When I was little, my family loved to take long road trips. In late summer, my sister, parents and I would load up the Pontiac and head for our cousins in St. Louis—by way of Niagara Falls. Perhaps to buy themselves some peace, perhaps because the giant cards were free from AAA, my parents taught us to play the license plate game.
I think it was the bright colors on the different plates or the speed with which the cars raced by, but somehow I fell in love. It was as if my stamp albums had taken flight, offering that same sense of adventure and travel. I remember the out-of-body thrill of seeing Alaska soar by—I saw it first, not my older sister.
Many years later, when I first started sending out my poems, I needed a way to enjoy this somewhat humbling task. I started with journals in states I’d never been—the Alaska Quarterly Review was one of the first journals to accept my work. Receiving the letter at my apartment in Cambridge, Massachusetts, I was thrilled. Since that time I’ve moved from the East Coast to Oregon and later, South Africa. I worked in Bosnia Herzegovina and Gaza, but I never stopped playing my own version of license plate poetry.
This version of submitting my work kept me from taking the submission process too seriously; it was just a game! Perhaps The New Yorker said no, but Roger in Rhode Island said yes—in what looks to be their final issue. I wonder how other writers decide where to send their work? For me, focusing on the map made sense. It was as if I were traveling my own poetic globe, playing the publishing game in my own way.
As of today, there is one more state to go. Hello, Kansas!
I’ll admit to a feeling of dread when I think the game might be up. It’s been 18 years since I began publishing poems across the country and I’m not sure what I’ll do when the map is complete. Most likely, I’ll start on a world map. I’ve got Canada, Ireland and Slovenia down, just a few more countries to go…
The Blues
I must have wandered into the world
by pure accident
this isn’t where I was going
this intermittent scrim of lavender-grey
these jazz riffs of rain.
What compass for the stations of the mind?
I sauntered in like a lost singer
who loves her cat
and solos center stage at another midnight protest.
Please excuse my intrusion
on your temporary majority of two.
Where did I put my life?
The years of lemon tree epiphanies,
of monkshood, and larkspur.
I’m waiting for the light
rail of my future to arrive,
for my days to travel forward—
bright hours against all this blue.
— Susan Rich
Poem originally published in World Literature Today
Photo by thompsonwood, Creative Commons, via Flickr. This article by Susan Rich was originally published at The Alchemist’s Kitchen, with the title How to Publish Your Poems and Have Fun, and is reprinted here with permission. Susan is author of four collections of poetry, including Cloud Pharmacy and The Alchemist’s Kitchen.
Why Your Poems Get Declined
5 Reasons Why Your Poems Get Declined
Getting Your Poems Published
Rumor has it, from poets “in the know,” that these are some of the best journals to submit to:
A Fun Printable Map to Track Your Submissions
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And for those who want to submit internationally, download our Poets’ Island Passport template and have fun tracking submissions all over the globe.
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__________________________
How to Write a Poem uses images like the buzz, the switch, the wave—from the Billy Collins poem “Introduction to Poetry”—to guide writers into new ways of writing poems. Excellent teaching tool. Anthology and prompts included.
“How to Write a Poem is a classroom must-have.”
—Callie Feyen, English Teacher, Maryland
- A Foolproof Guide to Getting Your Poems Published—While Having Fun! - December 11, 2015
Tania says
Oh, this is a lovely idea! The map makes it an adventure–in an otherwise sometimes grueling process. Thank you so much for this post and the great list of places to submit.
Ann Kroeker says
It’s so fun and playful to think so differently about the work of submitting. I adore the creativity in Susan’s project.
Donna says
What a great idea! Thank you for this great post…
I remember the license plate game, too. I still get excited when I see plates from other places.
Ann Kroeker says
I had to run errands today and looked a license plates, remembering Susan’s story and the game I played in childhood (and encouraged my kids to try).
Susan Rich says
What if we used the license plates we saw on the way to work or school as “signs” of where we should send our poems? If Alaska appears at the red light you have your submission map of the day set out for you!
Megan Willome says
I sent this post to a poet friend who also has fun with submitting. I hope she shares it with our writing group.
Also, thanks for the link to the “What Editors Want” article. As the editor of a magazine (even though it’s not literary, yes and amen.
Ann Kroeker says
Would you be willing to share your poet-friend’s fun approach? We love fun around here, as you know.
Andrew H says
Thanks very much! I’ve been thinking of getting published recently – I’ve only been writing a year or two – and a list of submission locations is a great help.
Ann Kroeker says
Glad the resources give you an idea of where to start.
Jen says
Okay, this is great. I’ve always been scared to submit poems… but how can you be scared if you make it a game? 🙂
Ann Kroeker says
Exactly. Pick a state–maybe your own?–find a journal, and go for it. See what happens!
L. L. Barkat says
Great point 🙂
I think also that the advice in the article we linked to is really important. Too many people try to submit poems to places without having a sense of why those poems might be a good fit.
Also, I like to think of it like the way they tell kids to pick out colleges: pick a “reach school,” pick a “right in there” school, pick an easy acceptance. The only way one can know this about colleges (or lit journals 😉 ) is to actually do some real research. The ideas in the linked article were quite good on how to approach this part of the process.
Jody Lee Collins says
Hello Susan from this Seattlite! What a lovely poem; I can see those ‘jazz riffs of rain.’
And thank you Tweetspeak. To echo Megan, the link to what Editors want for literary mag submissions was helpful.
Ann Kroeker says
Glad Tweetspeak can be a useful resource for our community of poets.
Susan Rich says
Happy to meet another Seattleite. SO glad this was useful to you!
Rick Maxson says
I love your poem!
Thanks for sharing this idea, Susan! The approach to sending out poetry for publication can be daunting: where to start, online vs. SASE, tone of publications etc. Your method IS fun and easy to envision some order.
Susan Rich says
Hi Rick,
I sometimes wonder if I hadn’t hit on this idea whether I would still be sending out my work for publication. Now just over 20 years after I first began to publish there is only one state left. I’m planning a 50 States Party if Kansas ever says yes. I hope this inspires you to send your work into the world!
L. L. Barkat says
Susan, I’m especially glad you mentioned how long it took to get all those states (publications 🙂 ). Many poets get discouraged with the process, not realizing just what it takes. (One of those things being time, time, time.)
Susan Rich says
Hi Laura,
Yes, it’s been about 20 years. I wish I remembered what kick started this coping mechanism. I suspect it was abject fear. Rejection feels very different when you have 50 states to cover! All the positive support your readers have given me has inspired me to send to the state of Kansas again.
I’m planning a “50 States of Poetry” party as soon as I can garner an acceptance from Kansas. I’ve been rejected by the two journals in the state that I’ve found. I’m really hoping it doesn’t take too long. I should say some states were a struggle. I was rejected from New Mexico several times, same with North Dakota. It meant those eventual acceptances were that much sweeter!
lynn__ says
Thanks for posting this helpful article! Makes me want to play…I’m starting with my current home state of Iowa with a poem published in “Lyrical Iowa” – what fun! 🙂
L. L. Barkat says
Lynn, we hope you’ll share pictures of your map with us as it gets colored in 🙂 And it makes us very happy that you feel inspired to play. Poetry is a form of play, even when it tackles serious subjects.
Susan Rich says
Hello Everyone!
What a joy to have this idea going out to the world! And thank you Ann and L.L. for adding a real map! Some on-line journals don’t divulge the physical space where the editors live or post from but it never hurts to ask! As far as I know, Delaware has only one on-line journal where a non Delawarean can publish.
Kansas is the last state I need. Fingers crossed as I really want to have that “50 States Party” this year!
Good luck to all!
Susan
Nessa M says
Susan, what an entrancing idea. I need to start my publishing venture and this is my ticket!! Thank you! I downloaded the map and will proceed my poetry travels next. I love the idea of play.