How would I go about creating then publishing a poetry magazine?

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Question:

I want to make a poetry magazine for young talented poets, but I don't know where to start!Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

Some basic rules of preparation apply here:

What kind of magazine are we talking about!? I mean, the genre of young poets is quite large: are we talking grade-school young or high school young or simply poets who are 'young' in the publishing sense of the word!? also, what type of poetry will you be publishing, all unpublished or a mixture of both old and new!? New has the advantage of low costs but also has the drawback that much of it will not be of any great and/or lasting value!. You might be the first to publish a young Billy Collins or you could just end up publishing stuff that Billy Collin's landscaper wouldn't read!. Old has the advantage of value but then you get into issues of copyrights and publishing rights and other costs that add to the value!.

What else will the magazine contain: articles, reviews, famous speakers, forewards, afterwards, commercial ads!? How big will the magazine be: the bigger the magazine, the more content needed to fill it, which means higher printing costs and a higher subscription cost to sustain it!.

Who is your audience!? There are plenty of magazines and journals out there available for poets to read about, publish in, and critique!. What makes your magazine invaluable to that section of readers!? Don't forget that the audience for poets is relatively small, and grows even smaller the more 'professional' you get!. Serious poets aren't going to want to place their work besides people who write 'roses are red, violets are blue!.!.!.' poems because the magazine won't be taken seriously!.

also, who will do the vetting, the picking and choosing of material!. In addition, where will you gather your submissions from!? The more local your pool of resources, the more likely your reader will be local as well, which limits the number of available readers you will have, and which will limit the resources you will have, in terms of costs!.

Even if your publishing goal is relatively minor, there is alot of work involved!. A handmade magazine of 20 pages (10 pages double sided) created with your own press and sheet binding machine still incurs costs (bulk paper, ink, time and effort to assemble!.!.!.) not to mention dove-tailing all that work between your other duties (work, family, relationships, etc etc) and adding staff to help with the burden only adds to the upfront costs of running the magazine, before a single subscriber or paying customer is found!.

There are many successful poetry magazines/periodicals out there!. If the magazine you are thinking about creating is geared more towards the professional side, it might be a good idea to buy several of them and see how they are organized, since it would give you more concrete ideas of what works and what doesn't!. What is their ratio of poems to ads, how many pages, does that fluctuate between printings, what are their submission guidelines!? Sometimes a careful examination of what kind of magazine you are hoping to imitate can answer many of the questions you have, since they will have done most of the legwork for you simply by making it to print, demonstrating what works and what doesnt!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Several years ago, there was an article in Poets & Writer Magazine about how to publish a literary magazine with poetry!. As I recall, the first bit of advice was to obtain a wealthy benefactor!.

Actually, your question requires a more complete answer than can be provided here!. There are books at libraries that can furnish you details about starting a magazine, publishing and distribution!. It is a daunting task, but can be done!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

You can start reading my poem to you:

When I look into your eye’s I am left breathless!.
For I see a prism of life!.
I see in your eye’s the past!.
The lost years of joy!.
Days yearning to relive!.
I see in your eye’s the present!.
The comfort you give to me!.
The feeling of bliss that washes over me when I look upon you!.
I see in your eye’s the future!.
The hope of happier days to come!.
Knowing a life’s search is fulfilled!.
When I look into your eye’s I am left breathless!.
For never have I seen anything as beautiful as you!.

Email back if you like itWww@QuestionHome@Com

What a lovely thing you aspire to accomplish!
Best wishes for success!Www@QuestionHome@Com

I am not sure!.!.!. but when you do I would like to know!Www@QuestionHome@Com