How do you get your poetry published

A. Given that more books are published in the UK today than ever before – well in excess of 100,000 new books annually – it may come as a surprise to learn that it is harder to find a commercial publisher for poetry and fiction than at any time in the last 100 years. If you are a previously published poet or author you may have more of a chance – though any publisher you approach may wonder why your previous publisher isn’t taking on your new work – but, unless you are exceptionally talented or lucky (or both), you will have to be prepared to be knocked back not once but many times.

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Q. Who publishes poetry

A. Literary magazines and periodicals, such as the London Review of Books and Stand magazine, are worth a try, but find out their terms for accepting material; specialist poetry publishers, such as Enitharmon and Carcanet; and many general publishers, but often only in anthologies or work from established poets. It really is hard to find someone to take something as minority-interest as poetry on, but they are out there. Find out if there are any local poetry groups or magazines; the local library is a good place to start.

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Q. Why is it so hard

A. In short there is too much competition, particularly in the fiction market. Despite the well-publicised six-figure sums awarded to some high-profile authors, there really isn’t that much spare cash going around in the world of publishing, especially in comparison to other arts industries such as music or film. Profits per unit on books aren’t high and it takes a lot to persuade a publisher, unless they are really convinced, that your as-yet-unheard voice is worth taking a bet on. Publishers, like most people in business, tend to be cautious, and poetry is the hardest thing of all for them to make their money back on.

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Q. How do you approach a publisher

A. Ideally ring first to find out a) if they publish the kind of thing you are offering, and b) if they do, whether they are currently looking for new material. They will most likely suggest that you send in some sample material with a covering letter and probably a stamped addressed envelope. Allow a few weeks before you ring to find out the progress of your masterpiece. There is always the option of making an initial approach by e-mail.

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Q. What about other approaches

A.�You can always try going through an agent. Agents may have specialisms, so it’s worth ascertaining whether they deal in your type of work. Like publishers, agents can be huge international conglomerates or one-man-bands working from the back room. It is worth looking for someone who you feel is sympathetic. There are a couple of books worth seeking out on this subject: The New Authors’ Handbook (ISBN 0 7206 1101 6) by veteran literary agent David Bolt gives a good overview of the author-agent-publisher relationship and what happens if your book is taken on, as well as plenty of advice on how to prepare your work and make your approaches; The Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook is an annual publication which lists publishers, agents, periodicals, radio and TV stations and other outlets for your creative writing.

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Q. Are there any other options

A. The final option, if you can’t persuade anyone else to pay for your work to see the light of day is to pay for it yourself. This is called ‘self-publishing’ or ‘vanity publishing’. The latter term sounds somewhat derogatory, and is often meant to be. There is a general perception that if your magnum opus is not taken on by a commercial publisher and you insist on paying for it, then it is down to your own vanity. But this doesn’t have to be true: there may be 100 friends and family out there who really do want a bound professional-looking book. Self-publishing is probably a fairer description, and it has a long and illustrious history. If you do decide to go down this road you are likely to engage the help of one of the numerous vanity publishers. Be warned, they can be unscrupulous. A print-run of a few hundred copies will cost you thousands and a vanity publisher will not undertake to help you publicise, market, sell, warehouse and distribute your book. They may offer editorial services and will almost certainly advise on design. But, because you are paying, they will do whatever you say, and if you’re not a professional you can end up with a real mess. This is not to say that all vanity publishers are devious or even crooked, but it’s best to be careful.

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Q. What about publishing on the web

A. More and more companies are springing up offering to publish your work electronically. Because it’s a lot less costly than traditional publishing there is less risk involved. This can lead to two conclusions: e-publishers can publish work that traditional publishers can’t or won’t because of financial constraints and are thus pushing the boundaries of publishing and the diversity of creative writing available to the public; or, they are less discerning and are in effect vanity e-publishers. The truth is that both types exist, as well as every point in between. http://www.onlineoriginals.com are a reputable outfit.

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Q. Depressed

A. You may be, but don’t give up. If you’ve got something worth publishing, someone out there may find you one day. And you can always take comfort from the fact that an awful lot of rubbish is published every year, and who’d want to be in that kind of company . . .

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By Simon Smith