2004 Poet's Market (Poet's Market, 2004)

Rating:
Summary: Pain-in-the-neck tome remains essential to writers, dreamers
Review: When the editors of this reference say to examine a copy of the periodical before submitting, they are not trying to pump up circulation -- they are trying to save everyone some time and energy. But now, instead of sending ten bucks here and ten bucks there and then waiting 1 - 6 months for an issue to arrive, you can use the listed web site to size up your target before you submit. Some periodicals sound good until you look closer and discover that the web site includes a photo of the editors drinking beer.
More isn't always better. Apparently there are as many people who want to be poetry editors as there are people who want to be poets. This means plenty of periodicals fold, and you can avoid wasting postage by keeping the latest edition of this handy.
This is a book best purchased by those unfortunate enough to write poetry out of desperate drive, as opposed to those who actually want to be a poet. Nobody wants to be a poet, it just happens. You don't see publishers hiring people right out of creative writing programs. Be able to name five poets you really like and why before you strut your dabbling by leaving this volume out on your coffee table.
Sales should be restricted to people who have never donned a beret, even in jest.

Rating:
Summary: Needs better indexing
Review: While no amount of books can promise that you will be published, having a copy of the Poet's Market can help you find out where, when, and what to send out. I don't think you need a new edition every year, especially when you start marking in a version, crossing out places that aren't your thing and underlining important details, like reading periods and how many poems each place wants at a time. Even with this book, it doesn't hurt to visit each publication's website in case information has changed since this book was published. I almost wish they would put in boldface several important aspects, such as reading dates, number of poems desired at a time, and if they take simultaneous submissions or not. While the last is a huge and hotly debated topic, you can at least decide if you want to stick with places that accept it and/or if you want to not mention in your cover letter that you are sending poems elsewhere. (Who wants to wait nine months for a rejection slip?) I also appreciate the sample poems many places offer up since a few with lower quality poems may be avoided. Finally, how many times does Virgil Suarez appear?

Rating:
Summary: Essential Resource for Any Poet
Review: While no amount of books can promise that you will be published, having a copy of the Poet's Market can help you find out where, when, and what to send out. I don't think you need a new edition every year, especially when you start marking in a version, crossing out places that aren't your thing and underlining important details, like reading periods and how many poems each place wants at a time. Even with this book, it doesn't hurt to visit each publication's website in case information has changed since this book was published. I almost wish they would put in boldface several important aspects, such as reading dates, number of poems desired at a time, and if they take simultaneous submissions or not. While the last is a huge and hotly debated topic, you can at least decide if you want to stick with places that accept it and/or if you want to not mention in your cover letter that you are sending poems elsewhere. (Who wants to wait nine months for a rejection slip?) I also appreciate the sample poems many places offer up since a few with lower quality poems may be avoided. Finally, how many times does Virgil Suarez appear?

Rating:
Summary: The Absolutely Perfect Resource for Poets
Review: Yes, this book gives over 1800 places to publish your poetry, but it contains much other valuable information. It gives you general submission guidelines, and the section covering frequently asked questions would prove to be an incredible asset for beginners. Though I am disappointed that there isn't a larger market for those who wish to submit their work to quality book publishers, this is not the fault of the editors of this resource. The book gives specific information about the poetry publishers and I suggest that those who aspire to break into this market take submission guidelines seriously. As a former publisher who published a few poetry books, it is upsetting to know that someone has submitted their poems without any planning and sometimes without a return envelope. Don't pass up this book if you are a serious poet.

Rating:
Summary: The Absolutely Perfect Resource for Poets
Review: Yes, this book gives over 1800 places to publish your poetry, but it contains much other valuable information. It gives you general submission guidelines, and the section covering frequently asked questions would prove to be an incredible asset for beginners. Though I am disappointed that there isn't a larger market for those who wish to submit their work to quality book publishers, this is not the fault of the editors of this resource. The book gives specific information about the poetry publishers and I suggest that those who aspire to break into this market take submission guidelines seriously. As a former publisher who published a few poetry books, it is upsetting to know that someone has submitted their poems without any planning and sometimes without a return envelope. Don't pass up this book if you are a serious poet.