10 questions to ask yourself before compiling a manuscript

It's often a writer's first instinct but it should never be done lightly or on a whim

It took me a while to arrive at a manuscript minset. The gap between me writing my first poem and my début poetry collection being published was 12 years. Not only that: the poems in that collection, Two Little Ducks, were originally written as an hour-long poetry stage show.

However, in those 12 years, I co-wrote three studio albums for Skint & Demoralised (2009, 2011, and 2013). I also released a spoken word poetry album in 2015 and an EP in 2017. Finally, as mentioned, I wrote the show Two Little Ducks (2017/18). So, in that sense, I have a fair amount of experience with publications/releases.

I also completely understand why the desire to have a collection published is one of a poet’s first instincts. Who wouldn’t get a buzz from holding a book of their poems and reading from it on stage? That sense of completion, achievement, validation, and pride - it’s everything we want as writers.

So, I thought I’d write a post as a bit of guidance for poets who are considering taking that step. This is by no means gospel. And everybody’s circumstances are wildly different. However, there are a few common mistakes that poets tend to make. Hopefully, my experiences might be able to help on that front.

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1. Are you ready yet?

The main mistake that people tend to make is rushing. It’s fully understandable, of course. But once you commit something to print in the public domain, it’s out there forever. You only get one début, and as time passes, you don’t want to regret hasty decisions or compromised standards.

You need to have been writing for long enough to develop your craft to a decent level. For some people, this might be two years or 20: there’s no set time. I’d think that two years would be the bare minimum though.

Two years or longer would allow you to have written a (relatively) substantial and varied body of poems. You should have also begun cutting your teeth on stage: performing feature slots and getting a feel for how your poems work in front of an audience.

You need to have read a decent amount of poetry collections to get a feel for editing styles, layouts, layers, and strands. There are so many directions you can take a collection in. Seeing these experimental and varied styles will help you visualise how your work would be best presented.

2. Have you developed a distinct voice?

Ask yourself what’s likely to make somebody want to read your collection. You might have a unique life experience, a unique perspective on things, or simply a brilliantly imaginative idea. Or perhaps you have a unique flair for illustrate everyday life. Either way, this sense of a distinct voice will carry a collection: you need to sustain interest through 40 or so poems.

This is something that inevitably takes time. It isn’t a tangible milestone, but asking yourself honestly might make you think twice about pursuing publication. Have a read of this blog post if you want to learn more.

3. Do you have any coherent themes or stories?

This isn't entirely essential for a poetry collection but it certainly helps. Either you have 40 completely unrelated poems, or you need to have 4 or 5 recurrent themes to give it cohesion.

A narrative strand isn’t needed, although it can work nicely. However, understanding your recurrent themes will help you shape a collection. Once you’ve done that, you’ll inevitably write fresh material specifically with the collection in mind. Realistically, you’ll probably identify the core themes in a collection around 60% of the way through the writing process: the remaining 40% helps you to fully flesh these out and add the subtle layers that thrive within the context of the whole book.

4. Do you have an audience?

Realistically, this is the first thing prospective publishers will want to know. And yes - being published will introduce you to new audiences. But most poetry presses (certainly in the UK at least) don’t have huge marketing budgets, if any at all. You need some degree of existing audience for publication to be feasible.

On the counter, if you want to publish something purely for friends and family, that’s completely fair enough. Any extra audience you build is a huge bonus and having the book in print is beautiful.

But if you’re seeking publication as a stepping stone for your career, you must demonstrate that you have an audience before taking that step. Not to mention that having an audience gives you an understanding of what your work represents and who it resonates with.

This could be an online-only audience or a local in-person audience. Ideally, both. But either way…who’s buying your book that isn’t also in your phone’s contacts?

5. Do you have specific publishers in mind?

This is extremely important. Too many poets just blanket approach publishers without considering whether their work would be a good fit. And ultimately, all you’re doing is wasting your time and theirs.

Nobody has the time or finances to read every poetry collection out there. But spending time researching publishers - even just reading the blurbs for their collections and checking out the poets on their roster - is vital.

Also, be prepared for rejection. Finding a publisher and deciding they’re perfect for your book doesn’t mean they’ll agree. But going through this process will lead to more considered submissions and hopefully mean that you make fewer attempts than if you blanket approach everybody out there.

Understanding where your book might belong demonstrates an understanding of your work generally, and publishers like that.

6. If no publishers make an offer, what’s your backup?

You might consider going down a self-publishing route. You might also reconsider whether this book is the right step at the right time. It might be a case of rewriting the book: maybe it needs more time to develop. Or, you’re just not at the right stage of your career to be going for publication.

Either way, be prepared for rejection across the board. Unfortunately, it isn’t unlikely. So, you need to have a backup plan. Visualise the next year or two without any publication materialising. Publication certainly isn’t the be-all and end-all, so don’t put all your hopes in a successful outcome.

Don’t be too disheartened if you run into a dead end. And, whatever happens, never stop writing. You can’t fail in this game: you can only give up.

7. How would you market and sell your books?

Even if you have an audience, it isn’t as simple as doing one social media post and waiting for the orders.

Are you in a position to be able to travel to a range of poetry nights and literary events? Not everybody will be, due to accessibility needs, financial barriers, logistical commitments, etc.

If live events aren’t something you can fully commit to, you might focus on digital outreach. Producing engaging social media content; seeking blog reviews; perhaps even running a DIY PR campaign. Your publisher will work side-by-side with you on this, but it’s useful to have a plan for marketing and selling books before you approach publishers. This is even more important if you end up self-publishing.

8. Is a poetry collection the right outlet at this stage?

Your body of work might be more suited to a pamphlet/chapbook. Or perhaps it’s a stage show, an audio album, or the stimulus for a series of poem-films. It may just be a brilliant body of work that allows you to express yourself and find your voice through performing - being in that space for several years is perfectly valid.

People automatically assume that poems belong in books and that all ‘proper’ poets have a poetry collection. Now, more than ever, that isn’t the case. So, ask yourself whether you’re shoe-horning poems into a collection, or whether a collection truly feels right for you at this stage in your career. If it doesn’t, trust me, that’s fine!

9. Have you received any peer feedback?

It’s important to seek some form of peer or even professional feedback on your work. Even if they’re casting an eye over the formatting of the draft manuscript you’re submitting. If I’m honest, showing it to friends - particularly if your friends aren’t poets - won’t give you the right level of feedback.

You may seek line-by-line comments or just a general overview. Regardless, a fresh pair of eyes can help you shape and guide your collection. It can also help you to avoid silly typos - first impressions count and it’s easy to be sloppy.

Writing groups seem to be fantastic for this. There’s also a strong poetry community online and I’m sure feedback exchanges are common. Either way, seek feedback from someone whose opinion you trust, and who you trust will be honest with you. It’s an important step before sending something blind to a publisher.

And if you are successful, working with an editor will be much more intense and before you do so, it’s important for you to have experience receiving feedback and criticism on your work. It can take a while to get used to!

10. What do you want to achieve through publication?

This is the most important question. It’s about setting targets but also managing expectations. What would success look like to you? Do you simply want copies of something to sell at gigs, or are you hoping to be shortlisted for the Forward Prize? Are you hoping to boost your income, or is this a stepping stone to more substantial publications?

Perhaps you just want to do it for yourself, irrespective of other outcomes. And if that’s the case, then go for it. But if that isn’t the case, ask yourself what success would look like for this book and what function it serves in your career.

If you don’t know, chances are you’re either rushing or doing it purely because you think you should. And neither is a sensible approach.

Thanks, as always, for reading. And if you enjoyed this post, please share it! All the best.