Comments on: What are you looking for in a poetry publisher?

By: Jeannine Gailey

Jeannine Gailey — Tue, 25 Mar 2014 23:59:18 +0000

Dear Monia, That’s a good question. If you don’t have a local writing group that you work with regularly, you can try to guild a relationship with a mentor. Sometimes that person can also help you edit. You can also hire people (the back of Poets & Writers lists a lot of editors, and I occasionally do poetry manuscript editing myself, as do a lot of my friends.) The thing you want to be clear about with your editor is exactly what kind of feedback you’re looking for – is it just copyediting, or is substantial edits where you want to know about cliches, tone, ordering the MS, etc.

By: Monia Swaans

Monia Swaans — Tue, 25 Mar 2014 01:28:22 +0000

Thank you Jeannine. I’m working on my first poetry book and decided to self-publish. My question is where and how do I find a good editor?

By: Lynn Pedersen

Lynn Pedersen — Sun, 21 Jul 2013 18:20:07 +0000

Thanks for this info. I’m much newer to the process than you are, Jeannine. My strategy for my first chapbook was to find a publisher who would take the work. I didn’t feel that I had much choice in the process. I can see now that there are many more options to explore. Sandy Longhorn’s post is great, too.

By: Sandy Longhorn

Sandy Longhorn — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 13:44:26 +0000

Thanks for the linkage, Jeannine. It’s turning out to be a great conversation, and wouldn’t you know I just stumbled across a small press this morning, one I’d never heard of before. Onward!

By: Jessie Carty

Jessie Carty — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 12:30:40 +0000

J I’m thinking about these same things right now as I feel like I’m about half way through putting together a 4th manuscript. My 1st manuscript was requested. Small press. I’m still the only full length poetry collection they’ve published. Very supportive.

My 2nd was picked up from a previous relationship with a publisher who had published one of my chapbooks. It will be out soon. I’ve had a really great experience with this small press. There has been some prestige coming their way. It has been nice to bask in that side glow 🙂

My 3rd is another small press. Very new. Time will tell how that on goes.

I could go on, but I wonder what I’m looking for for the next one. Part of me would like to win a prize even though I know it is such a crap shoot. That is mainly career oriented. So Hmmm Got me thinking again.