A Poetry Publishing Overview
There is a great deal of misunderstanding about the publishing of poetry books. The following information has been supplied by Utmost founder Nathan Harms who has published many volumes of poetry for Christian poets.
What is the market for poetry books?
Many poets believe wrongly that there is a large number of buyers of poetry books, and that the selling of poetry books is a profitable venture for publishers and poets. In fact, there are only a few buyers of poetry books and the publishing of poetry books is often subidized by universities, government programs, non-profit foundations, magazines or authors. Most published poetry books do not recoup the cost of production, let alone make a profit. If almost any person took inventory of his own bookshelf and counted the number of recently published poetry books among his volumes, he would likely reconsider the prospect that there is an eager market for poetry books.
Is there a shortage of poets?
Many poets believe wrongly that poets are in short supply. In fact, almost everyone has at some time in her life written poetry. Many people continue to write poetry privately throughout their lives. There are literally hundreds of thousands of poets who would like to publish a volume of their poetry.
How are poets "discovered?"
Poets sometimes picture a scenario of "discovery," whereupon a publisher reads a sheaf of submitted poems and—astounded by the quality of writing—commits to publish a volume of poetry. In fact, poets are not discovered. Poets generally earn their way to book publication slowly by building a reputation in poetry magazines, literary journals, anthologies and contests. Some contests offer book publication as a prize, and this is as much of a "shortcut" to publication as a poet is likely to encounter.
Is there any real chance to publish a poetry book?
Aside from the process described above, the most likely way for a poet to get her work published in a book is to finance the project herself. We caution poets embarking on this path to be aware that the marketing and selling of poetry books is difficult. Bookstores and distributors are reluctant to handle poetry, and the bulk of sales will need to be by other means.
Can my poetry book succeed in finding readers?
We have helped dozens of poets produce handsome volumes of poetry which have been enjoyed by thousands of readers. Most of the poets who have hired Nathan to produce their books have earned back their initial investment—and more—by selling books from their own hands.
What is subsidized publishing?
Utmost Christian Writers Foundation subsidizes the publishing of poetry books by Christian authors. After calculating the full cost of producing a poetry book we consider the quality of the manuscript and the marketing intentions of the author. On the basis of these facts—and economic considerations—we offer a discounted price to the author, absorbing the remainder of the production cost ourselves.
Does Utmost ever cover the entire production cost itself?
No. We prefer that the author have a significant investment in his own publication. The entire production run—all of the printed books—is handed off to the author, and Utmost does not become involved in the marketing or distribution of poetry books (except in its market section). For this reason it's best that the author have a marketing plan for the sales of books, as well as a financial investment.
How much money does subsidized publishing really save me?
Our subsidies range from 10% to 50%. The savings depend on the individual project, but can amount to thousands of dollars.
How do I learn more about this?
You can read through our FAQs for details. If you are a poet who wants to publish a volume of poetry—and you have read the information above—please contact us for a price on the layout and printing of your book.