Copyright 2015 Theresa Harvard Johnson
If there is one question I hear often in the midst of conversations with prophetic poets, it’s this one: “How can I get my poetry published?” Unfortunately, this is not an easy question to answer. There are no “one-stop-shops” on doing this for any poet (outside of publishing your own work), much less those of us who fall in the prophetic category – meaning we are focused on writing and releasing what we believe God alone gives us.
As many poets already know, the journey to becoming a nationally or internationally known poet is a hit-and-miss one. I firmly believe that prophetic poets who are serious about their craft and getting their work before others will learn to receive criticism concerning their work and act on it when necessary; and position themselves to learn as much about the “industry” of poetry publishing as possible. Your publishing initiatives will remain extremely limited without practical application.
When answering the question about how to publish poetry, I always point to one of my favorite reference books, the “Poet’s Market” guide. I believe I purchased my first copy back in 2009. Let me tell you that this reference book (which I have updated through the years) has come a long, long way since then. In it, I believe you can find some of the most solid, accurate and useful information available about the poetry market, finding a publisher to fit your poetry style, tips on preparing your poetry for professional publishing, and a huge directory of poetry publishers. It even offers some insight on the business and promotion of poetry – including tips on getting grants to fund your writing project. (Side note: The book also comes with a one-year online subscription to an up-to-date searchable database.)
But guess what, it is very difficult getting “prophetic people” to follow these simple guidelines. Yes, I am serious. I am not sharing this to bring condemnation or to criticize – but to bring conviction while raising awareness to this huge gulf in the prophetic writing community that lies between “simply hearing God and penning the poems” and supernaturally stepping “into a professional dimension” where their work is published beyond the book and the mic. Spiritual advice alone will not move poetry from a page to a quality magazine or journal. (Before going any further, I want to encourage you to read the article, “When Prophetic Scribes Fail to Listen.”)
Nearly all of the prophetic poets I have worked with over the past decade take the self-publishing route. Because of this, I have recommended several good books and strong websites on self-publishing. This year, however, I found a book that I think is well worth adding to your reference library. It’s called: “The Fine Print of Self-Publishing.”
This book is about more than just “how to.” Rather, it is designed to give you an overall view of the publishing industry and self-publishing from professionals. It offers relevance and insight into the self-publishing industry, print and ebooks, while also being an invaluable reference tool for understanding contracts, printing costs, royalties, distribution and a host of other topics. There are some phenomenal royalty and printing cost comparison charts, popular publisher comparisons by price and service, and actual tools to help you make “sound decisions” about your needs, time and cash. I’ve read a lot of books, and only a handful provides this kind of up-to-date indispensable information. In short, you need to get this book.
Finally, if you have read this article up to this point then you have heard my “soapbox” for today. Prophetic scribes, do not be one of those writers who ask for good advice, receive it and then let it die before acting on it. Invest in your OWN poetry and prophetic writing ministry. You do need a library of reference books — even if it is a digital one. Do not take the hard route and then regret it later. If you are planning to help others, then be informed with WISDOM in the midst of the spiritual.
By no means am I suggesting that all the answers are here in these books. But I will tell you this: The insight provided in these books is greater than anything you can get from a person in one setting. What is even more crucial is that YOU will be informed in your process and better equipped to ask questions that might not arise in these books when you do sit down with a professional or attend a seminar.
Prophetic scribes, I challenge you to not only move in hearing “what to record” but move in that supernatural place of wisdom by educating yourself and activating that next level. You will be glad you did.
