Really ignorant poetry-related question from a non-poet

blacbird

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I ain't no poet, and I know it. But my son is, has won a statewide contest last year, and has a batch of poems he feels ready to submit for publication consideration. When the intended publication or contest does not specify a format for submissions, what is the convention (e.g., double- or single-spaced, or other similar stuff)?

caw
 

Stew21

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That's a great question.
If they don't specify, I believe it's the format you want them to appear.
Someone who has published more than I have may have a different answer.

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And congrats to your son!
 

Debbie V

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Unless the poem has a specific formatting need, like a shape poem, stanzas are single spaced with line breaks in between. All other manuscript formatting applies except line counts are used rather than word counts. They can be spaced a little further if that seems to work from what I've heard, but I've never done so. Double spacing allows for comments between lines. Comments on poems are in the often very wide margins.