Everything I’ve Learned About Traditionally Publishing a Book of Poetry

My journey from Medium writer to published author

I’m excited to announce that my first book of poetry, The Honey in the Bones, is due to be published with Golden Dragonfly Press on 21st December 2022. It’s been an adventure, a dream come true, and a labour of love many years in the making.

There have been ups and downs, but overall I have loved the process, from honing my craft and writing the poems themselves, to finding an audience, editing the book and finding a publisher to work with.

Many of the poems in the collection, or earlier versions of them, first appeared right here on Medium. Medium CEO Tony Stubblebine has said ‘write with your book in mind’, so perhaps you’re an online writer who dreams of writing a book. Or maybe you have self-published in the past, and would like to explore traditional publishing.

Either way, here’s everything I’ve learned along the way:

Writing the book

Writing poetry isn’t the sort of thing that can be rushed. I’m always learning, but the best advice I can give you is to:

• Read widely.
• Cultivate a playful relationship with your authentic inner voice.
• Listen to the world as you uniquely perceive it.
• Honour ideas when they show up by writing them down.
• Find suitable outlets for your work (Medium is a great place to start!).

The earliest poem I wrote for this collection was published in 2015, but it wasn’t until a few years later, at home with two young kids during the pandemic lockdowns of 2020, that I joined Medium.

Here I found a safe and supportive space in which to read, write, publish and explore my creative voice, while receiving feedback and support from an engaged audience. I joined some great publications including Scribe, Weeds and Wildflowers, Scuzzbucket, The Lark and others, which helped me to make friends, reach readers and find my virtual community. I’ll always be grateful for this platform!

Towards the end of 2021, though, I realised that I had the bones of a poetry collection, and I decided it was time to get to work on my lifelong dream of writing a book.

I had written my way around the wheel of the year several times, and knew this would be the heart and soul of the book. I envisioned a circular or rotational collection, feminine in essence, like the poems themselves: a dream of hope for the future, born out of dark times.

I wanted my book to be a spell.

Editing

During the winter of 21/22, after a period of intense procrastination, I began the work of compiling my poetry into a coherent collection. I enjoyed the process of printing all of the poems and arranging them on my kitchen table, playing around with the order and editing the poems.

A certain degree of ruthlessness is helpful when editing. My rule was if in doubt, leave it out.

I ordered the book into four sections. These followed the cycle of the seasons, with the book both starting and ending at the winter solstice: a spiralling pathway, rather than a linear book of days.

Before too long, my poems resembled something like a manuscript, and by the beginning of February 2022, I was ready to submit.

Finding a publisher

I read lots of articles about traditional vs. self publishing, and realised that traditional publishing was the best approach for me. Self publishing is a great option for many writers, but I wanted the support of a traditional publisher to help me with things like cover design, formatting, marketing and actually turning the thing into a book, without me having to cover costs.

Note that you should never pay a publisher to produce a book for you at any stage of the process (this differs from self publishing).

As an unknown author in a niche category, I was aware that my chances of scoring a publishing deal with a large multinational press were somewhere between low and zilch. My best bet was to pitch a small, independent press, and luckily there are hundreds of them currently accepting submissions. I also loved the idea of being part of the indie author/publisher movement, and thought it would be the best home for my work.

It was essential for me to find a publisher who accepted previously published work. Medium writers retain first rights to all works, which means we can publish elsewhere as we wish — however, a lot of presses will only accept unpublished pieces.

Don’t let this put you off, though. Poetry is one of the fastest growing categories in publishing, and with more and more poets starting out on social media, it is possible to find publishers willing to accept previously published works. You will need to be upfront and acknowledge those previous publications, though.

The golden rule is to check submission guidelines. Most publishers have a page on their website outlining their policy; if it states ‘original/unpublished works only’ or something similar, don’t waste your time (or the editor’s) submitting pieces which have already been posted online.

I set my sights on a small independent press called Golden Dragonfly Press, which publishes beautiful, transformational and visionary books with a Mind, Body, Spirit theme. I already followed the press and most of their authors on social media, so I was familiar with the sort of thing they put out. I loved their work, and hoped mine would be a good fit.

The pitch

I read the publisher’s submission guidelines carefully and put together a pitch which comprised fifteen of the best poems from my manuscript. I wrote a killer covering letter and used it to make clear that I was submitting previously published works, providing links to my accounts.

On Imbolc 2022, seven years to the day after my first poem (titled, funnily, Imbolc) was published online, I made a wish and emailed my manuscript across the Atlantic Ocean into an editor’s inbox in Massachussetts.

Two weeks later, to my absolute delight, I heard back from the editor who said:

‘I love and admire your beautiful work. Excellent and captivating. It will be a great fit for the Press! I would like to offer you a publishing deal.’

It was a great moment, and a big step towards reaching my dream.

Did I get lucky? For sure. But I work hard at my craft (although, in truth, it never feels like work), and have had my share of rejections as a freelance writer too. I try to remember the old adage that rejection is great because it’s a sign you’re trying, which is more than most people ever do.

The terms were agreeable so I accepted the offer, signed a contract, and celebrated with my husband and children. Otherwise I kept my news quiet. I couldn’t quite believe I had signed a publishing deal, and I had a strange feeling that talking about it too much could somehow dissipate its magic.

The long wait

I was used to internet and magazine publishing, which can go from anything between instant publication and a six month wait. So I imagined that the book would probably be put together quite quickly.

I was wrong.

Days, weeks and months passed. I sent a couple of polite follow-up emails, checking that the editor had received the manuscript and the marketing forms which she had sent me to fill out — but I heard nothing. Self-doubt and imposter syndrome crept in. I became convinced that the editor had hated my work, and was just stonewalling me until I went away.

Rather than becoming paralysed with anxiety (well OK, maybe just a bit), I continued writing, editing and finding out all I could about the publishing process. Internet research assured me that all the waiting around and going quietly mad is just part of the process. Twelve months is apparently considered lightning-fast for a traditionally published book to go from submission to publication; two years is more likely. And editors are often just very busy!

In the meantime I approached a photographer friend who took some professional headshots for the cover, carried on polishing my manuscript, and got on with my life.

Blurbs

During the months of waiting, I also embarked on the mortifying work of approaching other writers for endorsements, AKA ‘blurbs’. These are important, as they lend kudos to your work and are often the first thing people will read before they consider buying your book.

If you are looking for book blurbs, the best advice I can give you is to:

• Be bold and gracious
• Remember the worst that can happen is they either don’t reply or say no
• Make use of your contacts and reach out
• Don’t be offended if people can’t help or don’t respond and
• Go for it! You have nothing to lose.

Unsurprisingly, I didn’t get a reply from everyone I contacted. But I was overjoyed to receive some lovely blurbs from a few writers I truly admire, which gave me a huge confidence boost. I’m forever grateful for this kindness.

In the hot summer of ’22, I finally heard back from my publisher. They gave me a timeline and release date for my book, and asked me to send them the full revised manuscript, author photos and all of the blurbs.

At last, the release date was set for 21st December 2022: the perfect birthday for a book which begins and ends at the midwinter solstice.

Shit was getting real! I was excited and terrified in equal measure.

Marketing, and overcoming the terror of being seen

As the publication date draws near, it’s worth remembering that the release date for a book is not the finish line. I’m challenging myself to make use of social media (facebook, instagram, goodreads and pinterest) to spread the word, looking into press releases, planning a book launch and jumping on any offers from editors who have kindly offered to publicise my work.

Reviews are like gold dust for fledgling authors. I will be endlessly grateful to anyone who feels moved to read my stuff and leave a review; the best places to do this are either on Amazon or Goodreads.

On an emotional level, putting myself out there has been an ongoing personal challenge. Like most poetry and other artforms, my work draws from an intensely vulnerable space, so standing up and sharing it with the world outside of the relatively safe confines of Medium is a scary thing.

When fear strikes, two quotes keep me going. I’m willing to take advice from one of the wisest voices of our times:

‘One of the most calming and powerful actions you can do to intervene in a stormy world is to stand up and show your soul. Struggling souls catch light from other souls who are fully lit and willing to show it.’

— Clarissa Pinkola Estes

There’s also this (slightly less erudite) quote from Medium’s own Tim Denning, who writes:

‘99% of people won’t care.’

— Tim Denning

How wonderfully liberating and true!

I’ve had to do a good deal of inner work to get over my fears of being seen. But in the end I figured: if I don’t get behind my own book, how can I expect anyone else to?

Lastly, I’m reminding myself not to take it all too seriously. If you love writing, publication doesn’t always have to be the end goal. And as Denning says, most people will scroll on by, so you may as well face your fears, speak your truth, and shoot for the moon.

Conclusion

• Be professional
• Do your research — the internet is your friend
• Chip away at it
• Trust the process
• Play and have fun
• Believe in magic
• Start today!

I’m proud of my poetry collection because it represents a lifelong journey towards finding my voice and having the confidence to share it. In a digital world, there is something beautifully rich and tangible about writing a book. It’s a hugely privileged thing to have done, and I’m already dreaming for the next!

There may only be one name on the cover, but a book is truly an ecosystem. I am grateful to every single person who has read, clapped and commented on my poems, but in the acknowledgements section of my book, I offer heartfelt thanks to (along with a great many other people) the small, unofficial Medium writer’s circle who show up time and time again: John O'Neill, Jenine "Jeni" Bsharah Baines, William J Spirdione, Carolyn Riker, Gurpreet Dhariwal, Thomas Gaudex, Connie Song, Franco Amati, Sally A Mortemore, Deborah Barchi, Michelle Berry Lane, Bingz Huang and others. Without the reads, comments, and encouragement of the vibrant poetry community here on Medium, I wouldn’t have written a book.

If I can do it, even if it took me several years — I reckon maybe you can too.

Good luck! Let me know how you get on.

C x

The Honey in the Bones is available to order here

Also available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1737054566

And Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1737054566

Thank you for reading 💙 Connect with me on facebook or on my website