Articles Tagged "beth gylys"
Depending on the popularity and circulation of the magazine, it can take over six weeks to receive a response from the editors. The Atlantic, for example, receives over 75,000 unsolicited poems a year.
Though not every publication requires a cover letter, poets can use a cover letter to preface their work with their publication history and professional credentials, or signal the editors if the submission is a response to a requested revision or invitation to submit more poems.
Beth Gylys warns that “pink paper, a handwritten submission stained and dog-eared, hearts over the i’s, a copyright sign on the page of each poem, and no SASE” will not only insult editors, but expose the poet’s immaturity.
For the unpublished poet, getting fresh ideas into editors’ slush pile is the first step in a long process that culminates in print publication, a process which may involve multiple rejections, revisions, and resubmissions. The poet must prepare her manuscript so that her work does not drown in that pile—and that involves a little research and modesty.
