How to Submit Poetry for Publication

Rejection letters are part of any writer's lot.

You've labored on masterpieces that are bound to set the world alight, according to your circle of friends who read them. Sooner or later, though, someone else will decide if the results are good enough for publication. And, if you don't master the basic rules, you'll be hobbled before you start. A little common sense and courtesy will go a long way toward helping you score with editors.

Things You'll Need

• #10 business envelopes
• Dictionary
• Notebook
• Proper postage
• Self-addressed stamped envelopes
• Style books
• Thesaurus
• Twenty- or thirty-pound white paper

Instructions

Stick to the Basics

1. Read your work aloud once more before submitting it. You'll be surprised by how easily basic capitalization, punctuation and spelling errors slip past your eyes, especially after you've seen the same words so often. You'll also ensure that a poem's trademarks--such as the avoidance of capital letters, for example--truly reflect your style, and aren't happening due to sheer laziness.

2. Stick to the basics. Leave colored paper and fancy letterheads in your drawer, and don't take chances on hurting an editor's eyesight--they may be reading dozens of submissions, which is why a 20 or 30-pound plain white paper is the standard. Avoid shiny or glossy bond surfaces, which tend to smear.

3. Type poems in 12 or 14-point fonts. Choose among the more common type styles, such as Arial, Helvetica or Times Roman. Single-space between lines, but double-space after stanzas. This marks one of the few exceptions to the prevailing rule of double-spacing throughout a manuscript (such as novels or short stories).

4. Double-check submission deadlines. Some publications only accept work during specific periods--seasonal material is typically required three to six months ahead of publication. Others frown on simultaneous submissions, or the practice of sending multiple copies to different publications. If simultaneous submissions are allowed, play fair with the editor and let them know.

Pay Attention to Details

1. Set margins at 1.5 inches on all sides. Enter the relevant personal information--including name, address and phone or email contact details--in the top left or right-hand corner.

2. Leave about a third of the page empty and then type in your title. Depending on what looks more appealing, your byline can follow the title or the poem.

3. Run off all copies on a standard laser jet printer with black ink. Don't buy a dot matrix printer with the idea of saving big bucks. It's becoming a less relevant format, which most editors find hard to read.

4. Enclose poems in a #10 business envelope, which is the most commonly size used. If you're sending half a dozen or more poems, use a large manila clasp envelope or document mailer with an SASE (Self Addressed Stamped Envelope) to advise you of a particular submission's status.

Tips & Warnings

• Check if a magazine takes electronic submissions. As printing becomes increasingly digitized, there's less need for retyping manuscripts to keep them in good condition.

• Don't worry about publication credits, or lack thereof--this marks one of the few times that a cover letter is unneeded (as opposed to submitting prospective magazine articles). If you must include one, keep it brief and explain why you chose a particular publication.

• Don't take rejection as a personal judgment--most work comes back because it doesn't fit a publication's requirements. Take a deep breath, and send your poems to someone else--what one editor may dislike, another may view more sympathetically.

• Keep track of submissions in a small looseleaf notebook, especially if you're submitting to multiple publications.

• Never proofread your own work, because it's hard to be objective. If you must, however, reading aloud is the best way to catch errors that have already slipped past your eyes.

• Use a dictionary, stylebook or thesaurus to double-check spellings or word usages that seem elusive. Don't rely on computer spell check programs, which are designed to catch more obvious mistakes.