25 Real Ways to Get Paid For Your Poetry

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Woman writing poetry in her journal

Want to get paid to write poetry? You might be surprised at the myriad of literary publications eager to pay unknown writers for their content.

If writing poetry is something you are good at, there are several companies that will consider paying you for your rhythmic ramblings.

If you’ve got notebooks full of entertaining poems lying around or have always wanted to write poetry, you might want to consider this side hustle opportunity as a way to make extra money.

Where to Get Paid to Write Poetry

As you peruse the website links listed below, you should know a few things about submitting poetry for pay and publication.

First, many literary publications only accept poems that haven’t been previously published. If they only accept non-published work, it will say that on their submissions guidelines page.

Second, it can take a while to review and accept or reject poetry submissions. It’s not uncommon to have to wait for weeks or even months to hear back regarding your poetry submissions.

Near the end of the article, I’ll share more information about how to submit poems in a way that will increase your chances of getting published and paid.

If you are looking for ways to make money quickly, this article on ways to make $700 fast might be helpful.

If you’re okay with the waiting process, the companies listed below are some of the most popular and well-paying companies for poetry submission.

1. The Three Penney Review

The Three Penney Review is a prominent literary magazine. They accept poetry submissions that are unpublished and are 100 lines or less.

While other items should be submitted double-spaced, you can submit poetry entries to the Three Penney Review either double-spaced or single-spaced.

The payout for poems chosen for publication in the Three Penney Review is high – $200.

2. The Boulevard

Another well-known literary magazine, Boulevard, also accepts unsolicited poetry submissions. You can submit previously unpublished works, up to five poems at one submission, each including a maximum of 200 lines.

Boulevard pays a minimum of $25 and a maximum of $250 for each accepted poetry submission.

This is an awesome option to get paid to write poetry if you want to submit multiple poems at once.

3. Arc Poetry Magazine

Arc Poetry Magazine has been publishing “the best in contemporary poetry” for over thirty years. They accept unsolicited submissions of previously unpublished poems on any subject, in any form. Submissions can include a maximum of three poems.

They will pay at a rate of $50 per page for any poems they publish in their magazine.

4. Chicken Soup for the Soul

The famous Chicken Soup for the Soul book publishers are seeking submissions for poems for upcoming books. The poems they are looking for should contain an exciting, funny or heartwarming story written in the form of a poem.

Submitted poems should be written in the first person and should tell about an incident that happened to you or someone you know.

They pay $200 for all accepted poems.

5. Ploughshares

The Ploughshares print and digital literary magazine is published by the staff at Emerson College. They accept poetry submissions of between one and five pages and pay out a minimum of $45 for each accepted submission.

Related article: 12 Ways To Sell Short Stories For Money

6. The Southern Review

The Southern Review accepts unpublished poems for review to be accepted in their national literary magazine. They require that you limit submissions to five poems or fifteen pages as a maximum.

Their payment for works published in their magazine is $25 per page with a maximum payout of $200.

7. The Capilano Review

The Capilano Review also accepts only unsolicited poetry works for their leading literary magazine. You can submit poems of up to five pages for publication consideration.

Accepted contributors are paid $50 per published page with a maximum payout of $150.

With compensation like this, The Capilano Review can be a great way to get paid to write poetry.

8. AGNI

AGNI is a decades-long running literature magazine that boasts an online magazine version as well. Their standard pay is $20 per page for poetry, however they occasionally pay more for poetry based on grants and donations that are sometimes applied.

The company accepts a maximum of five poems per submission.

9. U.S. Kids Magazines

The U.S. Kids Magazines company is the publisher of two famous kids’ magazines: Humpty Dumpty and Jack and Jill. The publisher currently accepts poetry writings for Humpty Dumpty magazine, which focuses on kids aged two to six.

Poetry submissions should be 4-12 lines, and accepted submissions pay $25 and up. 

10. Orion Magazine

The Orion Magazine, self-dubbed “America’s finest environmental magazine”, accepts poetry submissions that “offer fresh insight into the intersection of nature, culture and place.”

Their guidelines allow for writers to submit one to three poems at a time, each having a maximum of forty lines.

They pay $100 for accepted poetry submissions.

11. New Myths

New Myths is a quarterly published “ezine” edited by a community of writers, poets and artists, according to their website.

They require that all poems submitted have a science fiction or fantasy element in order to be considered. Writers can submit up to five poems of any length at one time.

They pay 1.5 cents per word, with a minimum payout of $30 for published poetry submissions.

12. SubTropics

SubTropics is a literary journal published by the University of Florida. They accept submissions of up to four poems at one time via their online submission service. They will not consider previously published works.

The payout is $100 for each poem accepted for publication.

13. The Sun Magazine

The Sun Magazine is an ad-free magazine publisher that accepts submissions for essays, fiction, interviews and yes, poetry. There’s no minimum word count for poetry submissions, and they pay between $100 and $200 for published poetry works.

14. Alaska Quarterly Review

The Alaska Quarterly Review, a popular literary magazine, accepts poems in traditional and experimental styles up to twenty pages long.

They pay $10 to $50 for published submissions and do accept simultaneous submissions as long as they are identified as such in your cover letter.

15. Blue Mountain Arts

Blue Mountain Arts is “one of the premier independent card and book publishers in the world”, located in Colorado. They’ve been holding bi-annual poetry contests for over thirty years.

For their contests they accept any type of poem, and they assess entries on the basis of originality and uniqueness.

They do accept rhyming poems but also mention that non-rhyming poems read better so you might have a higher chance of your poems being accepted if you write non-rhyming poems.

There’s no limit to the number of entries you can submit, and payment is high: $350 for first place, $200 for second place and $100 for third place winners.

16. Black Warrior Review

The Black Warrior Review is a publication of the MFA Program in Creative Writing at the University of Alabama. They pay a one-year subscription to their magazine and a “nominal lump-sum fee” for all works published in their magazine.

17. Rattle

Rattle’s mission, according to their website, is to “promote the practice of poetry.” They have both an online version of their publication and a print version of their publication. Rattle likes to see poetry submissions that are “unique, insightful, musical and that stand out.”

They pay $50 for poems published in their online publication and $100 for poems that make it to the printed version.

18. Grain Magazine

Grain Magazine is a literary journal that publishes four times per year. The guidelines suggest you read an issue or two of their magazine before submitting your poetry so you can gain a clearer understanding of what types of poetry they’re looking for.

They accept submissions of individual poems of up to a maximum of six pages.

Pay is $50 per page with a maximum payout of $250 per published submission.

19. The Iowa Review

The Iowa Review is run by the writing and literature programs staff at the University of Iowa. They accept previously unpublished poetry works for consideration of publication in their thrice yearly published journal.

Although they are open to considering all types of poetry, they do ask that you consider reading an issue of the Iowa Review before submitting a piece for possible publication so that you can gain an understanding of the type of content they prefer.

Pay for accepted poetry submissions is $1.50 per line with a minimum payout of $40.

20. FunforKidz

FunforKidz publishers accept poetry submissions for their Hopscotch magazine, which focuses on girls aged 6-13.

The company wants submissions on subjects such as:

  • Pets
  • Nature
  • Hobbies
  • Science
  • Games
  • Sports
  • Careers
  • Simple cooking

Since the target audience is younger girls, they do not accept poems with themes related to dating, romance, or fashion.

The company pays a minimum of $10 per poem.

21. VQR

VQR is a self-described “national journal of literature”, that accepts poetry submissions of all types and lengths. Like most companies, they only accept work that has not been previously published.

The payout is high; $200 per poem for up to 4 poems, or, if you submit 5 or more poems that are all selected, they’ll pay $1,000 if your poems are chosen for their print magazine.

22. Iron Horse Review

The Iron Horse review is a literary journal founded in 1999 by students and faculty at Texas Tech University.

They publish six issues per year, and accept poetry submissions for publication consideration at rolling intervals which you can find on the Iron Horse Review submit page on their website.

Like many other poetry publishers, Iron Horse has a personal submission page on Submittable where you can use to enter your poems for consideration. They ask that you submit three to five poems at one time.

Pay for published poems is $50 per poem.

23. Poetry Foundation

The Poetry Foundation is the publisher of the long-standing Poetry Magazine. The company pays for previously non-published works that are accepted for publication in their magazine. 

Submission is limited to four poems for each submission.

They pay out at a rate of $10 per line for published poetry works, with a minimum payout of $300. 

This is one of the highest paying options to get paid to write poetry.

24. The Nashville Review

The Nashville Review literary magazine accepts all types of poetry submissions for consideration in their magazine, including “tight formalism alongside sprawling, experimental work.”

In other words, they love poetry that is traditional in nature as well as poems that are wild and unique.

Pay is $25 per published poem.

25. Slice Magazine

Slice Magazine is a Brooklyn, NY based non-profit print magazine founded in 2007.

The team at Slice accepts poetry submissions through Submittable and suggests you read an issue of the magazine before submitting your poems in order to get a sense of the type of content they like to publish.

As with many other literary magazines, Slice accepts only previously non-published works for consideration.

Payment for published poetry submissions is $75.

What to Look for Before Submitting Your Poetry

When searching for organizations to submit your poetry to, it’s important to be aware of their guidelines before you send in your work.

By knowing what the guidelines are for each company you submit to, you can determine which publications are the best choices for submitting samples of your works.

Simultaneous Submissions

Many companies seeking out poetry submissions allow you to submit your work to other publications as well as their own, however, most require that you notify them in your cover letter that your work has been submitted to other publications for consideration as well.

Not all companies allow simultaneous submissions, however, and those that discourage simultaneous submissions generally say so on their website.

Previously Published Works

Most companies that allow poetry writers to submit poems for publication require that the work has not been published online or in print in any other venue – including a personal blog.

Make sure your poetry has not been previously published before you send it for consideration to a publishing company.

Poetry Submission Avenues

There are three general avenues that publication companies use for submission of poetry from writers. The first is by email form, which is usually included in the publication’s website.

The second is via snail mail: many publishing companies still use snail mail as a means of receiving proposed literary works such as poetry.

The third submission avenue is through an online third party such as Submittable, which acts as a go-between for individuals and companies. Be sure to read thoroughly how each site requires you submit your poetry to them for consideration.

Poetry Submission Fees

Some literary companies – not all – charge a submission fee for those wishing to have their poetry or other writings considered for publication.

It’s important to understand if there is a fee charged for submitting poetry pieces and be prepared to pay the fee even if your poem doesn’t end up getting accepted for publication with the literary company.

Other Guidelines

Literary companies usually have other guidelines as well for poetry submissions that should be carefully heeded in order to increase your chances of having your poetry accepted for publication.

Some of those other guidelines include poem genre, number of lines in the poem and the dates in which queries are accepted. In other words, not all literary companies accept submissions at all times during the year.

Some have windows during the year where poetry submissions are accepted and others accept submissions all year round.

Knowing the details of each literary publication’s submission guidelines will increase your chances of being accepted for publication.

Summary

If you have a knack for writing poetry well, submitting your poetry to organizations such as the ones listed above can be a great way to get paid to write poetry.

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85 Comments

  1. Kwesi Felix says:

    Please I am Kwesi Felix from Ghana.
    I have a collection of poems.
    Please are they still publishing poems in this pandemic period?

    1. Jess Nardini says:

      You can check on each of the links in the article to see if they are still taking submissions!

  2. Vivian T Parker says:

    I have written great poems for individuals, funerals, family, weddings religion, organizations, but I have not put my work out to the world . I only have one that was published in a book along with many other poems. I need help publishing them.

  3. Chucks Asoluka says:

    I have written great poems for individuals and organizations, but I will like to cash in with some of my poems. Also will need help publishing them to the world.

  4. Barry Dewayne Miller says:

    Do they have to be typed?

  5. My name is Jennifer Dearie. I wrote explicit poetry rhymes and was told by many I’m extremely talented. I would absolutely love to make cash if it’s possible. Please contact me back I’d appreciate it a lot. TY.

    1. Hey Jennifer, there definitely are ways to use your poems to make some cash. Check out some of the links in the site to see where you can submit your poetry! Best of luck.

  6. This is a great list. Thank you for the information! I write poetry, and just started to write short stories. These publications would be a great way to find out if I have what it takes to be published.

    1. That’s awesome to hear! I wish you luck with publishing your poems. Happy this could help you!

  7. Arthur Phillips says:

    Hello,
    I have written a few poems and will like to submit them for publishing.
    How do l go about doing that?
    Thank you!
    Arthur phillips..

    1. Check out some of the great places you can publish your poems in this article and make some extra money! Best of luck!

  8. Madhumita Sinha says:

    Hi. I am a poet and a published author. A lot of my work has been published internationally too. I wish to send my poems here.

    1. Hey! Check out some of the great places you can submit your poems and earn some money in the article!

  9. Lora Proctor says:

    I have written many inspirational poems, as well as humorous poems and poems about animals and their thoughts about other animals, etc. I think some of them are particularly good and would make a very enlightening poetry book with these differing subjects. I am retired and would love to submit my poems for publication in book form and also to individual magazines. Any sound advice on how to get started is greatly appreciated.

    1. Try using the links and ideas in this post to help you get started. Good luck!

  10. This is quite inspiring.

  11. Is there anyone that will accept previously published poems? For example, if you created a ‘Poem Hunter’ account and posted poetry there or published it on a website would they accept it?

    Thank you.

    1. You could find out by going to the links in this post that interest you. Check out their policies, terms and conditions, etc. to see what they say about it. If that doesn’t help, try contacting them directly to ask.

  12. My poem (one of them) should be in an anniversary card. I do not want to sell it outright. I want to sell it with royalties. It is in English and even if I only made ten cents per card, I think it would add up to a lot of dough. What should I do?

    1. There is one card company on our list, Blue Mountain Arts, that accepts submissions. However, they pay per contest winner. To get royalties you might have to do an internet search to find greeting card companies that accept submissions. You can still use the section in this post called, “What to look for before submitting your poetry,” to help you. Good luck!

  13. Juliet Villar says:

    I have about 10 poems, most of which I posted in my FB timeline and it earned some comments from friends. But, I have already deactivated my account. Where are my poems posted? Is that considered online publication even though it was not intended for payment?

    1. Some would call that publication, others feel that to truly say you’ve been published you must receive payment for your work. Either way, you could try reactivating your Facebook account to see if you can find and retrieve your work. In addition, you could try sending something new to a couple of the places in this post to see if you can get cash for your poems. Good luck!

  14. I am from India and I am writing poems in Hindi. Can I make money from my poetry, and how can I do that?

    1. I can’t guarantee that you can make money from your poetry. However, you can always try to use the information in this post to see if it’s possible! Good luck!

  15. I want to upload my poem also, but they are in Southern Ndebele language. I wonder if I can get help as to where I can get them online?

    1. I don’t know. A starting point might be to directly ask some of the companies you are interested in. Just click on the links in the post and then when you get to their page, see if you can find any info about accepting poems in other languages. If you find nothing, look for their contact information and try asking a few of them. I hope that works and helps you out. 🙂

  16. Jasmine Benipal says:

    I’m 18 and I’m from India. I have written poems for a long time now, and I guess they are pretty good. Should I try my luck? I basically write contemporary things, which are easy to relate to.

    1. I don’t see why not! You’ll never know if you can make money from your hobby unless you take the risk. Good luck!

  17. Endurance Iyalekhue Otakhoigbogie says:

    Hi,
    I am wondering if submitting your poem to the magazine company and getting paid for it means that you have sold it out to them and it becomes theirs. Or, is it still your poem. What do you think?

    1. I think you could check the fine print, policies, terms, and conditions before submitting anything. You could also contact each site directly through their contact information and ask. I wish you luck.

  18. Boikano Makgai says:

    I would like to publish my poems. I am really willing to do so. I am Boikano Makgai from Limpopo Gamathatha.

    1. Hopefully you can using the links in this post. I wish you success!

  19. Simphiwe Mchunu says:

    I am a young hardworking girl. I write poems but I’m not sure how to publish them for money.

    1. Check out the links in this post to help you get started. Good luck!

  20. Rajat Verma says:

    Guys, I too started writing poems. I started writing when I became lass lorn. I want to make money out of it. But the problem is that I’m from India and I don’t think these U.S. companies pay overseas writers. Tell me how I can write and earn being an Indian.

    1. You’d just have to check with each one you are interested in to see if they accept poetry from India. You could start by checking their policies, terms, and conditions on each site. If that doesn’t say, use their contact information to ask them directly. Otherwise, you might have to do some searching on your own to find a place that will accept your poetry. But if you really want to make money that way, be persistent until you find a place that will accept and publish what you write. I wish you success!

  21. Serah Francìs says:

    Hi, are there other websites that respond within a day and still pay very much? I’ve been trying to find one and its been killing me.

    1. Honestly, I don’t know. You would just have to check each of them out as each site has different response times, payment schedules, and policies. I hope you are able to find one that works for you. 🙂

  22. Good day,
    Please, I want to know how one gets paid after his work has been accepted. I live in Nigeria.

    1. That depends on each individual company you are working with. I would check their policies, terms, and conditions on each website. That should answer at least some of your questions. If not, try contacting those companies you are working with or are interested in to ask them directly. Their contact information is usually on their website. I hope that helps.

  23. Kritika Gururani says:

    There are lot of sites you mentioned above, but which among them is the best one for me? I’m sixteen years old, from India, and I’m a beginner in writing, but I think I write good stuff. Please tell me!

    1. Well, which one is best can be different for each person. It might depend on the tone of your poetry as well as the style, length, etc. I suggest you look over a few of them and narrow down your list to a couple. Then check to see if you can submit a sample to them for publication. I hope it works out for you!

  24. Velma Thomas says:

    Hi,
    My name is Velma Thomas. I write poems and would like to be paid for my work. Tell me how to submit my poems and when.

    1. Just use the information in this post. It should help you get started. I wish you good luck getting them published.

  25. Shumaila Ibrahim says:

    Hello! I am Shumaila from Pakistan. I have written many poems in English, and articles. Also, I have no brother and I am a student. I want to submit poems for the sake of money so that I may pay my study dues.

    1. You could try out one or more of the places in this post to send a sample of your work. I wish you luck in getting published and paid!

  26. Laljee Verma says:

    I have written a long poem in English running more than 15000 words and 2500 lines at single spacing. I am looking for a traditional publisher in the USA, UK, Australia, Canada. Can someone help me to find one?

    1. You could try some of the places listed in this post.

  27. Favour Nneoma Chigbu says:

    Hi,
    I am from Nigeria and I basically write poems and novels, including articles. I think this is the best medium for me to let the world know about my art and talent. I have searched for medias like this and am grateful I found you.

    1. I hope this post helps you with your work. Good luck!

  28. I like posting some of my inspirational poems on my FB Timeline for friends. Is that considered “published” work? Thank you.

    1. In a sense, some might consider that to be “publishing”. However, the true meaning of the word includes making it for sale to the public. I encourage you to keep on writing poetry, though. You might even want to try some of these places to sell them.

  29. Hi,
    I’m a Filipino and I always try to write poems and flash fiction- it’s all English. Many said that I have potential. Do I? I’m not quite sure. I started writing when I was 14 years old. I just found this site hoping to submit something. I’m almost losing hope in writing poems because I’m afraid that it will be neglected. I hope this site will help me.

    1. There’s really no way for me to guarantee your submissions will be accepted. The best way is to check out the sites and if you find one that looks of interest to you, give it a shot! I wish you luck in your quest to get poetry published!

    2. Hello, Ed. You say you’re afraid of being neglected. You must ignore this fear, Ed. It is a writer’s worst enemy. You will almost definitely be rejected at some point, most likely right off the bat. Most of the greatest writer’s in history have had to deal with rejection. Just keep submitting your work. Don’t stop. Remember, the publisher is rejecting the paper, not you.

      1. That’s some good advice, Paul. Thomas Edison found many ways NOT to make light bulbs. However, it only took ONE correct way to change the world!

  30. Hi,
    I am very interested in story and poem writing, but I’ve never tried sharing it with any one except for my college friend. I am not sure if I am better, but my friend always wanted me to try a certain number. Can I?

    1. Well, check out some of the sites in this post so you can give it a try. You never know. It might be just the thing for you.

    2. I also like to write poems. I am writing, but I can’t publish it. Help.

      1. Then this is the post for you. Try one or more of these sites to see if you can get published. Good luck!

  31. Yasmeen shaikh says:

    Can I make money from poem writing?

    1. I don’t see why not. Give it a try with one of the options in this post. Good luck!

  32. NWANYANWU JUNIOR NNABUHE says:

    I have a collection of poems. I am a Nigerian. I am looking for a publishing company that will sign me up.

    1. Then this post is for you! Just click on the links inside the post for the companies you are interested in. There you should find info on how to submit your poems for publishing. Good Luck!

  33. Natnael Genene says:

    I am from Ethiopia and I love writing English poems. Based on my fans, I think I am pretty good. So, is it possible that I can get paid if I submit my poems?

    1. You might, but you’ll never know unless you try it! Good luck!

  34. kunapareddy Manmohan says:

    I write poetry in English and I’m from India…Can I submit my poems in these websites which you mentioned?

    1. You would just have to check with each one, but I don’t see why not. Good luck!

  35. Do you think location can affect poetry? For example, I am living in Uganda. Do you think I have a chance?

    1. Sure! You probably have as much chance as anyone else.

  36. Hi must the poems that I want to submit have a meaning and must they all be 200 lines long?

    1. You would have to check with each individual website to find that out. Their rules for submission may differ from site to site.

    2. Dennis ambrose says:

      Yes it would be great if your poem had some meaning. Yet I have seen poems that had none. The length of a poem is when you are finished writing what you wish to say

  37. I have posted some poems on the mobile app poets corner. Is that considered publication?

    1. I’m not sure! You’d have to check the terms and conditions.

  38. Analeah Rubit says:

    What are some ways to “get out there” if you’re a young teen?

  39. ellen jenks says:

    If we have put a poem on Facebook, is that considered a published poem?

    1. Bumpy21215 says:

      Yes. It is time stamped.

  40. Vijay Gokhale says:

    I am from India. I basically write a poem in paragraph form using short sentences in Marathi. Can it be possible for me to join other countries?

    1. I’m not sure. Sorry!

  41. I love writing stories and poems and I think I’m really good at it considering people’s comments. So, I believe this is a great opportunity for me to practice more, get better, and make money too.

    1. Let us know how it goes for you!

    2. balwantsingh says:

      Yes, definitely.