How To Publish a Poetry Book on Amazon? – A Poet’s Path to Success!

Good news! Forget about Shakespeare or iambic pentameter because you can still publish a book of poems that others will enjoy (and even make money from). In fact, some of the most popular poetry books on the market in recent years have been self-published by writers or poets.

All you need is a spark of inspiration, a laptop, and this blog post to publish your poetry book in no time. The best part is you are the only one who has control of everything – what or when you publish. As a self-publisher, you will have complete control over the entire publishing process, from the initial idea for your poetry book to writing, editing, designing, formatting, and marketing the finished product.

Publishing a poetry book is similar to publishing any other book.

Publishing poetry is now more accessible than ever! Without the constraints of traditional publishing, you can start your writing career and share your poetry with the world on your terms. No need to wait for approval or compete for a literary agent’s attention—you’re in control of your creative journey, and your voice can reach readers directly.

Once you’ve finished your book of poetry, publishing it online is as simple as creating a free Amazon KDP account, filling out your profile, and clicking the “publish” button. In most cases, the book will be available within a week or two, and royalties from book sales will be deposited directly into your bank account on file.

How Much Does It Cost to Publish a Poetry Book?

Depending on how much of the self-publishing process you choose to outsource, your costs can be minimal or as high as $1-2k range. There are self-publishing options for all budgets.

A poetry book is frequently much shorter than a memoir or a romance novel. This could reduce your self-publishing costs by twofold. First, writing poems with a ghostwriter should take much less time and money because there will be less research involved. Second, the printing costs that are deducted from your royalties are likely to be significantly lower.

The trick is to find the sweet spot in which your competitors are. If your fellow poets are writing books ranging from 75 to 100 pages, you know where you should be.

Kindle: Your Poetry Playground

And what is the best place to self-publish poetry? When you look at the metrics for self-publishers, it’s an obvious choice. Amazon’s KDP is legitimate and unquestionably the best option. It is user-friendly, reaches a large (and growing) audience, and provides poets with the flexibility they require. Whether you’re a first-time or experienced poem publisher, KDP will provide you with the tools you need to achieve your publishing goals.

How To Self-Publish Your Poetry In 5 Simple Steps

When it comes to self-publishing poetry online, most publishers must take the following steps:

#1: Organize Your Poetry Collection

The first step in any publishing project is to get to know your target readers inside and out. What motivates them? What keeps their attention intact? Many independent authors and publishers make the mistake of writing their books for themselves rather than for the people who will leave reviews and decide whether or not the book is successful.

Attending poetry readings at local cafes can be a great way to get inspired or even meet a potential ghostwriter with whom you want to collaborate. Alternatively, you can look at literary journals and magazines for trends and ideas. Essentially, at this point, you want to ensure that there is solid proof and evidence to back up your ideas before proceeding with the work of bringing them to fruition.

Action Items:

• Find inspiration in your community and other sources.
• Lock down your Proof of Concept to Show that your poetry book idea addresses a market need.
• Consider hiring a ghostwriter or freelance writer to help you achieve your vision.

#2: Reviewing the Right Publishing Guidelines

In the Spiderman universe, it is said that “with great power comes great responsibility,” which pretty much describes the life of a self-publisher. With full creative control comes great responsibility for ensuring the quality of every step of the Amazon publishing process.

As your writer begins to work on the poetry, it will be your responsibility to ensure that everything adheres to Amazon KDP’s content guidelines. There’s no need to panic! They’re all fairly straightforward.

Here is the list:

• Do not violate copyright or steal other people’s content.
• Nothing too graphic, obscene, or harmful.
• No misleading titles or descriptions.
• Nothing that leads to a negative customer experience.

You may also notice a new section on AI-generated and AI-assisted content for writing a book. Amazon offers support for artificial intelligence as long as it follows the rules outlined above. Whether you choose to incorporate AI into your workflow, hire a ghostwriter, write it yourself, or a combination of the three, you can earn up to 70% of your book sales in royalties. Yes, even if a ghostwriter did all of the writing!

Action Items:

• Ensure your ghostwriter understands the content guidelines and your expectations.
• Regularly communicate with your writer. Don’t wait until the final chapter of poems to realize it isn’t a good fit!
• Give your writer specific feedback and opportunities to improve if necessary.

#3: Proofreading and Revising Your Book

Although you may be able to edit the work yourself, it is usually better for the overall quality of the book to have another set of eyes to review the final draft. Before publishing your poetry book, consider working with editors who can provide developmental editing, copyediting, and proofreading services. They will be able to identify grammatical errors, formatting errors, and inconsistencies in the project’s voice or tone.

It is not uncommon to go through multiple rounds of revisions with an editor, so it is perfectly fine if there is a lot of “red ink” and feedback! They want your book to succeed just as much as you do.

Once you and your editor are satisfied with the final manuscript, Amazon lets you order a “proof copy” to give it one last read before officially publishing your book of poems.

Remember: this work will ultimately reflect on you, and you make the final decisions!

Action Items:

Hire a trustworthy editor or proofreader. Don’t be afraid to hire contractors who are new to the industry, especially if your budget is tight. They need the experience, and you require editing help. It’s a win-win!

• Choose an editor who can meticulously check for typos, line breaks, and tone of voice.
• Send digital copies of your manuscript to beta readers for feedback on the poetry book overall.
• Perform multiple rounds of revisions to ensure high-quality content.

#4: Designing Your Poetry Book

Your poetry collection may or may not include images. Either way, you’ll need at least a front and back book cover. Poetry covers come in a wide range of colors and styles, so it’s completely ok to take a look at what your competitors are selling. In fact, you should do this for every book you publish!

Remember the phrase “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”? If a particular style is already selling well, why not draw inspiration from it? This should go without saying, but it does not mean you should completely copy something. However, there’s nothing wrong with borrowing a color scheme or animation style and giving it your unique touch. The publishing process should be fun!

Keep in mind that you’ll need to submit specific file types for your print book, eBook, and audiobook, so hiring a professional designer is often the most efficient way to self-publish poetry, as poetry can be particularly challenging to format.

Action Items:

• Use AI software to generate images, hire a graphic designer, or combine both.
• Check out the competition’s poetry covers to understand how you can create a unique and effective book cover design for your book that’ll stand out.
• Collaborate with a professional formatter to create publishing-ready manuscripts and cover designs in various formats.

#5: Launching and Marketing Your Book

Submitting your formatted and polished manuscript for publication is actually the simplest part of the entire process, requiring only a few clicks. There are numerous distribution services available today, such as Amazon KDP, which will handle all inventory management and shipping so you can focus on increasing your book sales.

The vast majority of new self-publishers are at least overwhelmed by the thought of developing a book marketing strategy. If you’re in the same situation, take a deep breath! There are numerous online resources, including HubSpot (and this blog), that will walk you through the process step by step.

Action Items:

• Establish your website, author bio, and professional social media accounts.
• Develop a focused marketing plan, but be flexible as you gather data.
• Develop a strategy for gathering consistent book reviews.
• Join poetry groups on Facebook and connect with local poets for increased visibility.

Poetry Publishing Ideas

A poem is intended to evoke emotions in the reader, such as joy, curiosity, or even grief.

Here are some ideas to help you decide how you want to self-publish poetry.

• Themed Poetry Collections: Incorporate a specific theme or subject, such as love, nature, personal growth, or social issues. This strategy will make it easier to target readers with similar interests or experiences.
• Personal Journey or Memoir in Verse: Write individual poems about your life story or significant personal experiences. This strategy can help you establish your brand early in your career.
• Seasonal or Nature-Inspired Poetry: Write seasonal or nature-inspired poetry about the great outdoors. Nature lovers and poetry enthusiasts frequently go hand in hand.
• Haiku or Specific Form Collections: Collections of specific poetic forms, like haikus, sonnets, or free verse. This can be an interesting challenge for readers who enjoy these genres.
• Inspirational or Spiritual Poetry: Create poems that inspire, explore spiritual themes, or address philosophical questions. This type of poetry can provide readers with comfort, guidance, and opportunities for reflection.
• Poetry for Children: Create poems for a younger audience. These poems may focus on teaching children about emotions or encouraging them to use their imaginations.

FAQ’s – Frequently Asked Questions