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Poetry Submission Guidelines (PDF)
Everything on this page — and more — is gathered in a formatted, printable handbook. Keep it beside your notebook as you build your submission list.
Free PDF · 8 pagesPoetry Submission GuidelinesA Handbook for New PoetsDownload PDF ↓
Selected literary markets
These journals are open to poets without long publication records. Their guidelines are clear, and they care more about the poems than about credits. The details come from each journal’s own guidelines in 2026.
Quick market comparison table
| Magazine | Max Poems | Method | Key Preference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier Poetry | 5 poems | Submittable | Bold imagery, structural diversity |
| Rattle | 4 poems | Submittable (blind) | Emotional clarity, narrative drive |
| The Adroit Journal | 6 poems | Submittable | Contemporary, high-energy language |
| Rust & Moth | 3 poems | Email (.PDF) | Visceral, object-oriented textures |
| Thrush Poetry Journal | — | Closed (2024) | Highly musical, lyrical cadence |
The mechanics of preparing your packet
Editors want to see the poem and nothing else. These steps work for almost every journal.
Step One — Typography & Layout
- Use a clean, cross-platform serif such as Georgia or Garamond, 12-point.
- Set line spacing to single or 1.15.
- Begin each poem on its own page.
- Leave out borders, colored backgrounds, and decorative fonts.
Step Two — Title Page & Anonymity
- Check whether the journal requires a blind submission.
- If not blind: place your legal name, pen name, email, and phone in the upper-right corner of the first page.
- If blind: strip all identifying details from both the document text and its metadata.
The professional cover letter & bio
Editors read many letters a week. A brief, polite one is best. You can adapt this:
The third-person bio should be 30–50 words, concrete, and factual — current study, region, and any writing community. Avoid declarations of philosophy.
Industry resources & databases
The Submission Grinder
Search by genre, length, and pay; shows how long each journal usually takes to reply.
Visit →Chill Subs
A friendly, easy-to-search site that lists reading fees, response times, and what each journal publishes.
Visit →Poets & Writers Database
The long-standing directory of print and online journals. Use it to confirm that a journal is real and how long it has been publishing.
Visit →Keeping track of your submissions
Simultaneous submissions. Most journals permit sending the same packet to several magazines at once. The obligation: if a poem is accepted by one, immediately notify and withdraw it everywhere else it is pending. On Submittable, use the Messages/Notes tab; withdraw the whole submission only if all its poems are taken.
Treat submission as an impersonal administrative ritual that protects your creative fire. When a rejection arrives, do not let it linger. Open your tracking ledger, find the next target, and send the work back out the same day.James’s perspective on rejection
Rejection is not a verdict on your worth. An editor may admire your craft but have already filled the issue with poems on your subject. Every poet you admire has a long list of rejections. Record each one, send the poem to the next journal, and keep writing.
Market details compiled in the Silver Current Press Poetry Submission Guidelines. Verify all guidelines on each journal’s own site before submitting, as windows and terms change. Databases: The Submission Grinder, Chill Subs, Poets & Writers, Trish Hopkinson.