15 Best Ways to Get Paid to Write Poetry: Get Ready To Kickstart Your Poetry Career

Discover several different ways that you can get paid to write poetry in our comprehensive guide. Use these strategies to start making money for your work.

Poetry is a popular form of written art, and many publications will pay poets for their work. Many writers are surprised to learn that they can sell poetry on various platforms, and there is a significant demand for well-written poetry. If you work as a freelance writer at home, writing poems and submitting them to paying platforms can be an additional way to make money and can give you a break from your other types of full-time or part-time writing work.

Poetry allows you to explore your emotions through verse or touch the heart of the reader in a way that prose writing can’t do. The key to making this work is finding the right platforms to submit your work to; these 15 ways to make money with poetry are an excellent place to start.

1. Poetry Magazine

Poetry Magazine
The minimum payment of Poetry Magazine is $300, even for shorter poems

Poetry Magazine, a publication of the Poetry Foundation, accepts poetry submissions at a rate of $10 per line. The minimum payment is $300, even for shorter poems. They require all poems to be unpublished before submission. You retain the right to re-publish your poem after it has been printed in the magazine, so this means you can add it to your anthology later if you wish. You can also check out our guide on how to get paid to write a blog.

2. Chicken Soup for the Soul

Chicken Soup for the Soul
When submitting to this publication, the goal is to tell a story, not necessarily to rhyme

Chicken Soup for the Soul accepts poetry that tells stories. When submitting to this publication, the goal is to tell a story, not necessarily to rhyme. If accepted for print in one of their books or another purpose, your poem will earn $200. You will also earn ten free copies of the book that the poem is in.

3. 50 Haikus

50 Haikus
This poetry site doesn’t pay much per poem, just $1.50 or $10 for “Editor’s Choice” submissions

If you can write haikus, you can earn money by submitting them to 50 Haikus. This poetry site doesn’t pay much per poem, just $1.50 or $10 for “Editor’s Choice” submissions, but you will also receive a one-year subscription to the online publication.

4. EPOCH Magazine

EPOCH Magazine
With EPOCH Magazine, poetry earns between $100 and $500

You can submit up to five poems at a time to EPOCH Magazine. This publication is part of Cornell University, so they only accepted it during the start of the spring and fall semesters. Poetry earns between $100 and $500. You can also check out our guide on the best ways to get paid to write subtitles for YouTube.

5. AGNI

AGNI
AGNI pay $40 per published poem, and you can submit up to five in one submission

AGNI is Boston University’s literary magazine that has developed a considerable following. It publishes a journal that accepts outside submissions. They pay $40 per published poem, and you can submit up to five in one submission. Their reading period runs from September through May. AGNI charges a $3 reading fee for online submissions, or you can submit via mail to avoid the fee.

6. Arc Poetry Magazine

Arc Poetry Magazine
If your work is published, you will earn $50 per poem in exchange for First Canadian Serial Rights to publish it

Arc Poetry Magazine is a Canadian publication dedicated to all things poetry. It has a reading period from April to July and from September through December. Poems submitted must be under 360 lines, and all types of poetry are allowed. If your work is published, you will earn $50 per poem in exchange for First Canadian Serial Rights to publish it.

7. The Capilano Review

The Capilano Review
The Capilano Review pays $50 per published page for First North American serial rights and limited digital rights

The Capilano Review accepts unpublished poems of up to eight pages and pays $50 per published page for First North American serial rights and limited digital rights. Though the submission process has a long wait period, they do not have a long list of rules about what they will accept.

8. Crazyhorse (swamp pink)

Crazyhorse
In Crazyhorse, poets must submit three to six poems, and all genres are allowed

Crazyhorse, which is changing its name to swamp pink, is a publication that accepts poetry, fiction short stories, and non-fiction essays for a semi-monthly publication. Published poems are worth $40 each if accepted here. Poets must submit three to six poems, and all genres are allowed.

9. The Threepenny Review

The Threepenny Review
The Threepenny Review only accepts mailed-in or online submissions from January 1 through May 1

The Threepenny Review is an established publication that accepts poetry submissions. They pay $200 per accepted poem and ask for first serial rights for print and digital editions of their publication. After publication, you regain the right to your poems. They only accept mailed-in or online submissions from January 1 through May 1.

10. Ploughshares

Ploughshares
Ploughshares pay between $45 and $450 for accepted publications

Ploughshares is a quarterly journal that accepts unsolicited poetry submissions and other types of writing. The Spring, Summer, and Winter issues are the ones that publish poetry, personal essays, and short stories. You must submit it online or by mail between June 1 and January 15. They pay between $45 and $450 for accepted publications.

11. Sell on Fiverr

Fiverr
You could sell custom poetry or offer lyric writing on this platform

If you want to sell your poetry, you might be able to do so on Fiverr. This online marketplace gives freelancers a place to advertise their skills. You could sell custom poetry or offer lyric writing on this platform. However, it is highly competitive, and you have to set your price, which sometimes leads to low prices for poetry services.

12. Sell on Etsy

Sell on Etsy
Inspirational poetry tends to sell best through greeting cards, t-shirts and signs on crafting sites

To make your poetry look visually beautiful, consider selling it on greeting cards, t-shirts, and signs on crafting sites like Etsy. Inspirational poetry tends to sell best in this method. Keep in mind that the look of the poem is as important as the words if you use this option.

13. Poetry Contests

Poetry Contests
Check out Poetry Nation, Breakwater, and Saturnalia Books for popularity contests

Submitting your work to poetry contests is not guaranteed income, but many popular contests have high payouts for winning poems. Some publications have annual or seasonal poetry contests, and you could win up to $2,000 for a chosen poem. Check out Poetry Nation, Breakwater, and Saturnalia Books for popularity contests.

14. Greeting Card Companies

Greeting Card Companies
Poetry writing for greeting cards tends to be very sentimental or humorous and may need to rhyme

Many greeting card companies, including Blue Mountain Arts and CreativeRSVP.com, will accept outside submissions. Read through the submission guidelines or get to know the company and its target audience to match your poetry style to theirs, and you can earn some money this way. Remember that poetry writing for greeting cards tends to be very sentimental or humorous and may need to rhyme.

15. Self-Publishing

Another option for making money with your poetry is self-publishing a poetry anthology of your best work. Amazon makes it simple for writers to self-publish, and if you can market it well through social media and other online platforms, you may get many sales in this way. Even the greatest poets, including Walt Whitman and T.S. Eliot, self-published some of their best poetry books.

FAQs About The Ways to Get Paid to Write Poetry

How do I start writing poetry?

Before you can get paid to write poetry, you must be able to write appealing poems. Poems will use rhyme, rhythm, and cadence to make the writing more appealing. Take a poetry writing course to learn this style of writing.

What’s the best way to sell my poetry?

The best way to sell your poetry is to find publications that cater to the type of poetry you write and submit your poems for consideration. Submit to many different publications to increase the chances of getting paid. You can also sell on Etsy and Fiverr or consider self-publishing a poetry anthology.

Looking for inspiration? Check out our round-up of the best poetry books!

Author

  • Nicole Harms has been writing professionally since 2006. She specializes in education content and real estate writing but enjoys a wide gamut of topics. Her goal is to connect with the reader in an engaging, but informative way. Her work has been featured on USA Today, and she ghostwrites for many high-profile companies. As a former teacher, she is passionate about both research and grammar, giving her clients the quality they demand in today's online marketing world.

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