Before You Start Gather Your Material Together!

Your first step is to gather all your material together and decide how you wish to present it in your book. Keep in mind that many poetry books contain more than poetry: blank pages, illustrations, chapter headings, etc . . .in other words you will find a gold mine below!

Guidelines and other information for Poetry submissions to RDM:

 

 

Basic Groundwork…

 

¨       Determine which poems clearly represent the concepts that you are attempting to convey.  Sometimes it is helpful to decide on a theme or even construct a table of contents, so you can concoct a mental picture of what your reader will experience.

 

¨       Most people are exceptionally good at proofreading the work of others. However, if you are not adept at proofreading your own work, find someone to do it professionally. RDM has an editing service and there are numerous resources on the web and in print.  If you would like more information, please send an email to that extent. We are more than happy to send you the information.

 

¨       Finding a way to make your work stand out can be a challenge.  Sometimes it pays to be different and sometimes it does not.  Avoid the following garish mistakes;

 

§         Weird fonts

§         Strange formatting on the page

§         All capital letters; it is better to use italics or some other means to give

emphasis to your words.

§         Placing colors in your manuscript when it will only be printed in black and white.

 

¨       Perseverance is a requirement for the serious writer, as well as the novice. Develop a thick skin and find a way to lengthen your days. If your first publishing effort is not met with the fanfare that you have imagined, regroup and try a different approach. One publishers rejected piece might be a best seller in the eyes of another.

 

¨       Remember, unless your manuscript is print ready, things can always change.  Seemingly each time you look at the pages, something catches your attention and before you know it, you have made another change. Be leery of constantly making changes. The basic foundation for the work could change or shift without it being evidently clear, until you hold the finished product in your hand.  NOTE:  Quite often it can take longer than you anticipate to bring your work to press, especially if you constantly make unnecessary changes. 

 

 

Submission Guidelines…

 

Check RDM’s regular submission guidelines for other genres. There is good information listed there. Click Here.

Suggestions...

If the work does not have an “About the Author” Section, make certain there is some interesting snippet or tidbit on the back cover to engage the reader. Different readers have different preferences, but folks usually want to know who penned the words they are about to read

 

 

While You Wait/Post Publication…

 

Use your time wisely, thinking about the marketing aspects of your new venture.  It is never too early to allow those thoughts to enter your psyche.  Marketing is essential to the success of each title you publish.  It could take a very long time to sell books on your “NAME” alone.

RDM also has several marketing packages that might assist you in promoting your new title.  You will find them HERE.