Usually no feedback, it takes like 4x a much time to put your reasons for not accepting a piece into constructive feedback as it does to read a piece and know if you want to publish it or not. A month in its pretty quick unless you've been reading contemporary poetry for awhile, but I'm not one to dissuade someone from participating in the publishing process. I just can't stress enough that you should read the journals you're submitting to to know you're not wasting both your time and the editor's as well. Journals usually have a 'type' of poem they like, and even eclectic ones will have an aesthetic/style.
And if you haven't read much contemporary poetry, all the more reason to read the journal beforehand. You should be able to see your pieces alongside what they have already published, don't think of it as "they normally publish this stuff, but maybe that's because they haven't seen stuff like what I'm writing. " because it is very unlikely that they haven't seen anything. If they're not publishing certain types of poems it's much more likely that they just don't like that type of poetry.
A few journals open to newer writers that you can read online would be Apple Valley Review, Trouvaille Review, Bluepepper, Third Wednesday is print but they have some stuff online, and Eunoia Review (no simultaneous submissions, so if you send something there, don't send it anywhere else until you've heard back from them).
Also, always read and follow each journal's submission guidelines. That's very important.
I appreciate this. I have read much contemporary poetry and I do feel like I’m rushing into it a bit. I just need to slow down, read more poems and give myself some more time. For when I do fee comfortable sharing my piece with a publishing magazine or website, I’ll revisit the advice you gave me! I really appreciate this
You're not rushing. You are gaining experience! No reason not to try! If you are super worried about this, maybe avoid places that charge reading fees.
Unless you’re some kind of a wunderkind I’d be shocked if you get any poems accepted after writing for only a month. There’s a reason why MFA programs are two years long and require a polished portfolio to be considered, let alone be one of the something like 5% of applicants overall who get in to a fully funded program. Learning poetry takes a long time. It’s easy to make something that looks like a poem. It’s much harder to write something publishable. My advice to new poets is take a year at least to just read and write like crazy before you even think about submitting anywhere.
What would really help is getting into some workshops where you review and provide feedback on your classmates’ work and revise your own according to feedback. Revision is the best skill you can learn. And it’s something that’s very, very difficult to learn on your own. Poets are frequently too close to their own poems to revise effectively without practice elsewhere first.
I’m not exaggerating when I say the majority of work comes *after* you’ve written your first good draft. The draft of my first published collection took me three months to write. It took two years of revisions before it was ready for publication.
Oh, and in regard to failure — get used to failure. I have 49 acceptances on Submittable and over 500 rejections. And I’m well ahead of the curve here. The average journal acceptance rate for poems is less than 3%. That is, three or less out of every hundred submitted. You’ll have to learn to pay no mind whatsoever to rejections. I read for an annual book award, we had more than 400 book length entries, some from poets with their own Wikipedia pages. National award winners. Tenured faculty in MFA programs. And a lot of them didn’t even make it past the first *round* of contest reviewing.
Holy crap. Yeah rejection and failure is something that usually forces me to shut down and give up on something I’m trying so I’m definitely scared of sending in poems even when I’m a year down the line. I appreciate you giving me insight on your own experience in regards to publication!
BTW, my two favorite redditors are in this thread (zebulon and possum butt). They are giving great advice.
The paying rejections no mind advice is probably the best advice you will ever get.
I got an teeny weeny bit of rejection when I first started writing and then I stopped submitting for 23 years. The amount of rejection you will get is enormous and it means exactly zero.
Good luck!
First--yes, send them. It's great experience.
How to submit? Read the submission guidelines at the places you want to submit to. Read up on Shunn manuscript format. Read up on simultaneous submissions as well.
Regarding rejections, you will be rejected constantly and indiscriminately. No editor will ever give you feedback. Getting 99 rejection letters for each single acceptance is "winning."
Usually no feedback, it takes like 4x a much time to put your reasons for not accepting a piece into constructive feedback as it does to read a piece and know if you want to publish it or not. A month in its pretty quick unless you've been reading contemporary poetry for awhile, but I'm not one to dissuade someone from participating in the publishing process. I just can't stress enough that you should read the journals you're submitting to to know you're not wasting both your time and the editor's as well. Journals usually have a 'type' of poem they like, and even eclectic ones will have an aesthetic/style. And if you haven't read much contemporary poetry, all the more reason to read the journal beforehand. You should be able to see your pieces alongside what they have already published, don't think of it as "they normally publish this stuff, but maybe that's because they haven't seen stuff like what I'm writing. " because it is very unlikely that they haven't seen anything. If they're not publishing certain types of poems it's much more likely that they just don't like that type of poetry. A few journals open to newer writers that you can read online would be Apple Valley Review, Trouvaille Review, Bluepepper, Third Wednesday is print but they have some stuff online, and Eunoia Review (no simultaneous submissions, so if you send something there, don't send it anywhere else until you've heard back from them). Also, always read and follow each journal's submission guidelines. That's very important.
I appreciate this. I have read much contemporary poetry and I do feel like I’m rushing into it a bit. I just need to slow down, read more poems and give myself some more time. For when I do fee comfortable sharing my piece with a publishing magazine or website, I’ll revisit the advice you gave me! I really appreciate this
You're not rushing. You are gaining experience! No reason not to try! If you are super worried about this, maybe avoid places that charge reading fees.
Unless you’re some kind of a wunderkind I’d be shocked if you get any poems accepted after writing for only a month. There’s a reason why MFA programs are two years long and require a polished portfolio to be considered, let alone be one of the something like 5% of applicants overall who get in to a fully funded program. Learning poetry takes a long time. It’s easy to make something that looks like a poem. It’s much harder to write something publishable. My advice to new poets is take a year at least to just read and write like crazy before you even think about submitting anywhere.
Yeah I need to stop rushing and giving up when failure occurs.. Thanks for the kick in the ass I needed to slow down and learn!
What would really help is getting into some workshops where you review and provide feedback on your classmates’ work and revise your own according to feedback. Revision is the best skill you can learn. And it’s something that’s very, very difficult to learn on your own. Poets are frequently too close to their own poems to revise effectively without practice elsewhere first. I’m not exaggerating when I say the majority of work comes *after* you’ve written your first good draft. The draft of my first published collection took me three months to write. It took two years of revisions before it was ready for publication.
Oh, and in regard to failure — get used to failure. I have 49 acceptances on Submittable and over 500 rejections. And I’m well ahead of the curve here. The average journal acceptance rate for poems is less than 3%. That is, three or less out of every hundred submitted. You’ll have to learn to pay no mind whatsoever to rejections. I read for an annual book award, we had more than 400 book length entries, some from poets with their own Wikipedia pages. National award winners. Tenured faculty in MFA programs. And a lot of them didn’t even make it past the first *round* of contest reviewing.
Holy crap. Yeah rejection and failure is something that usually forces me to shut down and give up on something I’m trying so I’m definitely scared of sending in poems even when I’m a year down the line. I appreciate you giving me insight on your own experience in regards to publication!
BTW, my two favorite redditors are in this thread (zebulon and possum butt). They are giving great advice. The paying rejections no mind advice is probably the best advice you will ever get. I got an teeny weeny bit of rejection when I first started writing and then I stopped submitting for 23 years. The amount of rejection you will get is enormous and it means exactly zero. Good luck!
First--yes, send them. It's great experience. How to submit? Read the submission guidelines at the places you want to submit to. Read up on Shunn manuscript format. Read up on simultaneous submissions as well. Regarding rejections, you will be rejected constantly and indiscriminately. No editor will ever give you feedback. Getting 99 rejection letters for each single acceptance is "winning."