Getting Started
Aspiring poets often have a book of their greatest works stored inside their minds, each composed page stored waiting for the day it can be released to the outside world. Creating a physical book containing your works and sharing them with your family and friends, is certainly attainable. It can be daunting to start, however, understanding the steps can de-bunk any fear faced by would-be publishers.
The first step is to review your work, revise and make sure each poem flows seamlessly before putting it into print. Each poem must be tied together, with clear and creative lines of thought, otherwise the book’s readers will become disconnected, creating less-than-positive connotations of the overall accepted opinion of your anthology. To ensure each piece stands tall and proud, a second eye is recommended. Ask someone else to read through each piece, giving feedback and identifying any awkward syntax or ill placed words.
Next, you’ll want to explore lay outs. While the pieces may be great to read, it’s important to ensure the layout of the printed page does justice to your poem’s story. Each page must be considered: font, title placement, structure and page breaks are a few factors to consider. Without a clear layout, poems can become tedious and difficult to read, detracting from the essence captured in the first draft.
Publishing the Book
Publishing a paperback copy of your work is a great way to complete the transition from scribbled pages to bookshelf-worthy material. This can be done through a variety of means: publishing companies, self-publishing tools and any number of online tools. If you choose the latter, there are many online stores that provide print-on-demand services so that you can order a small batch at first and as orders come in, they will print and ship each book. All of these options present great returns and you make money off each copy sold.
Creating an Online Version
In this digital age, the potential of digital marketing is increasingly recognised, giving poets the opportunity to popularise their works with the help of the internet. Nowadays, technology shares works of art with readers with an ease never before seen. Publishing your poems online has the potential to draw people from all across the web, as well as make your book readily available to those who are interested in purchasing your works.
An online version of your poems can be created easily with HTML. HTML is the primary mark-up language used to create webpages and is relatively easy to learn. Once you understand the basics, the sky’s the limit when it comes to the possibilities of what you can do with your work. You can format the text, add images and upload audio or video clips. It’s up to you to set the layout, fill the page with your magnum opus, and create an online experience that users are sure to enjoy.
Marketing and Promotion
Publishing your work online or as to paperback can be merely the first step of an exciting process. From there, you’ll want to get creative with any marketing and promotion of your work. You’ll want to share your masterpiece online, build your online presence and promote your works. Here are a few ideas to get going:
• Email campaigns
• Social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter
• Street teams or book signing events
• Connecting with book reviewers
• Hosting giveaways or competitions
Getting your work into the hands of readers shouldn’t be intimidating, rather an exciting journey to navigate, and with the above ideas, spreading the word about your newly-published book doesn’t have to be too complicated.
Making it Accessible
Once your book has been completed and published, it’s important to make sure it can be received by an even broader audience. One way to do this could be to combine the paperback and the digital version, making them interlinked and available at the same time. This could provide readers with a choice of mediums to purchase and receive your work, catering to any potential reader’s individual needs.
This technique could do more than reach a wider audience—it could even reignite the popularity of physical paperbacks. Doing this could demonstrate the importance of both digital and print-on-demand works, highlighting the significance of good quality production and appeal of tangible books.
Engaging the Public
If your publication is well written and high in quality, fellow poets from your region and further afield will also likely be interested in whats inside the pages of your collection. You may want to start off small by inviting guest poets to open readings. But, don’t underestimate the importance of spreading the word online too. A blog is a great way to interact with your readers and give them updates on what’s going on with your book and how you’re developing as an author. Invite reviews and comments, gain feedback and communicate with your readers, so you can become a better poet and publisher.
Writing Competitions
Writing competitions are a great tool to add depth and credibility to your work, as well as offering experience to those who are starting out in poetry. Finding relevant poetry competitions, that fit the theme and genre of your work, can be a great way to drive the attention of fellow writers and the wider audience. If you are awarded for your poem, you can include these recognitions on the cover and promotional materials of your book, in addition to the award biography. This may also give you a greater advantage in terms of marketing and promotion.
Soliciting Feedback
Once you have published your collection, readers are likely eager to talk about the poems and make commentaries on their experiences whilst reading. To receive these insights, try soliciting feedback online. Create surveys, polls, and questionnaires which allow users to provide feedback to help you make continual improvements. Not only will this help you understand how the work is being received, but also will give an insight into the readers tastes and preferences.
Networking with Peers
Networking with other poets is a great way to create meaningful relationships and develop your craft. Finally, with your book in hand, you can join online and offline communities of like-minded poets and authors, where you can start conversations and develop a sense of recognition which can drive the success of your book and your career. Additionally, you may be able to create local groups for readings, book-signings, and shared writing projects.
The art of producing your own poetry book is one that allows each author to be creative in so many ways. Whether it’s through the manuscript, the layout, or the online presence, understanding how to create a book that you are proud of is certainly achievable. You may even find that you surprise yourself with the potential outcome. But, with practice and the steps mentioned above, anyone may make their dreams come true and transform their writings into something tangible and remarkable.
