Poetry markets: paying

Cariad

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Anyone know of any current paying markets for strange folklorey kind of stuff. Don't know what the right term would be. I've heard it described as 'true' fairytales but read that as 'twisted'. Dark magical realism maybe?
 

freginold

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Dreams & Nightmares might be worth submitting dark magical realism poems to. The editor looks for "fantastic horror" as well as various styles of science fiction and fantasy. Pays $12 per poem and 2 contributor copies.
 

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Here is a general question:

Broadly, what do folks think about paid poetry contests where the prize money comes from entry dues? I noticed a few have been posted here, but I just generally tend to concerned about anything that is essentially pay to play. Am I being overly concerned here?
 

CassandraW

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I would look to see who is judging them, who is sponsoring them, and the quality of past winning poems. I'm sure there are worthless scam contests out there, but there are also quite legitimate ones with nice-sized prizes and some prestige attached. If they've got a great poet or poets judging, and/or they're attached to a reputable publication, I'd say they're the goods. If they're run by some sketchy-looking publication with typos on its site, and the poetry of past winners or the judges is mediocre (or worse), I'd stay away.

But paying $10 to enter a contest is not (necessarily) the same as paying an agent to sell your work. Let's face it, poetry is not likely to make anyone wealthy these days. The costs of running the contest (not to mention the literary publication itself) and providing the prizes must come from somewhere. And having an entry fee is one way to ensure that poets submit only serious work. A free contest with a $1000 prize? Yeah, they'd probably be flooded with careless pieces of crap that the judge would have to wade through.
 
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Leaning In, Falling Over
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All great points, thanks for the response! I'm still trying to find my footing in poetry world...
 

CassandraW

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There is not much footing to be had these days, alas. I write poetry for love rather than profits or fame --my primary ambition, to the extent I have one, is to have my work read and enjoyed. To that end, I have resolved to submit some work to some places outside AW and to a contest or two. It would be delightful to win a prize or a small paycheck, but I do not expect to retire on my profits as a poet.

I wish you the very best of luck with your work. Consider posting some of it here on AW if you'd like some feedback. FYI, the critique forum is password-protected, which protects your first publication rights. Please note, though, that the main forum is not password-protected, and therefore your work would be visible to the internet at large. If you just want people to read and appreciate your poem, more people browse here in the main forum, but if you want to submit it to publications, you probably want to stick to the critique forum.

ETA:

Of course, your wariness about pay-to-play is absolutely on the money when it comes to agents asking you to pay them, or paying to have your work appear in a publication.

And with contests, I wouldn't shell out even $10 until I investigated the contest, judges, and publication and felt confident that the contest was the real deal.
 
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freginold

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A lot of state poetry societies have contests with small entry fees -- a good place to get your feet wet. Many of them have specialized categories (i.e. haiku about animals, or sonnets set in space) which gives you more specificity and possibly a greater chance at winning, if your poem happens to fit that category's criteria. These contests often have entry fees of just a few dollars (even less if you're a member of the state poetry society).

Here are just a couple:

- Missouri State Poetry Society Winter Contest 2017
- Illinois State Poetry Society Poetry Contest
- Utah State Poetry Society Contest
- National Federation of State Poetry Societies Annual Contests
 

DeviatedDavid

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First, pardon me if this is being posted in the wrong forum.

I know tht before one submits a poem -- or anything else for that matter -- to a magazine one ought to read at least one issue of that magazine to become acquainted with its tastes and preferences.

However, in many instances these magazines are small and cannot be found on line.

Of course, one can buy an issue of the magazine. However, it would be prohibitively expensive for me to buy the most recent issue of every poetry magazine that might take submissions.

I could go to the library and try to read it in the periodical room, but I have muscular dystrophy and travel for me is extremely difficult.

Does anyone know how, or where on the internet, I can find issues of magazines.
 

Helix

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David, a lot of libraries have online access to magazines and journals. I'm not sure what it's like in the US, but here (Australia) I've joined our local library, the state library, and the national library (the last two online) and have access to all their electronic resources.
 

SimenLambrecht

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Everyday Poets - pays a dollar a poem but the best part about them is that they have an audience that reads and comments. For me, good exposure is more important then the money but here you get a little (i know, a little) of both. I sub a few poems there pretty often. http://www.everydaypoets.com/

Would you loose your first publication rights if you post there?