How To Submit Poetry To The New York Times

Where to Publish your Poetry

Finding a publication for your poem can be daunting and intimidating, but not impossible. New York Times offers a great platform for poets to share their work with a wide audience. It accepts poetry for the ‘Sunday Review’ section of the newspaper and its website. If you’re interested in submitting your work to the New York Times, here are some basic tips to remember.

Read the Submission Guidelines Carefully

Before you start submitting your poem to the New York Times, ensure you read their submission guidelines carefully. This will keep you from wasting your time and will ensure you submit them correctly. Some of the most important parameters to keep in mind include the line and character count, subject, poetry style and content, etc.

Know your Poetry

You should be familiar with different types of poetry before you prepare your submission. This means that you should know the difference between a sonnet, a villanelle and a freestyle. New York Times prefers contemporary poetry with a narrative, so if you’re planning on submitting something written in old English style, it’s better to go elsewhere.

Make sure the Poem is Complete

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Try to make sure that your poem is as complete and coherent as possible. The editors at New York Times like to get a clear picture of the poem in their mind when they read a submission. Therefore, you should offer them a poem that’s complete and clear in terms of its intended meaning and message.

Proofread and Edit

Before you submit the poem, you should always double check it for any spelling, punctuation and grammar errors. These errors can sometimes give the impression that the poem was hastily composed, which will obviously hinder your chances of getting published. If you feel that you need help editing your poem, you can also hire a professional editor or a writing tutor.

Competition is Fierce

Remember that submitting a poem to the New York Times is no easy feat. Its editors are looking for the best in contemporary poetry and they are extremely choosy. Therefore, you need to make sure that your poem is polished and powerful if you hope to make it through the selection process.

Waiting Time

Once you submit your poem, you can expect to wait anywhere from a few weeks to several months before you hear back from the editors. Therefore, if you’re planning on submitting your poem, it’s best to extend your timeline and be prepared for a long wait.

Researching Similar Poems

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Before you submit your poem to the New York Times, it’s helpful to research similar types of poems published in the Sunday Review section. This will give you an indication of the kind of poetry the magazine prefers and help you hone the style and tone of your poem further.

Formatting the Submission

Once you have finished editing your poem and feel it’s ready to be submitted to the New York Times, you should follow their submission guidelines for formatting. It’s best to check the Sunday Review section of the magazine to get an idea of how other poets have formatted their work.

Tailoring the Submission

Even though the New York Times likes its submissions to follow a certain format, it always helps to make it stand out from the rest. This involves tailoring the poem to fit the New York Times style and tone and adding some extra lines to make it even more powerful and appealing.

Marketing Your Work

Once your poem is published, it’s always wise to market it well and inform as many people as possible. This means that you should make use of social media outlets and spread the word in order to maximize your chances of success.

Submitting to Alternative Markets

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If your poem doesn’t get accepted by the New York Times, don’t despair. There are plenty of alternative markets which you can target and you should take full advantage of them. You can submit your poem to magazines, literary journals, websites and even blogs to get your work published.

Submitting to Competitions

An alternative to submitting a poem to a magazine or journal is to participate in a poetry competition. These competitions are often highly competitive, but if you submit your best work, you could increase your chances of winning. In any case, participating in a competition can be a great way to get your work noticed by a wider audience.

Seeking Professional Feedback

No matter how good a poet you might be, it’s important to get professional feedback on your work once in a while. This could help you identify the flaws in your poetry and help you improve it. You can seek feedback from professional editors, tutors and even other poets.

Connecting with Other Poets

Connecting with other poets who have published in the New York Times can be a great way to increase your chances of getting published. You can draw inspiration from their work, seek tips on submitting your work and even network with other successful poets.

Joining Poetry Clubs

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Joining poetry clubs and workshops can be a great idea if you’re serious about submitting your poem to the New York Times. These clubs and workshops often offer constructive feedback and can help you hone your skills as a poet. This will obviously improve your chances of getting published in the future.