How to Publish a Christmas Poetry Book

Getting any book published is a challenge. Getting a book published in the niches of Christmas and poetry is a triple challenge. Take heart. It's possible to publish any book as long as the content is great, strong and marketable. If you are a poet who gets inspired during the holidays, there is a market out there just waiting to read your book with ravenous eyes.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Compose the full manuscript before you even search for a publisher. While this isn't true for all genres, it's very true for a book of Christmas poetry.

2. Get together a package to send to potential publishers. Add details of possible drawings or photographs that can be included. If you are an artist or photographer, include original images with the book proposal. If your poetry book is short and simple, use the entire book itself as the proposal. If it is a long, complicated book, write a book proposal that highlights one or two sample chapters, alongside a vivid description of the book and the audience you envision reading it.

3. Read the copyright pages of all the Christmas books that you enjoy. Look in the bookstores for poetry books with a holiday theme. By finding out which publishers are willing to take a chance on holiday material, you can gather a list for sending out your manuscript.

4. Write a cover letter that you can switch and customize for each submission. The basic draft should state who you were, what your project is about, how your project will help others, the marketability of such a project and why the company is the perfect fit for your writing. Do this in a brief and enthusiastic manner. Present yourself as someone that anybody would have fun working with, yet keep a professional edge to every sentence you compose.

5. Send out the package to literary agents, managers and publishers themselves. Do this in the summer or even earlier in the year. Christmas and holiday materials need to be accepted and planned for well in advance.

6. Follow up with a response after six weeks. Be courteous and prompt in all of your correspondence with editors and publishers.

7. Consider publishing on Lulu.com or a similar self-publishing Web site if you know your product is good, yet you cannot get others to see your vision. By publishing on Lulu, you only have to make a tiny investment to see the book for yourself. You can even do a small printing for family and friends. Seeing your name and book in print for only a small investment can be worth its weight in gold when it gives you the confidence to pursue further publication of your work.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't forget to write a sincere dedication in the front of your Christmas book. These dedications should be simple, and it should go out to someone that you are truly thankful for...someone who helped to inspire and encourage such a book.

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