The Full Handbook
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.
Curated literary markets
The following journals are selected for their transparency, high editorial standards, and verified history of championing writers early in their publishing journeys. They value aesthetic excellence over prior credentials.
FP
Editorial Collective
1 · Frontier Poetry
Aesthetic: Boundary-pushing language, intense emotional resonance, and structural innovation. Open to everything from formal sonnets to avant-garde free verse.
Limits: Up to 5 poems in one document, max 10 pages; each poem on a new page. Window: Year-round for the "New Voices" category. Pay: \$50 per poem on publication.
Submit: frontierpoetry.submittable.com
James's insight: Frontier celebrates writers without long histories. Place your strongest, most visually gripping poem first to capture the reader immediately.
R
Timothy Green
2 · Rattle
Aesthetic: Accessible, clear, deeply moving poetry — intense emotion, shared human experience, immediate clarity over academic obscurity.
Limits: Up to 4 poems; no strict line limit. Window: Continuous, year-round. Pay: \$200 for the quarterly print issue; \$100 online.
Submit: rattle.submittable.com
James's insight: Rattle enforces strict blind review — do not put your name, email, or cover letter inside the uploaded document. Note their weekly "Poets Respond" category for work written in response to current events.
AJ
Peter LaBerge
3 · The Adroit Journal
Aesthetic: Dynamic, high-energy, distinct contemporary voices; vivid imagery, linguistic risk-taking, vulnerability balanced with intellect.
Limits: Up to 6 poems in one file; no line maximum. Window: Periodic reading periods — check the portal. Pay: Contributor copies and wide digital distribution.
Submit: theadroitjournal.submittable.com
James's insight: Founded by an undergraduate, Adroit maintains a deeply supportive network for emerging and student writers through its annual Adroit Prizes.
RM
Editorial Board
4 · Rust & Moth
Aesthetic: Striking imagery, brief hard-hitting stanzas, sharp focus on natural, mechanical, or domestic textures; immediate resonance.
Limits: Up to 3 poems per cycle. Window: Mar 1–20, Jun 1–20, Sep 1–20, Dec 1–20. Pay: Digital publication and print anthology availability.
Submit: by email — guidelines at rustandmoth.com/submit
James's insight: Rust & Moth prefers email — attach poems as a single PDF and put your 50-word bio in the body of the message. Known for swift responses.
T
Helen Vitoria
5 · Thrush Poetry Journal
Aesthetic: Visceral, lyrical, highly musical language; poetry that uses space, silence, and striking rhythm.
Limits: Up to 4 poems; strictly one page per poem. Window: Opens periodically through the year. Pay: Worldwide digital showcase and permanent archive.
Submit: thrushpoetryjournal.submittable.com
James's insight: Musicality is paramount. Read your poems aloud before submitting — cadence and sonic texture are what these editors prize most.
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 | 4 poems | Submittable | Highly musical, lyrical cadence |
The mechanics of preparing your packet
How you present your work administratively reflects your commitment to the craft. Follow this protocol so your packet meets standard expectations.
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.
- Avoid decorative borders, background tints, or unusual colors — let the typography stay elegant and undistracting.
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
Keep the cover letter brief and professional — editors read hundreds weekly. Use this framework:
Dear Editors of [Journal Name],
Please consider the attached poems — "[Poem Title A]," "[Poem Title B],"
and "[Poem Title C]" — for publication in your upcoming issue. I am
currently developing my contemporary voice and experimenting with
[brief mention of technique, e.g., lyrical free verse / striking imagery].
My biographical statement is appended below. Thank you kindly for your
time and consideration of my creative work.
Warm regards,
[Your Name]
The third-person bio should be 30–50 words, concrete, and factual — current study, region, and any writing community. Avoid declarations of philosophy.
Jane Doe is a contemporary poet whose work explores the intersections of memory and physical geography. She currently resides and writes in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Model bio, ~30 words, third person
Industry resources & databases
Free · Crowdsourced
The Submission Grinder
Filter by genre, length, pay, and sub-style; tracks average response times so you know how long a journal takes.
Visit →Modern · Accessible
Chill Subs
Transparent breakdowns of editorial vibe, reading fees, and response statistics; lists human-centric journals seeking fresh authors.
Visit →Institutional
Poets & Writers Database
The vetted standard index of print and digital journals — ideal for verifying a venue's legitimacy and history.
Visit →No-Fee Advocacy
Trish Hopkinson's Blog
Continuously updated lists of high-caliber journals with a zero-fee submission policy, keeping publication accessible to all.
Visit →
Managing the writer's journey
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 prize-winning poet has collected thousands of rejections. Decouple your self-worth from external validation, keep a tracking spreadsheet, and keep the work moving.
Your words are valuable, your perspective is necessary, and persistence is the key that finally unlocks editorial doors. Keep writing, keep revising, keep submitting.
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.