POETRY PUBLISHING GUIDE - BY TELL TELL POETRY A comprehensive resource to help poets self-publish.
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POETRY PUBLISHING GUIDE
A comprehensive resource to help poets self-publish.
BY TELL TELL POETRY
POETRY PUBLISHING GUIDE
Copyright © Tell Tell Editing, 2018
For permissions information,
email hello@telltellpoetry.com.
Tell Tell Poetry’s Poetry Publishing Guide, and
all content provided herein, is the intellectual
property of Tell Tell Poetry, and is protected
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Tell Poetry’s Terms and Conditions. Tell Tell
Poetry reserves the right to pursue legal
remedies against you for any violations of
its policies, terms, and conditions.
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Prologue 4
What’s Up with Copyright 5
What’s Up with Formatting a Collection 7
What’s Up with the Order of My Poems 8
What’s Up with Fonts 11
What’s Up with Editing 12
What’s Up with Blurbs 14
What’s Up with the Platform 22
What’s Up with Marketing 32
What’s Up with Hosting Readings 35
What’s Up with Taxes 40
Poetry Self-Publishing Checklist 42
Testimonials 44
TELL TELL POETRY SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDE 3
PROLOGUE
When we first published, we didn’t know the first
thing about the publishing world. How the heck were
we supposed to reach out to readers? How were we
going to get people excited about our work? How we
were going to order our poems? After a lot of trial
(and a lot of error), we found a plan that helped us
publish easier. And now we want to share that same
plan with all of you!
You don’t have to publish your poetry alone. When
you collaborate with a team like Tell Tell Poetry, the
entire process is simplified. From getting a custom
cover design to hearing what’s up with pen names,
we can help you with the entire process. ISBNs? We
got you. Copyright? Yep. Offending your family with
your memoir poetry? We might not be able to help
you with that one, but we’ll listen to your woes.
If you have issues with any of these steps, email me
directly at hello@telltellpoetry.com and I’ll help you
where you left off.
TELL TELL POETRY SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDE 4
WHAT’S UP WITH COPYRIGHT
This is usually the last step in the process, but we’re going to talk about it first, so we can help you calm down
a bit. Publishing can be scary, so we want you to stay safe from the beginning.
copyright lasts the life of the author in addition
If you’re self-publishing, submit your work for
PRO to seventy years after their death if the work was
copyright after the design stage before it goes to
TIP created after January 1, 1978. Literary works,
print. It’s $55 and super simple. You won’t regret it.
performing arts, visual arts, motion pictures, and
photography are just some of the types of works
WHAT IS IT?
that may be copyrighted.
The U.S. Copyright Office states that, “copyright is
a form of protection provided by U.S. law to authors IS IT NECESSARY?
of ‘original works of authorship’ from the time the
According to Writer’s Digest, you do not need to
works are created in a fixed form.” Generally, the
copyright your manuscript before submitting it to
copyright lasts the life of the author in addition
publishers. It’s important to remember that your
to seventy years after their death if the work was
work is automatically protected under copyright
created after January 1, 1978. Literary works,
law without formal registration once you write it.
performing arts, visual arts, motion pictures, and
However, it is necessary to register your writing
photography are just some of the types of works
with the Copyright Office to enforce the exclusive
that may be copyrighted.
rights through litigation. Just remember that you
must fill out an application with the U.S. Copyright
WHAT IS IT?
Office, submit a copy (online) or copies (mail) of
The U.S. Copyright Office states that, “copyright is your work, and pay a $55 fee* when registering your
a form of protection provided by U.S. law to authors work (single-author only).
of ‘original works of authorship’ from the time the
*Your particular submission may require more money, but the standard submission
works are created in a fixed form.” Generally, the payment is $55.
TELL TELL POETRY SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDE 5
WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR required information as you submit your application
SELF-PUBLISHED AUTHORS? online. It may take six to ten months for the U.S.
Since the copyright initially belongs to the author Copyright Office to process your application and
of the work, self-published authors already have issue you a certificate. However, as long as your
copyright on their writing. Keep in mind that while work is deemed copyrightable, the “effective date
applying a copyright notice to a work (the copyright of registration” is the date the Office “received
symbol (©) or the word “Copyright,” the copyright the completed application, correct payment, and
owner’s name, and first year of publication) has copy(ies) of the work being registered in acceptable
not been required since March 1, 1989, it may have form. You do not need to wait for a certificate to
“practical and legal benefits.” However, according proceed with publication.”
to the U.S. Copyright Office, “placing a copyright
notice on a work is not a substitute for registration.”
PRO Wait until you have the final version of your book
So basically, if you want to put a copyright symbol TIP before you submit it to the copyright office.
next to your work, you have to actually submit it for
copyright, yeah!
Notes: I would suggest that, just to be safe, you
submit your work for copyright before you publish it.
HOW DO I APPLY?
You can register your manuscript online by visiting
the U.S. Copyright page. Once there, simply fill out
the application. You will then pay the $55 filing fee
to the Copyright Office (for a single-author work). Bibliography
Next, you will need to upload an electronic copy of Francis, Scott. “Should You Copyright Your Book Before Submitting It?” The
Writer’s Digest, March 27, 2008. http://www.writersdigest.com/tip-of-the-day/
the manuscript or mail two hard copies. If mailing should-you-copyright-your-book-before-submitting-it
U.S. Copyright Office. “Copyright Basics.” copyright.gov, 2017. https://www.
hard copies, the online system will create a shipping copyright.gov/circs/circ01.pdf
slip for you to send with the manuscripts and they U.S. Copyright Office. “I’ve Submitted My Application.” copyright.gov, 2017.
https://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-what.html#certificate
must be sent within thirty days of the date on the U.S. Copyright Office. “Welcome to the eCO (electronic Copyright Office) Single
shipping slip. The system will prompt you for all Application Tutorial.” copyright.gov, 2017. https://www.copyright.gov/eco/eco-tu-
torial-single.pdf
TELL TELL POETRY SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDE 6
WHAT’S UP WITH FORMAT TING
A COLLECTION
Formatting a collection can be the most stressful REMINDERS
part of self-publishing. What happens if you get • Always check the publishing platform of your choice.
the margins wrong? How do you update the table They usually have guidelines that will help you format
of contents? How do you make sure you have the your collection.
poem titles on the proper pages? We have a simple • Make sure you’re designing the cover and spine properly
solution that you can work with if you want a 6” • Make sure you add a copyright symbol only after you
x 9” collection. Keep in mind that this is a pretty submit your work for copyright
standard format, but if you want a strange design or • Make sure you update the table of contents (ToC)
a different design, email us and we can help you get whenever you add new poems in. To get the poems added
properly, make sure that you go to Format > Style and
it sorted out.
use a single header style for all your poems. This is how
If you want to work with the 6” x 9” format, Microsoft Word will know how to categorize each poem.
Once you have your header style set, click on the title of
download our formatting guide, paste your poems in
each poem and then click on the style you want. This is
it, and upload that to the self-publishing platform of usually easily accessible from the style pane
your choice. If you have any issues, email us at • Depending on your version of Microsoft Word, you
hello@telltellpoetry.com and we’ll help you out. can access this from the references pane. Click on
the refresh symbol to update the ToC. Check to make
sure that all the styles were properly applied and that
you didn’t miss any poems. If there are still errors, you
may want to strip the styles from the titles and redo it
to make sure they’re in properly.
TELL TELL POETRY SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDE 7WHAT’S UP WITH THE ORDER OF
MY POEMS
“Because a collection of poems is sequential, not simultaneous like visual art, and even though many readers don’t read the
poems in order, understanding a book’s design is a way to deepen one’s experience of the book.” –Natasha Sajé
CHOOSE YOUR SIZE and why. Remember that you’re making a path for
the reader. This handy guide will help you find that
How many poems do you have?
path! Below are various ways you can arrange your
1-35: Publish a chapbook-length work manuscript so that each poem reads more powerful
35-55: Publish a full-length collection and the book reads cohesive.
55-125: Publish a full-length
THE BOOK IS A POEM
The ideal length really depends on your work. There
are manuscripts with thousands of pages, and there One way to think about ordering is to consider the
are some with very few pages. Choose your best book as one poem. So, first consider how you would
poems, your most cohesive poems, and your want “the poem” to open and end.
brilliant poems. The length doesn’t matter as much Most collections begin with an intriguing poem—
as the quality. We promise. much like how most poems open with a first line
that really pulls the reader into the world of the
MAKING A PATH poem. Take Airea D. Matthews’ “Rebel Prelude,”
Jennifer K. Sweeney’s “Abandoning the Hives,” or
You’ve taken such great care with each poem and
Nicole Sealey’s “Medical History.” Keep in mind
now it’s time to order them for the manuscript.
that the first poem sets the tone for the rest of
Perhaps what’s most important here is that the
the collection, so it’s probably best to open with
order is deliberate. In other words, make sure that
your strongest poem. After you do this, let’s skip
you are intentional in your arrangement. You should
ahead all the way to the last poem since we’re
be able to explain to someone how it is ordered
TELL TELL POETRY SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDE 8creating a skeleton of sorts here. In the most work best for your collection or would a slower
satisfying collections, the first poem and last poem unraveling work?
have a dialogue. This dialogue does not have to
be overt, but there should be some awareness of GETTING READY
the evolution that’s happened in the collection. In
Many poets find that it helps to physically print the
the previously mentioned collections, there are
poems off before arranging them. Erin Coughlin
soft echoes in the final poems of themes and/or
Howell (Every Atom) says, “Both times, it helped
language from the first poems. The reader should be
me to print them all out and step back and look at
able to revisit that first poem after reading the last
the poems as if they were paintings at an exhibition.
poem and see it through an additional lens.
Which would have interesting conversations
If the book is one poem, will there be stanzas together? How would I like readers to come upon
(sections)? Most contemporary collections employ them? What should be fresh in a reader’s mind for
sections and function in differing ways. this poem?” Cynthia Atkins reflects on her process,
It’s important to think about the reader and how “Literally and physically placing on the floor or
you want them to feel when reading the collection. wall to see them is really helpful too—themes and
For example, Mary Ruefle doesn’t include any threads that connect some poems show up. A
sections in her collections. This can have a spell-like beginning, middle, and end for scaffolding and then
effect on the reader—once they’re hooked, there’s building from within.”
no going back. It also communicates a sense of
urgency in that there’s no breath in the collection. WAYS OF ORDERING
This lack of sections works really well with Ruefle’s
By Theme
work since she is incredibly imaginative and tends to
always read urgent. Perhaps the most popular way to order a collection
is by theme. Raquel Vasquez Gilliland says, “I’ve
Sections, like stanzas, can provide natural
only ordered a manuscript once but I had secret
indications of time progression. They can also be
personas for each section. ‘Clay’ was Eve (as in
used to indicate a shift in tone, theme, form/style,
Adam) for instance. So, when separating the Great
or speaker. Just remember your reader and how
Poem Pile I’d think ‘oh, that’s such an Eve poem.
you want them to feel. Do you want them to feel
And this is definitely Lilith.’ It helped.”
your poems are urgent or do you want there to be
a more meditative effect? Does a crush of poems
TELL TELL POETRY SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDE 9By Narrative I arranged the handful of autobiographical poems to
present a narrative, but I left out poems that would
Another approach is to arrange poems by a
confuse the narrative.”
narrative and/or speaker(s). Anne Champion
suggests, “If I can find a narrative thread, I often Other poets bring in other artistic elements, like
like to give an order to my book that follows that. music. Michael Schmeltzer says, “I feel like ordering
To give an example, in my upcoming book, a series a book is like a soundtrack to a movie. You can let it
of poems to iconic women in history, Part One is accentuate an arc to the book. Where do you want
called “Staggering Blooms” and it’s about women the emotional swells, the climactic moments, the
who people marveled at for various reasons, like soft peace, etc.?”
Annie Oakley or Josephine Baker. Part Two is called
“The Most Terrible Thing” and it’s about tragic and BE DELIBERATE
terrifying women, like Sylvia Plath or Aileen Wuornos.
There’s a fine line between obsessing over the
And Part Three is called “Only Our Bones Obey By
order and being deliberate with the arrangement of
Breaking” and it’s about political women and women
your collection. You may have to try out a couple
who resisted, like Meena Kamal or Nina Simone.
ways of ordering before you find the one that best
Those links helped me create a tapestry of odes,
complements the collection’s theme and tone.
elegies, and personas to honor by foremothers.”
Natasha Sajé highlights this wonderfully—“The
Narrative and speaker arrangements may also lend
poet must use convention, but not be used by it, in
themselves to a chronological structure.
order to create a free flow of energy through the
Structuring a collection around form or style is book, clearing clutter and making the space inviting,
another method. Beth Ann Fennelly posits, “…I yet not dictating the path so much that the reader
tried to sculpt a more directive order, adding new cannot reenter with a sense of discovery. Poets who
poems when they seemed to provide structure, trust their readers make their book’s structure a
taking out the most stylistically extreme.” She partnership, an invitation to find bliss.”
goes on to say, “I removed a sestina, for example,
because it was the most obviously patterned
poem, and removed a rhymed sonnet but left in Bibliography
an unrhymed one. Instead of spacing my blank Fennelly, Beth Ann. “The Winnowing of Wildness: On First Book Contests and
Style.” The Writers Chronicle, October/November 2003.
verse dramatic monologues throughout the book, I
Sajé, Natasha. “Dynamic Design.” The Structure of Books of Poems.” The Iowa
gathered (ghettoized?) them into their own section. Review 35, no. 2 (2005): 149-162.
TELL TELL POETRY SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDE 10WHAT’S UP WITH FONTS
A weird font combination is one of the fastest ways to make your book look amateur. If you want to get a
professional design all by yourself, use one of our favorite font pairings to make it a little easier.
T e l l T e l l’ s F av o r i T e F o n T C h e a T s h e e T
“Typography is two-dimensional architecture”
– Hermann Zapf, creator of Palatino, Optima and Zapfino
Bauer Bodoni Italian Old Style
“I sound my barbaric yawp over “I sound my barbaric yawp over
the roofs of the world.” the roofs of the world.”
10pt / 13.5 leading 10pt / 13.5 leading
Century Old Style Baskerville
“I sound my barbaric yawp over “I sound my barbaric yawp over
the roofs of the world. the roofs of the world.”
10pt / 13.5 leading” 10pt / 13.5 leading
Garamond Excelsior
“I sound my barbaric yawp over “I sound my barbaric yawp over
the roofs of the world.” the roofs of the world.”
10pt / 13.5 leading 10pt / 13.5 leading
Electra Miller
“I sound my barbaric yawp over “I sound my barbaric yawp over
the roofs of the world.” the roofs of the world.”
10pt / 13.5 leading 10pt / 13.5 leading
Minion Janson
“I sound my barbaric yawp over “I sound my barbaric yawp over
the roofs of the world.” the roofs of the world.”
10pt / 13.5 leading 10pt / 13.5 leading
Bembo Palatino
“I sound my barbaric yawp over “I sound my barbaric yawp over
the roofs of the world.” the roofs of the world.”
10pt / 13.5 leading 10pt / 13.5 leading
Sabon Goudy
“I sound my barbaric yawp over “I sound my barbaric yawp over
the roofs of the world.” the roofs of the world.”
10pt / 13.5 leading 10pt / 13.5 leading
TELL TELL POETRY SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDE 11WHAT’S UP WITH EDITING
There’s no substitution for a qualified editor, but there are some errors that you might be able to keep an eye
out for on your own. Below is a list of the most common errors we see while editing. Scan your manuscript to
make sure you aren’t making these mistakes. Have a question? Email us at hello@telltellpoetry.com and we’ll
get you some help.
LIE VS LAY COMMA AFTER COORDINATING
CONJUNCTION WHEN IT STARTS
Lay means to put something down, and it always A SENTENCE
includes a direct object. Someone or something has
A comma is not needed after a coordinating
to do the laying.
conjunction when it starts a sentence. You
Chickens lay eggs. should only place a comma before a coordinating
Kallie laid her keys down. conjunction when it joins two independent clauses.
I lay the book on the table and ran.
Incorrect: So, we will go to the mall.
Lie means to rest or recline, and it does not need a
Correct: Mary and I need clothes, so we will go to
direct object. the mall.
Kallie lies on the floor.
The apple lies on the floor. NOT CAPITALIZING PROPER NOUNS
Lay can also be the past tense of lie. Always check that proper nouns (e.g., Frisbee,
Dutch, etc.) are capitalized.
Yesterday, Kallie lay on the floor.
Yesterday, the apple lay on the floor.
TELL TELL POETRY SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDE 12NOT CAPITALIZING KINSHIP NAMES WHEN
THEY TAKE THE PLACE OF PEOPLE’S NAMES
(SEE CMOS 8.36)
Mom loves to dance.
My mom loves to dance.
It’s true that Mom loves to dance.
What should I do, Father?
CAPITALIZATION IN POEMS
If you are choosing to capitalize the first word of
every line regardless of whether it begins a new
sentence, make sure you support that and carry it
through the entire poem.
If you are using sentence case by only capitalize
proper nouns and the first word in every new
sentence, make sure you carry it through.
You don’t have to keep the poem punctuation
similar through every poem, but you should make
sure that if you choose to incorporate a certain
punctuation style in a single poem, you keep it
consistent throughout the entirety of that poem.
VERB AGREEMENT WITH NONE
None can be either singular or plural. If it’s singular
(not one) use a singular verb (none has known). If
it’s plural (none of the ballplayers have known) use a
plural verb.
TELL TELL POETRY SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDE 13WHAT’S UP WITH BLURBS
In its most basic sense, a blurb is part of the text finding the right blurbs is a bit like finding the right
featured on your book’s back cover or on your soundtrack to your life—everyone has their own
book’s website. There are two main types of blurbs: perfect mix. When you start pulling together your
1. blurbs you write or the publisher writes describing blurbs, you’ll want to find the right mix of information
the book, and 2. blurbs other like-minded (but and exaltation. You’ll want to reach out to authors
perhaps better known) authors or publications write you admire, and, maybe even more importantly,
praising your work. authors whose readers you want to attract.
Most book lovers have spent significant time
WHAT MAKES A GOOD BLURB
wandering through the stacks of a library, browsing
the shelves of a shop or the “You Might Also Like…” For such a pervasive element of publishing, blurbs
section of an online bookstore, trying to decide take a lot of heat. Some writers (Camille Paglia,
what to read next. There are many ways a book can Jennifer Weiner, even George Orwell) have
nab our heart (and our spending money) at first accused blurbs of becoming hyperbolic parodies
glance. One way, of course, is the book’s front of themselves. Your challenge, should you choose
cover. We’ve been told, though, not to judge a book to accept it, is to find a blurb that showcases the
solely based on its pretty face. So how else can we merits of your book without sounding obsequious.
see if a book is for us? Often, we explore the flipside, Below are a few insights we’ve gathered on what
turning the book over and reading what we find there. makes a good blurb, a blurb so respectable it is
Usually, we find a summary of the book followed by, immune to even Orwell’s harshest critiques.
or sometimes preceded by, praise from other writers
Concerning blurbs you and your publisher
or publications. That text (both the summary and the
are writing:
praise) is what we call a book’s “blurbs.”
• A good blurb does more than quote the collection.
Blurbs are there to showcase the praise your You can pull a word or phrase, but the blurb should be
book has won from others and to reassure readers more than an excerpt. A good blurb will both distill
and contextualize the work.
that your book is the book for them. Blurbs are
both a tiny synopsis and a stamp of approval, an
endorsement that a book is worth buying. The art of
TELL TELL POETRY SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDE 14• A good blurb avoids hyperbole and overblown They escape to Tiburon, South Carolina—a
comparison to legendary writers. As tempting as it town that holds the secret to her mother’s
is, do not compare yourself to Shakespeare, Milton,
or Chaucer unless such a comparison is at the very past. Taken in by an eccentric trio of black
heart of your creative project (a retelling of Paradise beekeeping sisters, Lily is introduced to their
Lost set in a mall in 21st century Southern California; mesmerizing world of bees and honey, and
The Canterbury Tales written entirely in linked haikus).
the Black Madonna. This is a remarkable
• A good blurb uses active, engaging language. novel about divine female power, a story
Every word should pull us in, and every word must
that women will share and pass on to their
pull its weight.
daughters for years to come.
• A good blurb articulates complexities. Look at a
few poetry book blurbs and you’ll see chains of Now let’s look at a poetry collection’s blurb and see
descriptives, itemizing qualities often in direct
the same skills in action. For poet Alex Dimitrov’s
opposition to one another. You can use your blurb to
show off the many different emotional resonances 2017 Together and by Ourselves, the blurb doesn’t
your work achieves. (See the blurb below for a great pull a single word from the main body of the book.
example of this.) Instead, rich, evocative language is used to set the
scene for the driving questions behind Dimitrov’s
Consider the following blurb for Sue Monk Kidd’s
poems and to hint at the craft elements the poet is
2002 novel The Secret Life of Bees. Notice how it
most interested in putting in conversation over the
pulls a choice word or two from the book to give us
course of his book:
a taste of the writer’s wit and character-building
diction, but then zooms out to tell us about the Together and by Ourselves, Alex Dimitrov’s
setting, the protagonist, the inciting incident and second book of poems, takes on broad
the central conflict of the book. existential questions and the reality of
our current moment: being seemingly
Set in South Carolina in 1964, The Secret
connected to one another, yet emotionally
Life of Bees tells the story of Lily Owens,
alone. Through a collage aesthetic and a
whose life has been shaped around the
multiplicity of voices, these poems take us
blurred memory of the afternoon her
from coast to coast, New York to LA, and
mother was killed. When Lily’s fierce-
toward uneasy questions about intimacy,
hearted black “stand-in mother,” Rosaleen,
love, death, and the human spirit. Dimitrov
insults three of the deepest racists in town,
critiques America’s long-lasting obsessions
Lily decides to spring them both free.
with money, celebrity, and escapism—
TELL TELL POETRY SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDE 15whether in our personal, professional, or long followed on Facebook (Kaveh Akbar) and asked
family lives. What defines a life? Is love ever him over email if he’d consider “blurbing” her first
enough? Who are we when together and collection of poems. She included her own blurb of
who are we by ourselves? These questions her 2017 book VALLEYSPEAK (see above for how
echo throughout the poems, which resist to write one) to give Kaveh a sense of her work.
easy answers. The voice is both heartfelt Kaveh accepted and wrote the following blurb:
and skeptical, bruised yet playful, and always
Excellent poets build their own ecologies
deeply introspective.
in which to work, and Cait Weiss Orcutt is
Concerning blurbs others write in praise of an excellent poet. In VALLEYSPEAK, she
your book: gives us Los Angeles as an entire ecosystem.
• A good blurb is able to encapsulate the world of the The flora: lilies, fields of concrete, dry
book in language that leaves the reader wanting to chunks of bark in a girl’s hand. The fauna:
explore that topography for him, her, or themselves hummingbirds, insects with names like
• A good blurb isn’t too long or extreme in its praise. Consuelo, Miranda, and Rachel, and two
A few compliments go a long way. What’s more
sisters growing up in the middle of it all,
important is substantive details in style, setting and
poetic concerns fishing ‘whole futures from stank / waters.’
Orcutt has, with great generosity and formal
• A good blurb is written by authors or publications
you, as a writer and reader, respect precision, given us a map to this land of her
making, to the home she’s (re)discovered
Of course, you can write a book and then sit back
there. Home—that’s the nucleus around
waiting for your dream authors to review it, but
which all these poems orbit. ‘What a race /
most poets reach out to their ideal “blurbers” as
of pretending, // to think anyone gets away.’
soon as their collection gets accepted by a press
for publication. Your ideal blurber can be someone
ASKING FOR BLURBS
you’ve had some contact with before (a university
professor, a friend of a friend, an editor at a It’s all well and good to know what makes a good
magazine you’ve had work accepted at, an author blurb from a writer you admire, but how do you get
whose readings you’ve attended and talked with a blurb from that writer in the first place?
afterwards) or someone you feel bold enough to The first step of asking for blurbs is deciding who to
contact via email or social media. For example, poet ask. Consider who you already know and who seems
Cait Weiss Orcutt reached out to a writer she’d receptive to contact. Pull out a piece of paper or
TELL TELL POETRY SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDE 16open up a fresh document file and write down the Ask more people than you’ll need. If you’re aiming
names of anyone who has authority on the topic for three blurbs—a standard goal—consider asking
of writing. Consider former professors and writing ten people. You can always use the extras for your
teachers, family friends who’ve authored books, own website, your book page and your publisher’s
local writers you might be able to cross paths with press materials.
at an upcoming reading or charity event. If you’re
Be prepared to be turned down every now and then.
drawing a blank, sign up for an upcoming workshop
Remember, it probably isn’t personal—it simply takes a lot
or conference where you’ll be able to write directly
of time and effort to read a book and blurb it in a creative
under a poet you admire for an afternoon, a
and memorable fashion, and most writers won’t commit
weekend or even a semester. The goal is to get an
to a writing job unless they know they can do it well.
author you admire to know you and like you well
enough to agree to read (and then, ideally, to blurb) And of course, once you’re published, return the blurbing
your book. favor. Writing blurbs and book reviews is a crucial
component to being part of a literary community.
If you’re more comfortable on the online space
than in person, you can also spark friendships with Speaking of book reviews…
writers over on Twitter. You’ll want to develop some
kind of rapport before asking for a blurb, so be sure BOOK REVIEWS AS BLURBS
you truly and honestly admire the writer you are
You don’t have to reach out to specific authors
trying to befriend and that you can explain how
to get blurbs. Reviews are an excellent source of
your writing has been impacted by their own work.
read-made blurbs. Think of how movies often use
Once you’ve chosen your ideal blurbers, reach reviews. How many times have you seen “You’ll
out via email and explain why you feel your ideal laugh until you’ll cry,” –The New York Times up on
blurbers will be able to encapsulate your book in the preview screen? Most of us won’t get that level
their blurb. Articulate what it is about their style or of press reception for our poetry collections, but
thematic concerns that finds company in your book. we may very well have our book reviewed in at least
Make sure you put your writing into conversation a few smaller publications, journals, and blog posts.
with your ideal blurbers’ bodies of work. Not only You can pull quotes from any review of your work to
will this show them that you honestly understand use as a blurb.
and value their creations, you’ll also pique their
But if you don’t have your book reviewed yet, how
interest as readers, ideally enough to get them to
can you change that?
take a look at your collection.
TELL TELL POETRY SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDE 17HOW TO GET REVIEWS GET REVIEWS AND USE THOSE REVIEWS ON
THE BACK OF YOUR BOOK
If you want to use reviews for your blurbs, be
warned: you’ll have to send your manuscript or If you want to use reviews, you’ll have to send your
advanced review copy (ARC) to reviewers about 6 unpublished (or advanced review copy (ARC) to
months before your desired publication date. Be sure reviewers about six months before your desired
to query journals and magazines to make sure they publication date. Why? You’ll want enough time
have space to review your book and to alert them to to add the reviews to the back of the book before
the arriving package. You’ll want to start reaching out it’s published.
early so that journals and magazines can synchronize Remember that not all places will publish a review
their review to appear around the same time your book of your poetry. Even if they agree, they might have
hits shelves and online bookstores. If you’re already a limited staff or a full publication schedule, so don’t
behind in reaching out, though, there’s still hope. Many feel disappointed if you don’t get as many reviews as
journals and magazines will consider printing reviews you’d like.
of books up to two or three years after th book’s
publication date. Inquire widely. Send your book to any
journal or magazine that expresses interest. After all,
just one review can alert hundreds if not thousands of
readers to your poetry collection and may just help you
sell a few more books—and all it takes is one review to
get a blurb you can use in promoting your book.
Remember that not all places will publish a review of
your poetry. Even if they agree, they might have a
limited staff or a full publication schedule, so don’t
feel disappointed if you don’t get as many reviews as
you’d like.
To find a list of publications that review poetry,
check out the exhaustive resources over at Poets
and Writers.
TELL TELL POETRY SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDE 18POPULAR MAGAZINES THAT REVIEW POETRY
Yes Poetry Clash Media
editor@yespoetry.com clashmediainc@gmail.com
Currently closed to submissions Submissions read on an ongoing basis
http://www.yespoetry.com https://yesclash.com
Electric Literature Glass Poetry
https://electricliterature.submittable.com/ editor@glass-poetry.com
submit/53043/essays Stephanie Kaylor, reviews@glass-poetry.com
Currently closed to submissions Submissions: March 1 through March 31
https://electricliterature.com http://www.glass-poetry.com
The Nervous Breakdown The Bookends Review
postmaster@thenervousbreakdown.com info@thebookendsreview.com
Currently closed to submissions https://thebookendsreview.submittable.com/submit
http://thenervousbreakdown.com Submissions: May 1 to August 31
December 1 to January 31
Nomadic Press
http://thebookendsreview.com
Michaela Mullin, msmullin@nomadicpress.org
Submissions: January 1 to February 28 Split Lip Magazine
https://www.nomadicpress.org kellyflynnwrites@gmail.com
http://www.splitlipmagazine.com/submit
Luna Luna Magazine
Submissions: FREE submissions during the months
editor@lunalunamagazine.com
of December, February, April, June, August,
http://www.lunalunamagazine.com
and October.
Submissions read on an ongoing basis
TIP JAR submissions only during the months of
https://caper.submittable.com/submit
January, March, May, July, September,
Deaf Poets Society and November.
thedeafpoetssociety@gmail.com http://www.splitlipmagazine.com
Submissions read on an ongoing basis
www.deafpoetssociety.com
TELL TELL POETRY SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDE 19JMWW Boston Review
Jen Michalski, jen.michalski@gmail.com review@bostonreview.net
Submissions read on an ongoing basis Submissions read on an ongoing basis
https://jmwwblog.wordpress.com https://bostonreview.submittable.com/
submit/55328/nonfiction-and-book-review-essays
Barrelhouse
yobarrelhouse@gmail.com Borderlands
Submissions read on an ongoing basis borderlandspoetry@gmail.com
https://www.barrelhousemag.com Submissions period: Fall/Winter issue:
March 30 to June 30
Largehearted Boy
Spring/Summer issue: September 15 to December 15
boy@largeheartedboy.com
http://www.borderlands.org
Submissions read on an ongoing basis
http://www.largeheartedboy.com Literary Hub
info@lithub.com
Maudlin House
Submissions read on an ongoing basis
Submissions read on an ongoing basis
http://lithub.com
https://maudlinhouse.net
Poetry Matters
Quail Bell Magazine
Submissions read on an ongoing basis
submissions@quailbellmagazine.com
http://readwritepoetry.blogspot.com
Submissions read on an ongoing basis
http://www.quailbellmagazine.com Portland Book Review
info@portlandbookreview.com
Tarpaulin Sky
Submissions read on an ongoing basis
editors@tarpaulinsky.com,
http://portlandbookreview.com
reviews@tarpaulinsky.com
Submissions read on an ongoing basis The Rumpus
https://tarpaulinsky.com lyz@therumpus.net, abigail@therumpus.net,
poetry@therumpus.net
Boxcar Poetry Review
Submissions read on an ongoing basis
https://boxcarpoetryreview.submittable.com/Submit
http://therumpus.net
Submissions read on an ongoing basis
http://www.boxcarpoetry.com
TELL TELL POETRY SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDE 20Screaming With Brevity DESPITE ALL THESE OPTIONS, THOUGH:
http://www.screamingwithbrevity.com/contact-2 WHAT TO DO IF YOU DON’T HAVE A BLURB?
Currently closed to submissions Perhaps you’re all ready set to print and you simply
http://www.screamingwithbrevity.com do not have a blurb. Let’s say you don’t have time to
Foreword Reviews cultivate relationships with ideal blurbers on Twitter,
ebooks+magazine@forewordreviews.com to attend a weekend workshop on some lush college
https://publishers.forewordreviews.com/reviews campus, to mail out “review copies” of your book to
Submissions read on an ongoing basis a dozen journals hoping they bestow upon your book
https://www.forewordreviews.com generous, glowing praise. What do you do now?
Remember at the start of this section, we discussed
the most straightforward blurb—the blurb you
and your publisher to write summarizing a book’s
concerns, immersing the audience in its setting,
articulating the traditions the collection calls into
play (e.g., High Romanticism, Language Poetry,
humorous narrative, Confessional poetry). This
blurb can save the day when all other blurbs fail.
Spend time crafting a blurb that really translates
the magic of your collection. Do not worry about
reviews and praise. If you and your publisher do
your job well writing this single back-cover blurb, all
those outside laurels will eventually come.
Bibliography
Dwyer, Colin. “Forget the Book, Have You Read This Irresistible Story on Blurbs?”
NPR.org. 27 September 2015. https://www.npr.org/2015/09/27/429723002/
forget-the-book-have-you-read-this-irresistible-story-on-blurbs
Penn, Joana. “How to Write Back Blurb for Your Book,” The Creative Penn.com.
16 November 2010. https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2010/11/16/how-to-write-
back-blurb-for-your-book/
TELL TELL POETRY SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDE 21WHAT’S UP WITH THE PL ATFORM
Choosing a platform first will save you from a
headache later on. Once you know which company
you want to work with, you’ll be able to properly
format the interior of your collection. Let’s look at
some popular options.
LULU KDP
BLURB BOOK
BABY
TELL TELL POETRY SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDE 22LULU
AN EA S Y-TO-U S E S EL F-PUB L I S H IN G P L AT F O R M
FEATURES • Supports Word document or • Publishes eBooks, but doesn’t go
PDF uploads through Amazon KDP. If you want
to publish an eBook and distribute
• Allows single book printings, so
it using Amazon, you’ll have to
authors can pay to receive only
go with a platform that has a
one copy of each book. There is
connection with Amazon KDP
no minimum order requirement.
• Provides author services such
• Provides extensive knowledge
as paid reviews through trusted
base that includes articles, video
companies like Kirkus and
tutorials, and forums to help you
promotional author videos
learn how to create, publish, and
sell a print or eBook • Provides print books on demand
so authors don’t have to carry
• Provides free tools so you can
stock, or have piles of their own
create your print or eBook,
books sitting around
ISBNs, and distribution to online
retailers (although both Lulu and • Provides author discounts on
third-party retailers will take a large volume orders
commission upon sale)
• Allows immediate eBook
• Supports the creation and sale of publication
your book directly through Lulu,
• Crafts high-quality covers
with the option to distribute to
other online retailers as well • Does not charge a
distribution fee
• If you publish and are assigned an
ISBN through Lulu, you will be
unable to publish through another
company, so if you wanted to
publish a hard cover on Lulu and a
soft cover on Blurb, it would be a
no-go
TELL TELL POETRY SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDE 23LULU (CON’T)
AN EA S Y-TO-U S E S EL F-PUB L I S H IN G P L AT F O R M
THINGS • If you use a Lulu-provided ISBN,
TO NOTE you give Lulu exclusive
publication rights
• Support team is nearly impossible
to connect with
• Pays royalties to the bank or
PayPal, so it’s easy to get paid out
• Does not support matte covers on
paperback books
ROYALTIES 65-Page Poetry Collection Book List Price: $14.95
AND
6" x 9" Trade Paperback Base Price: -$2.55
PRICING
Self-created Cover Lulu Share: -$1.94
Black and White Interior
Glossy Cover Royalty: $10.46 per sale
60-lb paper
$2.55 Per Book
Total for 60 books: $138
If you sell on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Ingram, you’ll make a little less. The distribution
fees will be around $7 per book and Lulu would take a $0.40 share. So you might be able to
make $1-$2 if you sell most of your books through Amazon.
TELL TELL POETRY SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDE 24KDP
AM AZON’S S E L F-PUBL I SHI N G P L AT F O R M
FEATURES • Provides free “do-it-yourself” THINGS • Does not support hard
option, which will get you TO NOTE cover distribution
distribution to Amazon, Amazon
• Has easy to reach
Europe, Kindle, the KDP
support services
storefront, and more,
through the free expanded
distribution program ROYALTIES For a 65-page poetry book
• Provides free tools for cover and AND
interior design setup PRICING Black and white
• Offers paid editing, layout, design, List Price: $14.95
and marketing services
Amazon Fee and Base Price:
• Claims to offer “some of the
highest royalties in the industry.”
-$8.13
You get 60% through Amazon or
Amazon Europe and 80% through
the KDP storefront Royalty: $6.82 per book sold
(note: there is still a fixed fee for
each sale, which will depend upon
the specifics of your book)
• Prints books on demand
• Provides free resources on
self-publishing, including articles,
and a blog
• Supports “member orders,” orders
for your own book, costs only the
fixed and per-page price, plus
shipping and handling, meaning
KDP takes no extra fees on these
orders
TELL TELL POETRY SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDE 25KDP (CON’T)
AM AZON’S S E L F-PUBL I SHI N G P L AT F O R M
PRICING (For standard trim sizes, books must be between 24-440 pages. For custom trim sizes,
books must be between 24-220 pages.)
TELL TELL POETRY SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDE 26BLURB
A SEL F-PUBL I S HI N G PL ATF ORM F O R A R T B O O K S
FEATURES • Experts available THINGS • Beautiful interface
TO NOTE • Easy-to-use-platform
• Easy PDF uploader
• Supports large files (up to 2MB) • Great for art books, trade books,
and magazines
• Online previewer makes it easy to
review book before printing • Only supports distribution
through Amazon
• Supports fixed-layout eBooks
• Expensive shipping costs
• Supports PDF and ePub version
• Mediocre matte cover
• Layout tools including
(if using a dark cover)
BookWright, Adobe InDesign
Plug-In, PDF to book, Adobe • Manufacturing can be expensive
Lightroom, Blurb for iPhone
• Takes around 4 months from the
and iPad, and online photo
sale date to get paid
book support
• Best for art books
• Supports pre-sell
through Kickstarter
ROYALTIES 64-page poetry manuscript Royalties:
AND
Softcover book List Price – (base unit cost + listing
PRICING
fee + 15% of List Price)
Black and white printing
$3.99 per book
TELL TELL POETRY SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDE 27BOOKBABY
BE AUTI FUL ART B OOK S
FEATURES • Takes care of formatting and • Print book costs $199 for
sends you a proof for approval global distribution
• Offers a 100% money-back • Client must order at least 25
satisfaction guarantee copies to complete distribution
• Provides free access to • eBook distribution costs $249 +
“BookShop,” a personal online $29 for an ISBN
storefront for authors that allows
you to make more in royalties by
bypassing retail middlemen THINGS • Hefty distribution fee
TO NOTE • Expensive eBook distribution fee
• Offers free services, allowing
authors to upload retail-ready
• Doesn’t allow pick-and-choose
ePub files
distribution so if you choose
• Takes no commission on net Global Distribution, you book can
eBook sales appear in all of the stores listed
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.)
• Supports chats with customer
service agents who are • Pays authors out via PayPal,
self-publishing experts deposit (with US bank account),
or check
• Provides shipping on most
book orders • Supplies ISBNs for $19 and
requires exclusive rights
• Has largest distribution network
of retail stores for any • Only supports orders of
self-publishing service 1 book or 25+
• Offers marketing services
• Prints books on demand ROYALTIES Most titles will generate between
• Doesn’t take a selling fee, AND 10%-30% royalties
which can mean more profit PRICING
TELL TELL POETRY SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDE 28SAMPLE BUDG ET AND ROYALT Y
BREAKDOWN
LULU KDP
If people purchase your book through Lulu If people purchase your book through KDP
List Price $13.50 List Price $13.50
Manufacturing Cost -$8.50 Manufacturing + fees -$7.55
Net Profit $5.00 Royalty $5.95
Lulu Commission -$1.00
Royalty $4.00
If people purchase your book through a wholesaler If people purchase your book through Amazon’s
(like Amazon) Expanded Distribution feature, which places the book
on third-party bookstores, online retailers, libraries,
You determine the wholesale price that you set for the
and distributors. Learn more about KDP’s
wholesaler and they will sell your book at whatever price
distribution options on their website.
they want. You will always earn the same revenue for each
print book sold by that retainer. List Price $13.50
Wholesaler Price $7.90 Manufacturing + fees -$10.25
Manufacturing Cost -$5.50 Royalty $3.25
Lulu Commission -$0.40
Royalty $2.00
(These examples were taken directly from Lulu’s
discussion board. Check out their website for more info
and to check your prices against their price examples).
TELL TELL POETRY SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDE 29SAMPLE BUDG ET AND ROYALT Y
BREAKDOWN (CO N’T)
BLURB BOOKBABY
Royalties are 80% of list price minus 30% fee Global Print on Demand Set up Fee: $299
List Price $13.50 Direct-to-reader Print on Demand Fee $299
Fees -$6.75 List Price $13.50
Royalty $6.75 Fees -$9.45
• Blurb is quite expensive, so the likelihood that your Royalty $4.05
book will be able to be listed for as low as $13.50 is a bit
of a stretch. • Bookbaby notes that most books will generate
between 10% and 30% of the book price in royalties.
• POD distribution can only be added to orders with
25 or more books
ALL SAMPLE BUDGETS ARE BASED ON THE FOLLOWING SPECS:
• 65-page poetry
• Black + white on cream paper
• Softcover
• Perfect bound paperback
• 6" x 9" in
• a 65-page poetry manuscript that is printed in softcover with a 6” x 9” cover and a black and white interior.
All royalties are based on the assumption that you list your book for sale at $13.50
All figures are for estimation only. Your actual royalty will be determined at the time of setup.
TELL TELL POETRY SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDE 30SUMMA RY OF
PUBLISHING PL ATFORMS
Lulu is a solid choice for a medium budget, with
reasonable prices for printing, and a good network
of distribution options.
KDP is sparse in terms of features and
distribution options, but you can create and publish
your book on Amazon for free, and earn some
decent royalties.
Blurb is great for art books, but distribution is
limited to Amazon.
BookBaby is the best in terms of customer service,
features, and distribution, but their printing is the
most expensive and they charge hefty fees for
distribution.
TELL TELL POETRY SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDE 31WHAT’S UP WITH MARKETING
It’s time to market your recently released poetry managing; don’t create a YouTube account if you
collection, but you aren’t sure exactly where to know you won’t actually upload a new video weekly
start. Maybe this is your first published collection, or biweekly. Look at poetry collections similar
and you’re wondering what your next steps are to yours in style, theme, and intended audience,
now that the book has been written and edited. and the poets who write work that is thematically
Maybe you’ve published a collection before, but you similar to yours. What social media platforms are
weren’t happy with how the marketing and publicity they on? How regularly are they updating? Do they
turned out, and you want to find a new audience share editing tips, information about their writing
for this book. Here’s how you can get started on process, or fun looks at their personal lives? Don’t
marketing and promoting your collection to readers. just replicate what you see but take stock of what
other people are doing and balance that with what
HOW TO GET PEOPLE EXCITED ABOUT feels authentic to you. It’s extremely important
YOUR WORK that your social media presence be tailored to what
Ideally, the marketing and publicity process happens feels natural—because you won’t get and keep any
before the collection is finished and published. followers by pretending to be someone you aren’t.
It’s a great idea to set up social media accounts, if You should also start pitching—media outlets,
you don’t already have them, six to nine months individual writers and poets, bloggers—several
in advance of the publication date (or at the very months in advance of your publication date. Most
least, three months if your collection has a quickly of your coverage will come right before your book
approaching pub date). is published and right after, but if you’re strategic,
Choose at least one to two social media channels you might be able to get on a book list announcing
that feel appropriate for your audience, such as upcoming poetry collections or newly published poets
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, to look out for. It doesn’t hurt to start familiarizing
Medium or WordPress. Remember that you’ll editors, producers, bloggers, journalists, booksellers,
want to post regularly on any channels you and other gatekeepers and media professionals with
manage, so you should choose platforms that you and your collection in advance, so they’re excited
you feel comfortable with and know you can keep to promote it once it’s published.
TELL TELL POETRY SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDE 32HOW TO CONNECT WITH BOOKSTORES TO
SET UP READINGS
Dear [name of the bookstore’s events
About four to six months in advance of your manager or owner],
collection’s publication, you can start reaching out
I’m reaching out to see if you’d be interested
to bookstores to set up readings and events. You’ll
in setting up a reading or event for my
mostly be targeting independent bookstores for
forthcoming poetry collection, [name
your poetry collection, but don’t be afraid to think
of collection], which be published on
outside the box. If it feels thematically right for
[publication date]. I would love to come
your work to have a reading at a museum, it’s worth
to your store and share my work with the
reaching out to museums as well to see if you can
community. Are you available for any
coordinate that.
readings around [offer at least a basic
When you’re reaching out to bookstores, you’ll suggestion, such as the month(s) when
want to be polite, courteous, and show that you you’ll be heavily promoting the collection,
understand what the bookstore excels at and what or if you have a strict schedule, you can say
types of events they usually plan. If they’re mainly a something like “any Saturdays or Sundays in
children’s bookstore and all their events are geared May or June”]?
toward kids’ story time, it doesn’t make sense
Thanks so much for your time, and I look
to read from your collection there unless it’s a
forward to hearing from you. You can
children’s poetry book. Browse through bookstores’
contact me at [email] or [phone number]
past event calendars and look at the types of books
any time.
(and authors) that are frequently featured, so you
can make sure you’re targeting bookstores that are Best/Sincerely/Thanks [choose one],
aligned with what your collection is about and who
[your name]
you are as a poet.
Here’s a sample outreach email template that you
can edit and send to bookstores:
TELL TELL POETRY SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDE 33HOW TO SET REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS that review poetry, or poetry blogs? It’s worth
looking for your niche: Who is your ideal audience
It’s important to have realistic expectations of
for this collection, and where does that audience
how well your poetry collection will do, how many
spend most of their time? How and where can
books you’ll sell, what review outlets might cover
you reach them? With a poetry collection, it will
it, and how many readings and events you’ll set up.
be less about numbers and how many pitches and
Poetry collections are a niche market within trade
press releases you send and more about finding the
publishing, and poets tend to be very dedicated
people who are going to love your book and getting
and passionate about their work. It’s hard to spend
them to know about it.
months or years working on a project that’s so
important to who you are, and then send it off into
the world and wait for feedback.
If you’ve been active in the poetry community for
a while—even if you were unpublished before and
were attending readings, workshops, conferences,
and events—you’re probably aware of who else out
there is publishing, promoting, and engaging with
poetry. If you don’t, now is the time to learn and
research. Which bookstores and organizations are
hosting poetry readings in your area? Do you live in
a location where there’s a lot going on in the poetry
scene, or will you have to travel to find an audience?
Are there any conferences or larger events in your
area that feature poetry, or any local organizations
dedicated to poetry and local poets? Are there
networking groups for poets?
Get involved but be realistic about your bandwidth
and outcomes. You might not be getting an excerpt
of your collection in the New Yorker, but is it more
realistic to target online magazines, literary journals
TELL TELL POETRY SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDE 34WHAT’S UP WITH HOSTING READINGS
Organizing and hosting a poetry reading can seem like a daunting task: you need a venue, a time, readers,
an audience, and all of these things need to work together to make the event successful. Luckily, there are a
few tips and tricks to help you achieve your goal.
WHAT’S UP WITH FINDING A DATE readings have proven the most likely to draw a good
AND TIME? crowd and go well and Monday night readings have
Why it’s important proven to get the least turn out.
We’ve all been there—a really awesome event pops Finding a time
up on our feed and we’re interested until we realize This can also depend on where you live. In a city like
[insert reason we can’t make it]. There’s nothing Atlanta with a rush hour that lasts from afternoon
worse than planning an event, doing everything into the evening, a reading that falls before 7 p.m.
right, promoting it well, and having it fail simply Monday to Friday is likely to fail simply because no
because it’s on a bad day/at a bad time. The first one can get there on time. However, in Baltimore,
thing you want to do when planning a reading is the 510 readings, named for their 5:10 p.m. start
make sure you have a day and time that is likely to time, were a great success. Think about your city:
work well for a wide range people and will give you what are the time constraints? What times seem
your best shot at drawing a large audience. to work well for you and your intended audience
Finding a day for similar events? When deciding on a time, also
think about the kind of reading you’re aiming for.
This primarily depends on where you live and what Do you want a casual, laid-back, afternoon/early
season it is. For example, if you live in a big football evening reading? Do you want a reading that goes
town, Sunday nights during football season are late? Should people plan to get dinner before or
probably going to be difficult to work with. The after (or during)? Do you want a reading that ends
same goes for a range of other scenarios. Consider a little later and everyone can go out for a drink
your area, the popular event nights, the schedules afterwards? Once you know these things, just
of your target audience, etc. before choosing a day. use the process of elimination until you find your
In my case, after some trial and error, Friday night perfect time.
TELL TELL POETRY SELF-PUBLISHING GUIDE 35You can also read
