Publishing Poetry??

Question

I love to write poetry, and I never really thought about publishing it until someone told me that i was a really good poet, and I should think about getting it published. This is the poem that a lot of people said was really good that I wrote. I'ts called "My Addiction."

If there was any drug that I would take
The one I'd take would be as sweet as cake.
I can't tell you her name but you will find
That the drug I take is so very divine
She's lovely to see after a long hard day
And she's better than anything I can ever paid
As soon as you want some you'll always want more
And each time you take some you'll take a little more
You’ll start to get a feeling that you won’t ever forget
Your heart beats faster and you might even sweat
As the moment gets closer you start to feel
A tingling sensation that you know for sure is real
No matter how hard you try it can’t be controlled
And the best part is that it never gets old
You start addicted, and you can’t ever stop

And you get so much love you feel like you’ll pop
It turns into a problem and you can’t seem to solve it
Even if you did you probably wouldn’t resolve it
And even after saying this I know this much is true
Girl, you got me addicted, and it’s all Because of You

Answer 1

The very first words you wrote down in your post should become your mantra: "I love to write poetry". It is the ONLY reason you should write it, period.

You will never get rich writing poetry, and even famous poets are usually poor...or dead first. With that in mind, if you still want to get published, understand rule 2: getting your poem published is like waving through the window behind "fox and friends"...many people do it and you probably can't remember the name of the last living poet's poem you read. Fame is a very, very subjective and illusive quarry...one only the very foolish try to pursue.

However, if you're still determined to get published, and you don't care about making money or being famous, you just want to see your words in print, you need to remember rule number 3: take your heart off your sleeve, put on your thickest rhino hide or armor, and learn how to take criticism. If you find an editor who says, "no, no, really, your poem is just fine the way it is." You have two choices...1) run away, or 2) get out your wallet. You've heard others try to warn you about friends and family who tell you your poems are great...they are being "supportive" of your desire to write poetry, and trust me, that is fantastic! There's nothing better than having a support network...especially if you're going to submit your work for critique and publication (you'll need them there to catch you when you fall). There are thousands of poets out there, all of whom believe their story is the one that everyone else needs to hear. How many poets does it take to write a poem? Ten thousand! well, only one to actually write it, and 9999 to tell you how they could have done it better.

If I still haven't convinced you not to get your hopes up, and you really feel you MUST get your poems published, then yes, there are ways to do that. If you want to enter your poems in poetry competitions, that's a good place to start. You can also buy the "I-simply-have-to-get-
published-or-else" poet's dearest possession: Poet's Market. It comes out every year and if not available at your local library (probably stolen by another would-be famous poet to prevent others from moving in on "their" turf), available either at or through your local book store. In it you'll find thousands of publications that are looking for poems of all sorts. The best part is that they're all in one place, they tell you which publishers want what kind of poems, in what format, topic, style, etc., plus give you addresses, names...pretty much everything you need (including examples) to submit your work to publishers. If that's too much work and money is no object, then simply submit your poem to Poetry.com and they'll publish your poem in an upcoming anthology which, although not available in stores, you can buy as many copies of as you can afford at about $35/each. They'll tell you that you're a great poet and encourage you to join all sorts of clubs and stuff. If that's too rich for your blood, then you can always self-publish a chapbook that has a collection of only your poems by printing them out, folding them in half and binding them with staples. There are several websites that will guide you on how to do it and how to get bookstores to let you sell your chapbooks in their stores.

The bottom line is your first line...the reason you write MUST be that you love to write poetry...all the rest of the reasons are bunk.

Good luck and keep writing

Answer 2

Hi,

The trouble with people is they always feel the need to be nice and pleasant even when they dont like something... Im NOT saying I dont like it, I think its good, I think the rhymes seem a little forced in places and the rhythem is off a bit but overall its sweet.

I know, right now Im in the middle of trying to get published... I had people tell me my work was good too - but when its your family telling you - you cant listen - they are always biassed...

Put your poem up here again, but say soemthing like, "PLease critique this poem before I publish" then you will attract experienced editors and people who know how to critique the poem properly... after that you can see where you went wrong... for real...

Also, lots of people wirte a good poem and then the cant write anymore. Ive been writing off and on for years and its only recently Im seeking to get published... not coz people are saying Im any good but because it would be such a landmark acheivement for me personally... though there is no money in poetry, so if your looking to get rich quick, it wont work...

Do you have some other poems?? If you do Id love to read them...

Do some research, consider all the pros and cons, and ask people here to critique your poems and pick them to bits - thats what I do somethimes and it really helps...

Good luck and keep writing

Answer 3

Vanity presses using print on demand technology act as printers as well as sellers of support services for authors interested in self-publishing. Reputable firms of this type are typically marked by clear contract terms, lack of excessive fees, retail prices comparable to those from commercial printers, lack of pressure to purchase "extra" services, contracts which do not claim exclusive rights to the work being published (though one would be hard pressed to find a legitimate publisher willing to put out a competing edition, making non-exclusivity meaningless) ---- The classic "self-publisher" writes, edits, markets and promotes the book themselves, relying on a printer only for actual printing and binding. More recently, companies have offered their services to act as a sort of agent between the writer and a small printing operation. --- I say all of this to say I don't think that most of the methods listed are 'respected' publishing means by traditional print publishers and will do little to get you recognized by literary agents or editors. --- The market for poetry is also a small one. Consider how many books of poems you and your friends have purchased in the last year written by unknown authors. I can almost guarantee between you you've written more poetry than you've read. It is an ideal free form of expression. --- I'm not trying to discourage you but give you more information on the industry than just the thrill of 'immediate but short lived gratification' almost like a drug. --- It is great to have your work out there for others to see and if making money isn't your goal then those are fine suggestions but in order to make this a career choice you need to go about this in a smarter way.

Answer 4

Read many current poets. Start with journals you can easily buy at bookstore or go on line as many website journals let you read sample poems or evne the enitre issue. You can get name of poetry magazines at duotrope.com. If the magazine or company wants you to put up money or buy the anthology then it is a gimmick because they accept everybody. Read the pulitzer prize winners, take a poetry class at the local college. Share yur poem with people who are not your "firends" or your "family" or someone who is going to say it is great. Ask them why it is great and what they liked bes & least about it. Look for honest answers.

Then write something you know about that you can show in a single scene or moment instead of telling the reader what to think and feel. Stay away from vague abstract language like beautiful and good and bad. They are vague because people are individuals and what is good to one person is not good to another. Use the five senses, describe more, stay away from weak passive verbs like 'to be' and the '-ing' verbs. Use allusions and metaphors and similes and lots of action verbs. Avoid cliche similes & metaphors that have been heard before like walking on eggshells, hit the nail on the head, sweet as cake. Use alliteration to emphasize certain words. I hope this helps. Get on sites where you can post your poems and get 'honest' feedback like splahhall & critical poet & poetry circle.

Answer 5

you can have your poems compiled and self-published as a book. there are many print-on-demand and self-publishing services on the Internet and a handful that are worth considering.

i would recommend Xlibris.com to you. check out their website so you can learn more about the steps to having your book of poetry self-published.

you can even get a free publishing guide from them. [click on the link below]