Where do I go now?

[Tanya]

I'm in need of some experianced advice. I'm a poet, and have been writing... always... and have been published in about 20 magazines internationally this year. I'm wondering when I have published enough to go for a book, and how do I approach a publisher with a book length manuscript?

[DebLipp]

It's almost impossible to get a book of poetry published unless you're famous for something else. Most poets self-publish or get involved in publishing cooperatives.

[Ben Gruagach]

Deb is right -- poetry is perhaps one of the hardest ways to try and make money as a writer.

Here are a few websites though that might help you:

http://www.junecotner.com/NOV2004PTM.htm

http://www.writersdigest.com/

http://www.soyouwanna.com/site/syws/publishpoem/publishpoem.html

And be warned too -- there are a lot of scams out there that claim to publish your poetry but are really all about liberating you from your cash. Check out the following sites for info on scams:

http://windpub.com/literary.scams/

http://www.absolutewrite.com/specialty_writing/poetry_scams.htm

http://www.eliteskills.com/writing_scams/

http://www.poetryscams.com/

If you do decide to self-publish, there are some low-cost alternatives like the following that you should investigate:

http://www.lulu.com/

http://www.cafepress.com/cp/info/sell/books.aspx

There are lots of other self-publishing services that charge you, the author, lots of money to get your book in print. By all means check them out too but be aware it is possible to do the same thing much cheaper through things like lulu.com and cafepress.com -- don't pay for things that you can get for free!

[Tanya]

LOL if I wanted to make money i would write curiculumns for a living... ohh wait.... i Do that....

i write poetry for the joy of it.... money.... HA! what a joke!

I refuse to self publish.... I worked for a small publishing house as an editor and the derision heaped on self publishers was imense... and the quality they sent us was... PAINFUL...

I guess i will just wait to be famous... ;)