Although love poems have always been popular, modern readers of all ages are especially keen on reading (and buying) love poems from contemporary writers. And that means many editors want to publish (and sometimes even pay for) love poems too!
Here at Writer’s Relief, our clients often want to know where to publish love poems. And they’ve come to the right place! Connecting poets with the editors who might enjoy their writing is our passion. Our research experts keep track of every possible literary market, so we know the best places to submit love poems! And today, we are sharing our expertise with you.
Where Poets Can Submit Love Poems For Publication
Before we tell you where to publish love poems, there are a few things about our list of love poetry publishers that you will need to keep in mind.
Many of the publishers on our list of editors who publish love poems are open to reading submissions from new writers as well as established poets. So don’t let your status as an unpublished writer deter you from submitting your writing to these love-poem-friendly magazines!
A number of the magazines on our list of love poetry publishers actually pay their writers for love poems. To learn more about a magazine’s pay rate (or honorariums) please visit the individual submission guidelines of each individual publisher. Editors want to fall in love with your love poems!
Some of the literary magazines on our list are specifically looking for love poems. But not every single publisher on our list is dedicated exclusively to love poetry. In other words, our submission strategy experts have noticed that some publications have a special tendency to publish poems about love and relationships—but are also open to other sorts of poetry as well.
Many of the editors on the list accept all sorts of love poems, including those from the LGBTQIA+ community. But for your reading convenience, we have also included a separate list of literary magazines that specifically publish love poems by LGBTQIA+ writers.
Keep in mind that editorial submission guidelines are always changing. Although this list is accurate at the time of publication, you will need to check out each individual publisher before you decide whether to submit your love poetry.
Literary Journals And Publishers That Publish Love Poems (And Some Even Pay!)
Hayden’s Ferry Review
LGBTQIA+ Journals And Publishers That Publish Love Poems
Qommunicate Publishing
More Places Where Poets Can Submit Love Poems
Along with the traditional literary markets we listed above, many other types of publishers are regularly searching for love poems. Although we are not going to list individual publishers here, we think these ideas could jump-start your love poetry publisher research.
Women’s glossy magazines. Some women’s magazines will publish accessible (easy-to-understand) love poetry. Next time you’re in line at the checkout counter at the grocery store, leaf through some magazines to search for love poetry publishing opportunities. Or send a short one-page inquiry to editors via email prior to sending your poetry submission.
Blogs. Love poetry is a perennial favorite in the blogosphere. Search for blogs that publish love poetry. Just be sure to evaluate any online publications for quality and reputation.
Teen-friendly publishers. Teenagers are interested in (dare we say, obsessed with) romance, and publications that cater to teenagers often include poems that explore themes of love, romance, heartbreak, and relationships.
Love poetry anthologies. A poetry anthology is a collection of poems published in book form and curated by an editor or group of editors. Because themes of love and romance are so ubiquitously appreciated by both writers and readers, many love poem anthologies are published each year. Editors will sometimes (though not always) pay writers for inclusion in a love poem anthology.
Poetry contests. Poetry contests are one of the best ways to get a love poem published. At any given moment of the year, there are many, many poetry contests available to creative writers. Just keep in mind that entering poetry contests may require the investment of an entry fee. Winners sometimes earn monetary prizes as well as exposure through publication. Learn more: 8 Tips To Winning A Poetry Chapbook Contest And Getting Published | Writer’s Relief.
Self-publishing. You could submit your love poetry to publishers in hopes of connecting with the right editor, or you could become your own love poetry publisher! If you’ve got boundless time and energy, you can oversee the entire publishing process alone. Or you can get some expert help publishing your poetry collection.
Social media. A new generation of poets, dubbed Instapoets, are rewriting the rules about poetry. These hip wordsmiths have mastered the art of crowd-pleasing poetry by reaching their audiences through social media. And love poetry, along with any poetry related to angsty relationships, seems to be an especially big hit with Instapoet followers. The top Instapoets have scored big book deals for love poetry collections—and nabbed coveted spots on best-seller lists. Learn more about how to grow a following as a poet.
5 Tips That Will Make Literary Journal Editors Fall In Love With Your Love Poem Submissions
Now that you know where to submit your love poems for publication, it’s time to consider what you might want to do to stand out in a crowd. After all, many poets are writing love poetry. If you’re hoping to get your love poems published, you’ll want to passionately embrace every possible advantage.
Confess. Confessional love poetry tends to be especially favored by today’s literary journal editors. If you are going to write love poems, hold nothing back. Editors and readers are interested in deeply intimate explorations of a poet’s most private and emotional thoughts about love.
Avoid rhyme. Unfortunately, rhyming poetry is not having a moment in the world of publishing. (We know, we know! Don’t shoot the messengers!) Rhyming poetry is considered by some to be a poetry cliché. Free verse and blank verse are much trendier than rhyming poems and have a better chance of getting published in most literary magazines.
If you really love rhyming poetry, make sure you are writing poems that literary magazine editors will find hard to resist (How To Write Good Rhyming Poetry). You can also consider sending your rhyming poetry to greeting card companies (although at this point, many mainstream greeting cards also eschew rhyme).
Be wary of oversentimentality. Because love and passion are often intimately entwined, some love poems are in danger of being overwritten. They strike contemporary readers as mawkish, overinflated, and—well—silly. Today’s editors tend to prefer love poems that take a self-aware, thoughtful look at intense passion.
Cut out clichés. There are more clichés about love poetry than we could even begin to list here. Over time, once-innovative ideas become cliché. If you’re going to write a poem about love, make sure you’re taking a fresh approach and avoid the obvious chestnuts of love poetry (I love you with my every breath, loving you makes me a better person, etc.).
Know the drawbacks of explicit sexy time. Some of the earliest love poems on record explore erotic themes. And today’s editors continue to have a natural interest in poems that explore the connections between love and sex. But keep in mind that if your poem is too explicit, they might be rejected by some literary magazine editors who are reluctant to publish graphic descriptions of sex. Consider: Is your latest work an erotic love poem? Or is it poetic erotica? If the—ahem—thrust of your love poem is explicit sexual gratification for the reader, then chances are it will be considered erotica (which is not as widely published as traditional poetry).
How Much Money Can I Make Writing Love Poems Or Publishing A Collection Of Love Poetry?
Because love poetry is so popular, you may be able to make a little bit of money writing love poems.
First, some good news. There are more opportunities to get love poems published than ever before. The prevalence of Internet publishing has made it easier for editors to create new literary magazines at very low cost. That means more writers have the opportunity to get published!
And if that doesn’t make you happy enough, you can also take heart knowing that the number of poetry book publishers has increased as well. Poetry books have become very popular, even among readers who might not normally have bought books of poems in years past (thanks in part to the aforementioned Instapoets). Although not every book of poetry has a future on the best-seller lists, a few are rising to the very top—and many of these focus on love poems.
So that’s the encouraging news.
Unfortunately, this silver lining comes with a teensy, tiny cloud.
The most prominent literary market for love poems in the United States can be found in the literary magazine circuit. And unfortunately, literary magazines are rarely able to pay their creative writers. They rely on donations, fund-raisers, government grants, and (sometimes) income from a subscriber base. Many literary magazines don’t have much profitability and so are not able to substantially pay their contributors.
PRO TIP: The benefits of getting published in literary journals might not be immediately and directly financial. But the advantages of building an author bio full of literary magazine publication credits is huge! You may want to consider submitting your love poems to literary magazines for publication, even if you don’t get paid. Here are 33 reasons why getting published can boost your writing career.
If you want to make money as a poet, you may want to consider diversifying your income potential. Expand the possibilities for making money on your love poems by reaching beyond the borders of the literary magazine publishing industry. Here are some things you can try!
5 Great Ways To Make Extra Money As A Love Poem Writer
Teach a poetry class. Even if teaching isn’t your day job, you may be able to earn a little extra money by teaching a continuing education class or giving lessons at local community centers. If you’re writing love poetry, consider how you might put together a pitch to teach your chosen craft. You might even want to peg your pitch to Valentine’s Day!
Sing for your supper. Most poets intuitively understand the link between writing poems and writing song lyrics. And songs about relationships are popular on top-forty commercial radio stations as well as underground broadcasts. Learn more about how to turn your love of poetry into a songwriting career.
Build on your love of poems. To make extra money, you might be able to pick up a part-time job that makes use of your passion for poems. Find work as a local poetry editor at an independent press. Or start your own literary magazine! You might also consider working for a charity that supports the arts.
Start your own business. Embrace your inner entrepreneur and your muse! Start a website offering to create custom poems for other people. Often, poets know how to express in words the things that others struggle to say. Love poems can be especially popular gifts!
Write for greeting card companies. If your writing is accessible (easy to understand) and heartfelt, you might be able to send your love poems to greeting card companies for publication. Just keep in mind that experimental and highly literary poetry is rarely featured in greeting cards. Here’s how to get started submitting your love poems to greeting card publishers.
One Final Warning: If You Want To Publish Love Poems, Avoid Unnecessary Heartbreak
If you are writing love poetry, it’s important to understand that not every opportunity within the larger publishing industry is going to be right for you. In fact, some publishing opportunities that seem harmless on the surface may actually be quite damaging in the long run.
As a poet, you must not only know where to publish love poems—but also which poetry dangers to avoid!
Love poem warning #1: Don’t post your poems on the Internet if you are hoping to publish them in literary publications. The submission guidelines of most literary magazines stipulate that editors will not consider poems that have been published elsewhere. And for better or worse, most editors consider poems that have been published almost anywhere in print or online to be previously published. If you are planning to submit your individual love poems to literary magazines for publication, we strongly recommend against posting them on websites, social media pages, or even very large writing forums. Learn more about what is considered previously published in writing.
Love poem warning #2: Don’t inadvertently submit your love poems to an author mill poetry contest. Some nationally advertised and widely known poetry contests are not actually considered highly reputable within the larger publishing industry. If you try an Internet search for opportunities to publish love poems, these aggressively advertised contests are often among the first to pop up. But you might want to avoid them.
Here’s why: Some poetry contests or poetry anthology contests will name nearly every entrant as a winner or an honorable mention. Winners are then invited to purchase copies of the anthology in which their poem will appear (sometimes in a very tiny font on a cramped page with a lot of other poems). The more winners purchasing the anthology, the more money the contest organizers make.
Learn more about author mill publishers.
Publishing Love Poetry Is Like Falling in Love
Your passion for love poetry may lead you to write intensely emotional confessional poems. But when you’re ready to start submitting your poetry for publication, be sure you are going into the process with a clear head and with your feet firmly planted on the ground. It’s one thing to know where to publish love poems—it’s another thing entirely to understand the right way to do it.
If you would like help finding magazine publishers who would be interested in publishing your love poems, reach out to the submission strategists here at Writer’s Relief. Our experts have been helping writers get published since 1994. There’s nothing we love more than seeing our clients get published!
Writer, Can You Help? What do you think is the most important element of a successful love poem? Leave your thoughts in our comments section.
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