Publishing Your Poetry Collection

What are the stages of getting a poetry manuscript published? What do you need to know both before and after you assemble your collection? 

This class will go over the practicalities of getting a book of poems published and will lay out the pathways to different options—from book contests to small presses to self-publishing—and the benefits of each path, with resources to follow through on the different options.

We'll address how to know when your manuscript is ready to be sent out; what to do while you're sending it out; and ways to build your career and presence as a poet outside of publishing the book itself.

We'll also discuss how to manage the psychological and emotional aspects of the submission process and how to keep going. If we to stay connected to what makes us write in the first place—which usually has little to do with publication—we'll be better able to navigate the world of publishing so that we can keep going with energy and enthusiasm for the long term.

There will be useful practical information to take home with you and plenty of time for questions and discussion. You'll leave with a better understanding of the path forward and some clear next steps.

Scholarship Information

Thanks to the excellent literary citizenship of our donors, scholarships are available for all GrubStreet classes. To apply, click the gray "APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP" button. In order to be considered for a scholarship, you must complete your application at least one week before the start date of a class. Please await our scholarship committee's decision before registering for the class. We cannot hold spots in classes, so the sooner you apply, the better. Scholarships cannot be applied retroactively.

For more more detailed information about GrubStreet scholarships, including how to contribute to scholarship funds for other students, click here.