Photo courtesy of coffeehousejunkie.
More than 50 poems were sent to publishers in January. Encouraged by another poet who submits somewhere in the neighborhood of 60 poems a month, I thought it would be a good discipline as well. It’s exhausting as well.
A few years ago, I was encourage not to post my poems on this blog (or Facebook), because a lot of small press publishers consider those poems “published.” So, I’ve been writing offline and sharing the new poems at private salons, a poetry festival and with friends. But I have not pursued publication until this year.
Talking with Al Maginnes after his recent reading at Malaprop’s, he told me how is first poetry submission was accepted immediately. Encouraged by this, he submitted more poetry to publishers. He said it was years before anything else was published.
So far, two publishers replied with rejection notices. That’s alright. I will submit those poems to other publishers.
Coffeehouse Junkie 
If I may ask, what publishers do you send your poetry to?
Great question. Primarily, poem submissions are sent literary journals and magazines. For example, my published poems appear in Crab Creek Review and H_NGM_N. Sometimes I submit poems to art journals (for example, one of my poems was published in ISM Quarterly). In general, I avoid submitting poems to online journal/blogs due to the ephemeral nature of the platform. My prose writings require different tactics for publication.
Makes sense; though the web offers great opportunity, there is not only the nostalgia and aesthetics of actual print, but I would assume bring a more desired platform and potential for further publication.
Web-based lit journals do offer great opportunity and reach. Early on I had prose & poetry published in online journals. But I noticed that after a few years they would fold for various reasons. Record of my online publication disappears with a discontinued web-journal. So, I refocused my submissions on publications that have longevity and fortitude. Granted, I am not opposed to web-content, but publication credits is to writers what a portfolio is to graphic designers.