Publishing Resources

If you’re interested in submitting an entry for the Griffin Poetry Prize, an important requirement is that entries must come from publishers only. (The complete Griffin Poetry Prize submission rules are found here.)

The Griffin Trust For Excellence In Poetry is not a publishing company, but we often get questions about how one goes about getting their work published. If you are interested in learning more about companies around the world that publish poetry, we invite you to take a look at our database of publishers who have submitted entries to the Griffin Poetry Prize since the prize’s inception.

In addition, the following are resources that will give you insight into how to get published. (If you would like to share other such resources with fellow poets, please feel free to send relevant links to us for inclusion on this page.)

8 Replies to “Publishing Resources”

  1. Please add us as a resource. The Quebec Writers’ Federation offers workshops, mentorships, and a range of other resources for writers at all stages of their careers.

  2. I somewhat sense some kind of contradiction between two of the rules stated on eligibility for the griffinpoetryprize contest.
    One says that poets’ work must be a first edition(ie must not have been previously published in any country), whereas the other says that poets’ works that has been published between January 1st and December 31st, 2016, are eligible; and the deadlines for their submissions were as well stated.
    And inclusively, about ‘Self Published’ works?
    Please can you explain all these things in a way one can properly digest without making any errors?
    Your kind reply would be highly appreciated.

  3. Publishers are to submit first edition works for the Griffin Poetry Prize. A first edition is the first published separate edition of a story, novel, poetry collection or other such work. That first edition must have been published within the 12 months of the calendar year preceding the award year. In other words, published works qualifying for the 2017 prize would have been published from January to December, 2016; published works qualifying for the 2018 prize will have been published from January to December, 2017, and so on. If a work was previously published at another time and/or in another country, it is not a first edition and does not qualify.

    We’re not sure what your other question is, but per rule #4l, self-published books are not eligible for submission to the Griffin Poetry Prize.

  4. I personally do not think this is a fair rule. (referring to ineligibility of self published writers). I myself am a self published poet and I am seriously frustrated as I have spent most of my life writing poetry and recently published. I was so positive about participating into a contest as writing is my passion and my way of communicating with whoever reads me. But it’s really sad. It’s like a slap on the face to all self published writers.

  5. Thank you for sharing your concerns with us. As you can see from other comments on this page and elsewhere on this site, we are cognizant of and consider on an ongoing basis the submission criteria of the prize. We are constantly monitoring the acceptance of self-published works for literary prizes around the world, and balancing that with ongoing consideration of the quality of adjudication and awarding of this annual prize, coupled with the challenges of quantity of submissions and a fixed amount of time in which to give them all thoughtful scrutiny.

    As you seek recognition for your work, are you exploring the burgeoning field of awards for unpublished and self-published authors? Here is a list of some awards, with some excellent advice:

    https://www.writersunion.ca/self-published-book-awards

    and we trust you can find more online. Best wishes!

  6. In the case of international contest, for example in other language as spanish, the publishers they make editions in spanish… so how could it be possible to apply in english to this contest? First it could be published in spanish and then translate the book with a professional translator? or the book does it have to be published in english by the spanish publishers? in this last option it would be quiet imposible…

  7. Poetry publishers from around the world can submit two types of works to the Griffin Poetry Prize: poetry collections in English or poetry collections translated into English from other languages. For examples of submissions that have come from publishers from different countries, please visit our submitting publishers database and search on different countries. For further information on all eligibility requirements, please review our rules here. Hope this helps!

  8. Thanks for the list. As a newbie, I have a bit of confusion on making a choice. Like I have found multiple options (submitted to none yet) that accept poems. While some pay the poet some money (if approved), others do it for free, and there might be a few demanding money from poets to get published. What would be the right approach to getting started with publishing things? And, what would you suggest from online/offline options?

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