How to Get Poetry Published

It really isn't about luck. And, yes, it is possible to have a strategy.

I keep thinking about what Poet J.D. Schraffenberger said about publishing poetry when I interviewed him recently: "Poetry is a gift economy. Poetry isn't about making money but sharing something meaningful with readers. So reach out, because people in poetry are involved in the same gift giving business."

Poetry thrives, fundamentally, on generosity.

At the same time, I think it’s fair to say that guidance on how to go from writing to publishing poetry (especially poetry books) is chronically sparse.

I don’t think poetry editors are actively trying to gate-keep (though it can certainly feel like that) by offering vague advice or no advice at all. Rather, I think it’s that we poets just aren’t trained to be strategic when it comes to publishing our work. Because we operate in a gift economy, we aren’t exposed to the strategies and structures that support marketing one’s work in other genres (e.g. book proposals, agents, and PR and marketing efforts for fiction and nonfiction books).

Maybe, our lack of training in (or our resistance to?) marketing enhances a kind of delusion—that poetry publishing is about the recognition of genius. (Hardly so.) Or that it’s a crapshoot. (Also not so.)

For example, here’s the submission strategy I shared with the Poet to Poet community last year. I keep hearing from poets who have tried it and now are on a role with acceptance letters. It seems amazing but it’s really just … yes, I’ll say it again … being strategic.

To get published (or published more often) means getting clear about where to make effort—and, more importantly, where to stop trying so hard. In 2024, I’m delighted to be offering a series of live events to help poets develop that kind of clarity.

How to Publish Poetry (Live)

Do you have a stack of poems just waiting to be organized into submissions? Or a manuscript that’s halfway there but needs … something? Are you frustrated with the process, wondering:

• What are publishers really looking for? Do rejections mean I just need to keep revising?

• Where should I submit my work? Should I submit to contests? Which ones?

• How do I create a manuscript that stands out from others?

Learn how to make your submission stand out and what steps to take to increase your chances of getting more work accepted.

​(Poets Circle Members, you have instant access to this. No need to sign up.) If you're not a member, I'm offering a limited number of FREE guest passes.

What I know for sure after twenty years in poetry is that getting published isn’t just about crafting excellent work; it’s about making strategic effort to get that work to the right editors and readers. It may never be “easy”—but it certainly can be a lot easier. If you’re looking for that clarity, I hope you’ll join us.

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Congrats, Stefanie!

Stefanie Kirby's chapbook Fruitful was selected as this winner of the 2023 Adrift Chapbook Contest. The press calls the book "a remarkable lyric sequence about raising children." Stefanie built her chapbook during the Poet to Poet: Complete Manuscript Course last year. She writes: "Without you, this manuscript would not exist as it does today." I'm so honored to have had the opportunity to help Stefanie shape this beautiful collection and get it out to eager editors and readers. Congratulations, Stefanie!

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If you're serious about making progress on publishing your poetry this year, I'd love for you to join us live for How to Publish Poetry. Sign up now and drop into as many lunch and learns as you’d like this year.

In case you missed it ...

I've started sharing behind-the-book insights about my forthcoming collection Pine Soot Tendon Bone (winner of the 2023 Washington Prize) due out this spring. Here's Insight #1: Don't Start with the End in Mind, But Be Deliberate.

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