Doing your homework before you submit
Before sending your manuscript to any press, take time to research each publisher thoroughly. Keep notes as you go; comparing publishers side-by-side will help you make a confident submission plan.
Look closely at the press’s overall style.
- Cover design — Do their covers and typography resonate with your work?
- Website — Does their site reflect an aesthetic you feel comfortable joining?
- Poetic form — If they publish mostly free verse and your manuscript is formal, it may not be a strong match.
If possible, purchase one of their recent titles. Seeing the physical book gives you insight into production quality.
Read reviews of their current titles to understand how readers respond to the work they publish. Check their social media presence:
- Are they active?
- Do they promote their poets?
- Do they engage with their audience?
Distribution is equally important.
- Distributor — Who distributes their books?
- Sales channels — Are their titles easy to find?
Read submission guidelines carefully
As you evaluate each press, look for answers to questions such as:
- Promotion — What marketing support do they provide?
- Costs — Are poets responsible for any upfront printing expenses?
- Print runs — How many copies are included in the first run?
- Printing — Do they use on-demand printers, which often have higher costs?
- Author copies — Do they offer free or discounted copies for readings and events?
- Length — Does your manuscript fit their page or poem count range?
- Cover art — Do they provide artwork, or will you supply it?
- Editorial feedback — Will you receive edits or guidance?
If you can’t find answers online, send a polite, professional email. Most editors are happy to help.
For more guidance on submitting your manuscript, read Sandra Beasley’s excellent guest post: 7 Tips on Publishing Your Poetry.
And now for the list! Big thanks to Emily Harstone for doing the research and creating such a great resource, as well as big thanks to Author’s Publish for sharing the article on their resourceful site!
106 Poetry Manuscript Publishers Who Do Not Charge Reading Fees
UPDATED JAN. 2026
Harstone includes a brief description of each publisher and a link to their web site. Make sure to read Emily’s note at the top about limited reading windows and the order of the list. Also, if you know of any others that should be included, send them to support@authorspublish.com.
This is the longest and most accurate list of poetry manuscript publishers who do not charge fees for online or postal submissions. A number of the publishers on this list have at least one free reading period a year, where they will consider all the manuscripts submitted to them. Some of the publishers are open all the time. Some have a limited window that is only a month or two long.
If you don’t already subscribe to Author’s Publish, do so while you’re there. Authors Publish is a completely free magazine for writers and includes submission opportunities, publishing tips, writing advice, prompts, and more.
2026 Poetry Book Publishing: 175+ Deadlines – guest post by Emily Stoddard
Emily Stoddard has assembled one of the most comprehensive, thoughtfully organized roundups of poetry book publishing opportunities available anywhere: more than 175 deadlines, spanning contests, open reading periods, first-book prizes, regional presses, and long-established independent publishers.
What makes this guide especially useful is its clarity. Emily breaks the list into intuitive sections—full-length manuscripts, chapbooks, first-book opportunities, regional or identity-centered presses, and presses with rolling or recurring reading periods—so poets can map out a submission plan that fits their goals, budget, and manuscript stage. Each listing includes the press name, reading window, and a direct link to the publisher’s guidelines, making it easy to move from planning to action. Read her full post and find a link to the 2026 Publisher Spreadsheet here:
2026 Poetry Book Publishing: 175+ Deadlines and a Tool for Your Submissions
Emily also highlights a second sheet (via a tab at the bottom of the screen), called “Accessible Opportunities.” This list of 88 deadlines is pulled out from the main sheet and includes ONLY deadlines that have:
- No submission fee
- Reduced fee options
- Sliding scale fees
- Fee waivers
This kind of resource is invaluable for poets who want to submit with intention, rather than overwhelm. Whether you’re polishing a full-length manuscript, or simply trying to understand the publishing landscape more clearly, Emily’s guide offers structure, transparency, and a sense of possibility.
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