Introduction to Poetry Writing
Writing a poem is a creative challenge, as you must express complex feelings and thoughts with precision and impact. Knowing the basics of poetic expression translates directly into getting paid for writing poetry. It is therefore important to understand the basic techniques to create poetic pieces and the various methods available in monetizing your poetic efforts.
Marketplace Opportunities
Studying the poetry industry landscape can help aspiring poets identify the most likely markets to successfully monetize their efforts. Poems are the most requested in entertainment markets such as contests, magazines, books, spoken performances, and a variety of online publications. All these markets have some degree of remuneration advertised for the writers.
The internet is a modern wealth of potential for aspiring poets. Freelance platforms such as Fiverr and Upwork are popular ways to find work as a writer and offer competitively priced gigs that reward the creative efforts of poets. Social media is another avenue for aspiring poets, as businesses and individuals post for customized works for personalized projects.
Pricing
The price list for poems written for customers or published works can vary massively. The quality of the poem is taken into consideration as well as the market it is intended for. As a rough estimate, the beginner may earn approximately $50- $250 per poem. More experienced poets can charge closer to $800 per poem depending on the use of the poem and the demand of the customer.
Writing Poetry For Fun
Developing your craft and writing poetry is far more rewarding when it is done independently and with an emotional investment. Writing poetry for pleasure can often be more fulfilling than a job and can lead to a large library of potential income sources. Submitting your free poems to websites such as Poetfreaks and Poetry Soup give you the chance to get recognized for your work and make extra income.
Engaging Editorials
Engaging editorials are the most knowledgeable and effective way to message a poem. Writing poetry for ethnic and popular magazines such as Essence and Vogue is desirable and lucrative. These magazines offer great remuneration for published poems and are beneficial to the professional resume of writers.
Contests and Competitions
Contest and competitions represent a great opportunity to get recognized and rewarded for poetic efforts. The larger competitions offer handsome rewards and accolades, making them a fun and rewarding endeavor for poets. Poems used for these competitions are often published, giving the writer great exposure to the industry.
Gigs and Events
Gigs and events are great sources of income and exposure for poets. The demand for live performances at events and relevant occasions such as open mics or school assemblies is growing. This demand has made these markets increasingly profitable. Aspiring poets should seek out these opportunities and gain some momentum as these events are very publicly recognized.
Choosing Your Poems Wisely
Creative expressions should not come with a shock factor. It is important to be aware of the style of poetry requested by the customer. Take the time to understand what the customer needs and the best way to achieve the desired outcome. Doing this can help the poem meet the customer’s expectations and will result in a remuneration far greater than expected.
Marketing Tools
Marketing tools are also great ways to make sure your work reaches its desired audience. Setting up your own website or making use of other websites to advertise your offerings is a great approach to engage with potential customers. Regularly spread the word through social media, giving updates of your work on platforms such as Twitter and Instagram.
Owning Rights To Your Poems
Rights to a poem should always remain with the poet. Customers should understand that the poem belongs to the poet, and thus the customer should never own any rights to the poem. Aspiring poets must take the necessary steps to protect the intellectual property of their work.
