by Gail Kavanagh

Created on: September 12, 2009

If you want to become a published poet, your first step should be through non paying literary and poetry magazines. Becoming recognized as a poet is mainly a matter of getting people to read your work. Small, non paying magazines can help you reach your audience.

Some poetry markets actually do pay small amounts. The honorariums, as they are known, will not make you rich, but do show that the editors of the magazines understand that every writer needs to feel that their contribution is worth something.

When you are looking for places to place your poetry, you will find many markets you may not have thought of before. There are now markets for genre poetry - set in the genres of fantasy and science fiction, for example - and places for new forms of poetry, such as the haibun, a blend of haiku and text that allows for creative experimentation.

Many poetry magazines will only accept submissions by post, which is a very different thing to submitting by email. When printing out your poems, use only one side of the paper, and add nothing other than your poem, your name and address, and a self addressed stamped envelope if you want your work to be returned. You can include several poems in one submission, with a cover letter about yourself, but keep this brief. Editors would prefer you used plain, not patterned paper, and do not add any graphics unless they are part of the submission and intended for publication.

Unlike submitting by email, postal submissions work very slowly, so be patient when waiting for a reply. Don't hound the edirot with constant follow up letters. Acceptance or rejection can take many months.

Here are some non paying and low paying magazines for your poetry:

The Adirondack Review: This literary magazine is an online magazine that accepts submissions of poetry by email. Read the submission guidelines for full details.

Rattle: This new magazine accepts poems of all lengths, and pays in two copies of the magazine in which your poem appears. The editors will accept email or postal submissions.

Debris: An online literary and art magazine that accepts submission of up to four poems at a time by email. Take heed of their publishing schedule when you submit.

Alimentum: Accepts poetry on the subject of food, and only accepts postal submissions.

St Ann's Review: Published by St Ann's School in Brooklyn. Accepts postal submissions only.

The Beloit Poetry Journal: A 59 year old publication with an impeccable reputation. Accepts postal submissions only.

Mad Hatter Review: Online multimedia magazine looking for something new and original. Accepts online submissions.

Simply Haiku: A quarterly publishing all forms of Japanese poetry in English, from haiku to haiga. Email submissions are accepted.\

Starline: The official journal of the Science Fiction Poetry Association. Submit up to five poems by email.

There are many more, both in print and on the web, that will consider poetry by unpublished artists. Simply Google a phrase like Poetry Submissions, and you will find plenty of non paying magazines looking for your work.

Good luck!

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