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Where To Submit Poetry For Money | Writer's Relief

Do you know where to submit poetry for money? Believe it or not, there ARE literary journals that are willing to pay their writers for poems. They are few and far between, but we here at Writer’s Relief know they do exist. Some literary journals receive grants or are university funded, so they are able to pay their poets a relatively small amount of money to publish their work. But most literary journals are unable to pay anything to writers who submit poetry.

Economics 101: Poets And Money

When you think of how poets are portrayed in popular media, they’re never living in big, Italian, marble mansions or driving high-end cars. Nope, normally poets are portrayed as struggling, striving, beating the odds. The words poetry and money aren’t exactly synonymous. And there’s a reason for that!

While writing poetry may be more popular than it has ever been in the history of the written word, reading (and buying) poetry is not exactly as cool as, say, reality TV. What that means is the profit for publishers who are accepting poetry submissions is negligible or nonexistent.

Also in recent years, a recession has caused funding of the arts to shrink—meaning literary journals that managed to make it through hard times without closing their doors are worthy of celebration. And those that can actually pay their writers are precious, if not rare.

Who Can Help Me Submit My Poetry For Money?

If you’re a Submit Write Now! subscriber, you already know the answer to this! Writer’s Relief helps writers submit poetry to literary journals (we also work with short stories, personal essays, and books). Of course, we know you want to get paid for your poetry. So if our authors do make any money from their submissions, we don’t take a commission. Our work is based on flat fees.

But here’s the caveat: If you’ve read the paragraphs above, you already know that few writers are paid for their poetry. That leads some people to wonder…

Why Do People Submit Their Poems If They’re Not Getting Paid?

In a perfect world, writers—especially creative writers—would always get paid for writing poems and stories. But most writers submit their poetry for publication not because they want money, but because they want a) a strong author bio, b) credibility, c) a resume/CV booster, d) to publish a book of poems with an indie publisher someday, and so they need to get their individual poems published in reputable lit mags.

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Paying Markets: Where To Submit Poetry For Money

Here are some ideas if you’re looking for a poetry publisher because you’d like to make a little money.

1. Tap into the greeting card market. Writing poems for greeting cards is a great way to make a little extra money on your poetry. You won’t get rich, but you’ll have fun! Read More: Writing Poems For Greeting Cards.

2. Submit to literary journals that offer payment or an honorarium. You’ll have to do a little bit of research to find the editors who are “right” for your unique poems. But here are just a few literary journals that (at the time of publication) are paying their authors for poems:

Agni
Alaska Quarterly Review
Ellipsis: Literature and Art
Grasslimb
Meridian
Shenandoah

3. Submit to reputable poetry contests. Entering a poetry contest is an investment; most contests charge a fee. But if you win, you’ll MORE than recoup your payment. Note: This is if you’re submitting individual poems to a lit mag contest. If you’re submitting a chapbook, the prize is often in publication.

4. Submit to anthologies. Sometimes, individual editors who are putting together anthologies on select topics will pay poets for the verses. Find a list of anthologies/calls for poetry submissions here.

Want to read more about publishing poems and where to submit poetry for money? Start here: How Much Money Can I Make Writing Poetry?

QUESTION: Have you ever been paid for writing a poem?

37 Comments

  1. Elisabeth Kuhn

    Yes, I HAVE been paid for my poems. About a handful of times. I was paid for the very first poem I ever had published – one dollar! And then I published two poems (about a year or so apart) in a journal for medical humor (which is now defunct). Those were my biggest checks – each one for more than $100! They paid by the word, and my first poem was a sestina, and the other one a paradelle – both poems with lots of words 🙂 I also was paid for having one of my poems read on the radio!

    Of course when compared with the thousands of dollars I spent in contest submission fees and for sample issues, it wasn’t that much, but it still made me feel great!

    Reply
    • Writers Relief Staff

      Elisabeth, thanks for sharing! We’re glad to see you have such a positive attitude regarding your poetry. Keep those spirits up; every acceptance matters!

      Reply
  2. Ron Finney

    With many of my poems for which publication was never sought, dating back to 1960, I may, in my twilight, take advantage.

    Reply
  3. Amanda

    As of yet, I have not been paid for my poetry. I haven’t even been published in a noteworthy magazine. However, I am aiming high (very prestigious journals) and am pretty new to the game. So I’m keeping my hopes high and just work work work! Maybe one day I’ll get published, and maybe even paid for my work!

    Reply
  4. Amy Rosanova

    I have not yet been paid for any poems.
    I have had around 3-6 poems published I believe.
    I’m just biding my time and looking for a good publisher.

    Reply
  5. waqas rabbani

    i got paid for writing birthday wishes for a website called birthdaywishes.net not sure if it’s online or not.. guy paid me like $1.5 per wish.. of around 100 words.. and i gave him around 50 or a 100 odd wishes 🙂

    was a fun job to run.. sadly i had a lot of other good paying work on the side so i stopped working for that gig

    Reply
  6. Lyn Stephens

    I made my first poem when I was in high school and it published in our school publication. I write poems for my blog. The fist payment I received for my poem is through Fiverr site. There was a client (a charity group)asking for a song lyrics. We agreed that I will write a poem related to their program and they will put a music note on it. They paid me $5… 🙂 I feel great. It was 12 lines (3 stanzas).

    Reply
  7. aspacedmonkey

    i used to enter poetry contests in my middle school every month for the cash prizes the librarian would put up out of her pocket. it was pretty great, i supported my skateboarding habit with poetry. i ended up winning poet of the year in our dead poets society which paid a field trip to a funeral home to see embalmed bodies. i got to ride shotgun in a hearse! if i could figure out how to turn words into money again, that would be phenomenal. however, i dont see that happening anytime soon. way to support creative thinking, society! i think ill go watch some duck dynasty now.

    Reply
  8. Clare MacQueen

    Here’s another market that pays for poetry — pro rates, in fact, of 10-14 cents per word, on acceptance, for original works. Minimum of $20 per piece, max of $100. KYSO Flash (Knock-Your-Socks-Off art and literature) is calling for submissions for the inaugural issue, scheduled to launch on 1 October 2014. We’re also looking for CNF, flash fiction, essays, prose poems, and other hybrid forms, up to a max of 1,000 words. Detailed guidelines at: http://www.kysoflash.com/Submissions.aspx

    Reply
  9. tanvi bose

    i also aspire to be writing nice poems for well recognition. i want to blessed so that my thought gets appreciation and it comes true…

    Reply
  10. Robbie

    I wrote a poem for the family who lost their son . They submitted to a poetry magazine. It was published. I have submitted recently to contests. I wrote a novel also. Submitted and rejected, but was told to lengthen chapters. Haven’t been able to.

    Reply
  11. Pat Brown

    I took a writing class and was told that if a person is paid for their poem, they are officially published. I submitted a poem, and forgot that I had submitted it. Many months later I received $25 along with a letter congratulating me. I was thrilled to be able to say that …”I am published!” I hope what I was told is correct.

    Reply
  12. Ej Nicole Urcia

    i really want my poems to be published and i’m looking for a really good publisher. even if i’m under 18, i’m still hoping i actually can publish some of my works.

    Reply
  13. Ezekiel Igbodo

    Hi,
    Thanx 4 all the info.
    Even though i have lors of my poems all over the internet, i’ve never recieved any payments on it but i feel happy whenever people comments on my work

    Reply
  14. Adalheid

    I’m not interested in playing this stupid game. How dare these people treat poets like that.
    And you never see good poetry anywhere anyway. All the good stuff’s unpublished.

    Reply
  15. heather michie

    I love to write all sorts of poetry, it helps to heal the soul. I have writtten a few in loving memory of my dear mum who I lost last year,xx I haven’t been paid for any poetry that I have written. I have entered into the Bridport prize competition this year, it would be nice to do well in that. I really would like to have a book published someday…..

    Reply
  16. Khalifa muhammad

    Writing poems is from such natural impulse, ignited by desires deeply compelling to all senses, with such a yearn unsatisfied by tangible gains or temporary praise. It’s burning varying as it’s yields, and it’s appealing often vague or abstract and confusing even to the audience and the author. But when it provokes and invokes pleasure and excitement it’s purely accidental or even inconsequential because almost all
    inspirational events or people had been
    but a spell, just then and now poets worlds is fantancy, utopia or slumberland. Hoping and wishing prayerfully that some time luck,love,justice, faireness, prosperity would suffice to prevail . Maybe to compensate ,console and comfort the sorrowful soul and languishing unknowing feeble heart of the author.

    Reply
  17. Annamay Olsen

    I wrote poetry occasionally, since I was a teenager — and over the years, more and more regularly. I keep a ring-binder now. I’ve been a visual artist all my life — but writing poetry has given me another kind of satisfaction, much more personal, deeper.

    Reply
  18. alice carter

    there are some good advice in the comments on poetry. when you are no financially capable of paying fees for your poems it is difficult to find honest poetry contests to enter.i would like to give greeting cards a try. I am very good at verse and can write on most subjects including humor. thank you for listening,and hey keep on writing.stephen king never gave up.

    Reply
  19. Victoria

    Hi I was wondering where I can get my poems published but also gaining money for when I got into college but I don’t care how much I get paid I just wanted to inspire people for my work and saying that what ever they are dealing with they can get through it which is the gist of my unpublished book called chains and some people already know that I have a book ready to be edited and published so they can read it and I am only 14

    Reply
  20. Victor f Hawley

    I have over 100,000 views of my 135 poems on that site,I have made it to #6 in the international ratings and currently at #50,I have so many awesome coments from people from all over the world,thats been my reward.But now I need to make money ,so anybody out there that believes in poetry and wants to help me ..PLEASE

    Reply
  21. teresia haud

    when they really like poetry, they will submit poetry not merely for money but for hobby or dedication

    Reply
  22. BC Woods

    I wrote several poems and self-published. After finishing, I created a facebook page and invite friends and family to it. I made about $26 for the first book. It was hard because of the materials I used so the margin was very small. The one advantage was I could order 1 or hundreds of books. I would definitely suggest you don’t get a stock pile of inventory.

    Reply
  23. jodi adamson

    I about fainted when I got paid $20 for one of my poems published in a steampunk anthology. I’m ashamed to admit I didn’t deposit it. I get it out sometimes to admire it:)

    Reply
  24. Sabrina

    If your poetry is in any form of media, ie internet, then you are published. You don’t have to be paid.. Just wanted to make sure everyone knows. I am working on my Book of Poetry, and hoping to have ready in the next 6 months. If I have to self publish I will, whatever it takes!

    Reply
  25. Ed Baumbarger, Jr.

    I self-published a couple of books of short stories. Also, I have been submitting to some magazines and selling copies around town by hand.

    Reply
  26. Trav

    I self-published my first book about 4 weeks ago. I bought my own computer, my own binder, and press (costs about 2k total over a span of 8 months). I printed up 300 copies on the first run, I sell them all by hand. I ask for $5 but will take any type of donation………..I have sold 120 copies on my own and netted $97 dollars so far. Not a lot, but it is mine and I own it and it is fun being both the artist/poet and the business behind my book.

    Reply
  27. Derrick

    Would love to make money for it but never deny yourself the pleasure of passion chasing finance to backup that idea here is a free one

    an unholy division

    Theres a certain vibrancy in this darkness. A certain facade to hide the pain. Immeasurable in vacancy, destiny is a stain. There is pestilence too which I stride, famine naturally present within my movements. Death intent of this soul beheld, and war to revitalize. All these wicked things resonate, all of the sins much enjoyed. Entitled to a dominant encasing, but wings still spanned about the width of my heart. In mind, there’s a sickeningly lavish remnant striding about. In heart a vile halo. Symmetry and entities defacing mennacing grimmery. He who had instilled this faded angel, the angel to savagery and mortality. Divided is the universe which my body engulfs. A universe outward expanding is my reality. Only the sheen implosion could raise an eyebrow of this entity and yet, it simply glares beyond my eyes. Internal as this creation I witness it wondering about every mirror my eyes have met. I believe this evil to be plaguing my perception, thus persuading reality.

    Reply
  28. Devin

    Great resources for submitting poetry. Thanks.

    Reply
  29. Matt Ramsey

    I’ve been writing poetry since 1987 and find The Poet’s Market and Citypaper’s are good resources.

    Reply
  30. Jhutan Shil

    Hi,
    I am from India. I have done my MA in bangali. I love to write poems, poetry, and want to earn money for my lovely hood. Please help me

    Reply
  31. Davvy

    Please I’d like to publish my poem possible for profit I need help on where to publish.

    Reply
  32. Langavi

    Hello I’m Langavi Covenant Kotana, and I’m a poet. I started writing poetry in 2005 when I was 5 years old. To me, it’s a talent because I even got my poetry award position 1….I realized that it’s time I publish them to have some money.

    Reply
  33. John Bentum

    It good to read for knowledge. I desperately want to publish my poems for money and acknowledgement but upon reading the various comments I have changed my mind and would wait for a better time to do so. #My love for art that uses language as its medium.

    Reply

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