Two Keys to Getting Poetry Published

What you don’t know will hold you back. These insights put you in a position to succeed.

Photo by Jacqueline Munguía on Unsplash

I’m excited to invite you to a workshop I’m offering called How to Publish More Poetry in 2025 on January 25th. If this post resonates with you, I hope to see you there!

From Early Wins to Stalled Dreams: What I Learned the Hard Way

I remember the day I got a SASE back in the mail with an acceptance from FIELD. At the time, I’d just graduated from an MFA program with a dream: to one day be worthy of publishing in FIELD. I had fallen in love with the voices there and devoured every back issue I could find.

I took the acceptance as a sign. I’d build momentum with journal publications and eventually publish a book. Early successes came quickly—I placed poems in journals like Pleiades, Gulf Coast, and the Bellingham Review. The manuscript I built around those poems was getting attention, too, as a finalist in contests. I was on my way!

Or so I thought.

What else did I need? It turned out, a lot more than proof that outlets liked my work. The path to publishing more poems—and eventually a book—became anything but obvious. Instead of building on that momentum, I found myself stalling out.

What was I getting wrong? Why had progress come to a screeching halt?

In hindsight, it’s always easier to see the gaps, right? I didn’t know what I didn’t know. And what I didn’t know—like how to position my work within the publishing landscape—was holding me back.

Simply put, my publishing strategy sucked because I didn’t have one. It took me another ten years to figure out how to align my work with the right opportunities—and finally publish my first book.

The Two Keys to Getting Poetry Published—Consistently

Here’s what I eventually learned, the hard way. Once I did, everything shifted: I have been able to consistently publish new poems, won a prize to publish my second book, and am well on my way to a third collection.

These two keys might sound simple, but they’re harder to implement than they seem. They require research, perspective, tools we poets tend to resist (spreadsheets), and guidance from poets who’ve walked the publishing path ahead of us.

Key #1: Know and name the essential qualities of your unique voice.

This means being able to articulate—without hesitation—what’s essential about your work. This clarity will help you identify where your voice resonates (note: I didn’t say “fits”) in the publishing landscape and where your stylistic choices will be valued.

Examples:

“My poems use experimental narratives to explore loss through nature metaphors.”

“My chapbook explores the intersections of cultural identity and displacement, using vivid imagery of landscapes and innovative forms to reflect themes of belonging and loss.”

“My work experiments with fragmented forms and collage techniques to convey themes of memory and trauma.”

(Is it hard to imagine a description that is true to your work? In the upcoming workshop, I’ll help you name those qualities in a way that feels authentic.)

Key #2: Build a robust list of aligned publishers, along with a strong plan for submissions.

This is where strategy meets action. A numbers-based, targeted approach is key. Think less like a “begging artist” and more like a marketer. (I’ve written about my personal submissions strategy here. Many poets have told me it’s worked for them, too.)

Building your list begins by researching journals that have published poets whose work feels in conversation with yours. Rather than focusing on current submission opportunities (a recipe for overwhelm), you select publishers aligned with Key #1 and then focus all efforts on reaching that list.

(There are lots of steps to building this part of your strategy. I’ll cover practical approaches, discuss tracking systems, and offer time- and money-saving tips in the workshop.)

Why These Two Keys Must Work Together

Knowing your work’s essence without a submissions strategy? You’re stuck. A high-volume strategy without clarity about your voice? You’ll be spinning your wheels.

In fact, having one without the other is dangerous because the disappointing results you are likely to get will feed the false beliefs that hold you back. You might blame the publishing landscape—or, worse, your work.

Fifteen years ago, I blamed the publishing landscape, too. I wasn’t wrong: my work wasn’t a fit for most publishers. But plenty of publishers did want it—and it was my job to find them.

Let’s stop blaming our limitations or those of publishers. Let’s stop making the excuse that publishing is hard. Of course it is. But having a publishing strategy—and setting yourself up for success—doesn’t have to be.

Get the details for the How to Publish More Poetry in 2025 workshop. See you there on January 25th!