Never send your only copy.

Keep a record of all of the poems you have sent out, what the results have been, and how long it has taken editors to reply. Keep personal comments from editors, when you receive them. These records will prevent inadvertently sending the same material to more than one place, or sending more than one package to the same publisher at the same time, or sending the same material to the same publisher twice, and so on. You can also use these records to estimate a publisher's reporting time, and to decide which poems to send the next time.

Check with the publisher before sending simultaneous submissions (that is, sending the same work to more than one market at the same time). Many publishers do not accept them. If you send a simultaneous submission, mention it in your cover letter. You do not need to specify to which other markets you're sending.

If you are submitting to a periodical, send four to six poems at one time, unless their guidelines specify otherwise. Most periodicals now have websites (check our periodicals listing) with their guidelines posted.

Unless the manuscript is specifically for a book publisher, type each poem separately and do not number the pages in sequence except for individual poems. If you are submitting to a book publisher, check their guidelines (find them in our publishers listing) to see if they prefer your entire manuscript or a selection from it.

Many print periodicals still don't accept emailed submissions. Some electronic periodicals don't accept submissions by post. Again, check their guidelines.

When submitting by post, always use plain white, 8 1/2" x 11" good bond paper. Type on one side of the paper only. All margins should be at least one inch and not more than one and a half inches. In the upper right hand corner, approximately one inch from the top of the paper, type your name, the poem's title in quotation marks, your mailing address, the rights you are offering for the poem (usually first North American serial rights) and, if you like, the number of lines in the poem. Poems which continue to the next page should have "continued" typed under the last line on the page. At the end of the poem, drop three spaces and type "The End" or "-30-". Alternatively, include in the information in the top right-hand corner the exact number of lines in the poem. Do not bind your manuscript in any way, except with a paper clip.

Computer printouts are fine, but be sure to separate the pages if using a roll of computer paper, and make sure the paper is good quality and the type is dark and letter quality (laser or high quality inkjet). Photocopies are okay only if they are excellent reproductions. Manuscripts must be easy to read, clean and clear.

Always send a cover letter with biographical and submission information, and a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) or enough postage to return your manuscript. For foreign submissions, send an international reply coupon or sufficient return postage from that country. Most postal services now allow online ordering.

Some periodicals which do not accept emailed submissions will reply by email; for them, simply specify in your cover letter your email address and that they may consider your manuscript disposable. In this case (and only in this case) you may dispense with the SASE.

When submitting by email, follow traditional manuscript guidelines as far as possible; don't be seduced by the informality of the medium into being sloppy in your presentation. Check the publishers' guidelines for how they wish to receive your work - some specify the program it must be saved as, while others don't accept attachments.

Publishers used to require that all manuscripts be double-spaced, but most publishers now accept single-spaced poetry submissions. Find out the publisher’s requirements.

Allow from three weeks to four months for a reply, if the publisher does not have an established reporting time. If you do not receive a reply in a reasonable amount of time, write a letter of inquiry. If you do not receive a reply to your inquiry, write a second letter withdrawing your manuscript from consideration, and send the work elsewhere.

Copyright 2005 Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia. All rights reserved. These documents may only be reproduced for personal or non-commercial use, in their entirety, with this copyright notice attached.