Mslexia

Mslexia, the magazine for women who write | www.mslexia.co.uk

Essentials

Q: How do I get my poetry published?

A:

◊ Poets looking to get published usually approach publishers direct. Agents very rarely take on poets because there isn’t enough money in poetry to make it worth their while. And no poet lives on poetry alone – it’s simply not a profitable enterprise.

◊ Before seeking publication, be certain that you are ready. Don’t just take the word of family and friends; go to a group and attend workshops to get critical appraisal. Find a platform to read work, so you can hear your poems and get direct feedback from an audience.

◊ Get known. Submit to magazines and enter reputable poetry competitions, building up a publication record to show prospective publishers. Ideally, aim for publications where your work will be read widely. It is vital to research the magazines to which you wish to submit. Buy a few issues to get a feel for what sort of work they publish – it’s pointless sending nature haiku to a magazine specialising in contemporary urban verse. Profiles and content of magazines may be viewed at www.poetrymagazines.org.uk

◊ After you have had a number of poems accepted in magazines, send a selection of work to poetry publishers, following the guidelines for approaching an agent. There are only a handful of larger imprints in the UK – Bloodaxe, Carcanet, Arc, Anvil, Enitharmon and Seren among the independents, while Picador, Faber, Cape, Chatto and Penguin publish poetry in the mainstream. When starting out, there are a variety of smaller presses that publish pamphlets or small collections; the Poetry Book Society makes a selection of imprints on its website. When choosing one, do your research. What is their reputation? How visible are the books they publish? Whoever you are aiming at, always read what they publish and get to know what the editor likes.

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