How to Publish Poetry & Get Your Book Published

If you love writing poetry, you may wish to publish your poems to share with others. Maybe you enjoy amusing people with your rhyming riddles, or touching people’s hearts with your tales of sorrow and love.

Whether you write poetry about trains or trees, cats or catastrophes, the desire to share your words and thoughts with others can be an inherent part of being a writer. Whatever your particular slant of poetry, publishing a poetry collection can be a fulfilling and rewarding enterprise, that we could help you to realise.

There are different ways to publish your poetry, from mainstream publishers to indie publishers or self-publishing. Self-publishing can sometimes have bad press, due to unethical companies who take advantage of people’s publishing ambitions and dreams.

Mainstream publishers tend to favour books that have the potential to be bestsellers. Indie publishers do often publish poetry, but they can be inundated with submissions, and it can be difficult to get noticed.

Poetry doesn’t, in general, sell millions, but it brings pleasure, hope, and joy to those who read it, and that is far more important than profit. So, if you have a collection of poetry that you would love to see in a published book, this post might be helpful to you.

If you are considering publishing poetry, then it is important that you have a good collection. A collection of poems is generally considered to be around 50 poems. Think about your theme. Are your poems light-hearted ditties about the ironies of the world, or perhaps you love writing poems about rain?

Having a theme to your poetry collection adds continuity and consistency for the reader, giving them a little slice of the world that they can carry in their pocket.

There are various considerations when publishing poetry. Poems tell a story or evoke a spectrum of emotions, and this will be reflected throughout your poetry collection from the choice of poems to the front cover design.

A book is not simply the words contained within, but a complete work of art. We will work with you to ensure that your poetry book is everything that you wish it to be, with advice and support throughout the process, from your initial submission to holding the finished published manuscript in your hand.

Choose your poems

If you are an avid poet, you will probably have an impressive selection of poems. Some will be better than others, and some will have been written when you are sad or when you are happy.

Choosing a selection that works together will help to create a beautiful published collection that works whether it is read from cover to cover, or dipped into at peaceful moments throughout the day.

If you are struggling to choose which poems to include for publishing, speak to our friendly and helpful publishing team, who will be able to offer professional advice on putting together and publishing a collection that reflects your very best work.

Poem book format

Publishing your poetry isn’t just about the words that you have written, but also about how those poems are presented. When you work with us to publish poetry you will be able to advise on the best typeface to reflect your poems.

Different typefaces work best for different poems, thoughts, and feelings. Part of our publishing service is ensuring that you can enjoy the benefits of our experienced design team, who will work with you to ensure that the published typeface, and page layout enhances your words.

Design your book cover

While we all know the expression; “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” sadly that is exactly what people do. Your poetry book cover is a window to the words inside and should give readers a sense of what they will read when they open your book.

Our design team will spend time understanding the tone and feel of your poetry collection so that the cover that they design will be reflective of the poems within. A poetry book isn’t just a collection of words, but a visually beautiful insight into your thoughts and feelings.

A good book cover will draw readers in, and tempt them to turn the pages. You may have an exact picture of how you see your front cover, or you may want our input and ideas. We will always listen to your input, discuss our thoughts with you, and create a cover that you love.

There are different routes to take when considering publishing your poetry. You need to consider what is the best fit for you and your poetry. Do take time researching what will work best for you; for some people, a small publishing company may be the best fit, while for others, self-publishing may be the preferred approach.

Do-it-yourself

You could publish your poetry yourself. There are companies who will produce a book of poetry for you with no input, and you make all the decisions. If you are absolutely confident in your design abilities, this could work for you.

You will need to proofread and edit your poetry, decide upon typeface and page layout, as well as design your front cover. For many poets, this can be a bit daunting, and working with a professional poetry publisher to publish your collection can be a better option.

Hire a professional poetry book publisher

When you work with a professional publisher, you gain access to all their knowledge and experience. You will have on-hand support from editors, proofreaders, and designers to help you through each stage of transforming your collection of poetry into a beautifully produced physical book.

Publishing companies offer different levels of support and input to publish your book depending on your requirements. Whether you want an editor to work with you, or a designer to create your front cover, they will work with you from your initial enquiry throughout the entire publishing process to holding your finished collection of poetry in your hand.

Publish your work online

You may wish to just publish your poetry online. We offer the option of having it available in digital format in addition to hard copy as required, as it increases the global market potential. You can either sell online or simply share with friends and family in an easy digital format.

However, nothing beats the feeling of holding your published collection of poetry in your hand, slotting your book of poetry onto your bookshelf, and proudly showing others your poetry book.

Creating a publication of your poetry can seem daunting. It can be hard to imagine that handful of scribbles, or neatly typed words, turning into an actual book.

When you come to us, we will spend time explaining the publishing process to you, so that you understand each of the steps needed to turn your poems into a complete book. Spend time choosing your best poems, and make sure that they work together as a collection.

Whether they tell a story throughout the book or follow a theme, they need to fit together as a whole. Edit, edit, and edit again. Ask trusted people for advice and feedback to help improve your poems.

When you feel that you have a collection that you are proud of and that you are ready to see published, then submit them to us and get ready for the beginning of your creation.

You need to choose a publisher who you can work with, who listens, communicates, and is as excited about your poetry as you are. Speak to publishing houses, and read their terms carefully.

Research what types of poetry they already publish, often they will lean towards a certain type or style of poetry. Beware packages that look too good to be true!

If you decide to self-publish, then come to our experienced team here at ShieldCrest where we will spend time listening and explaining the process to you. We are always transparent about the costs and process of self-publishing and will work with you throughout the project.

Our costs are fair and reflective. We believe that poetry should be shared and enjoyed, and that the cost of publishing shouldn’t be a deterrent for budding poets. When you come to us with your poetry, we will explain our pricing, and create the best package for you and your poetry.

Each collection is different, and we provide a tailor-made service for each one of our clients.

The first question to ask yourself when considering marketing your book is what you want to achieve. If you want to publish your poetry for your own satisfaction, then there is no need to market it.

If you simply want to share your poems with friends and family in a beautifully produced book, then there is no need to market it. However, if you want to reach a wider audience, then marketing is essential.

If you are a marketing whizz, with your finger on the pulse, you could market your own book. However, many poets are unsure where to start with marketing their book, which is where the team at ShieldCrest comes in.

We offer marketing packages to help your book to reach a wider audience. We will always be realistic with you about what we can achieve, but will work with you to make your book as successful as possible.

Our in-house marketing team is extremely experienced and capable and will market your book in a structured and targeted way using a variety of resources. We will discuss the best marketing package for you when you come to us.

If you are looking for the best publishing company, then you have found us! We are a multi-award winning publisher and have been No.1 in the FreeIndex list of over 80 UK publishers for many years. You can reference these on our Awards Page and Freeindex.

We always work with our authors from your first enquiry to helping you to sell your finished collection.

We are always helpful, friendly, and professional, we will take time to communicate with you so that you fully understand the publishing process and respond to any queries that you may have. Our pricing is transparent and fair, and we endeavour to do the very best for every client.

If you are looking for a supportive and helpful publishing company to transform your poems into a collection of bound poetry, then speak to the team at ShieldCrest today.

Read related article:

• How to Write Poetry Books