Points of Publishing

7/8/2022

Somebody asked me the other day if I thought there was really any point to trying to get your poems published. This is a good question, particularly nowadays when you can just upload anything you want to social media.

I think there's a point to trying to publish your poems. In fact, several points. Here's some of them:

Published poems will be seen by people outside of your social media bubble.
Published poems are edited. Many poems that are posted up online have grammatical errors, punctuation errors, and other issues that make them look a bit sloppy. It's essential to get more than one set of eyes on a poem before you release it to the public.
Published poems go out to a subscriber base that wants poetry.
Published poems appear alongside other notable works and poets.
Published poems pass through an intense process of competition. This process can be very good for a working poet who wants to hone their craft and get better.
Published poems are eligible for awards like the Pushcart Prize and the Best of the Net awards.
Published poems are sometimes paid for. That's right, you can make money for writing poetry.
Published poems are sometimes still put out in print journals. It's is a great feeling to hold a paper journal in your hands that contains your poetry and bio.

There are other reasons, but this should do for now. My advice is: submit your poems for publication! But be prepared for long response times and and unavoidable rejections.

The best way to avoid rejection is to send your best, fully polished work to journals you want to publish in with a simple, short cover letter (or email).

If you'd like some feedback on your poems, or want to get an edge in submitting to publications or contests, consider getting feedback, or a quick polish (or both) through one of the buttons below.

Or simply send an inquiry to [email protected]

I've also posted a lot of poetry tips, ideas, and exclusive access to my own poems over at my Patreon page. There's also unique pictures and access to my flash-fiction and occult writings. Please help me out by supporting me at Patreon!!!

Thanks so much!!

Creativity & Reflections
by Daniel E. Blackston