hence the name vanity publisher.

Honestly, if this is your first work to be published, you are going to have a hard time. I would suggest that you submit one or two poems to small magazines (my first publication was in Young Voices magazine in Olympia, WA). Then, when you talk to a major publisher, you can have a few places to cite as prior publications.

For example, I had a hard time finding a publisher for my first novel. Now, I have an easier time because I have a previously published novel, several poems published, and I've written for three newspapers.

Just like any other job, they'll want to see how experienced you are.

Good luck to you. If you need more help, email me. I'm more than happy to give advice!!! =D

Answer 3

Publishing poetry is very difficult. The market for poetry books is very small. Not many are published anymore. Join Absolute Write Water Cooler and meet other poets there. Also buy Writers Market and start looking for small publishers. But be very careful. A lot of small publishers are bogus. Check with Preditors and Editors before you contact any publisher with a query letter explaining what you have written.