Top 50 Poetry Publishers Accepting Submissions

If you're looking for the best publishing house for submitting your poetry, take a look at the following companies, all of which accept poetry submissions and some of which hold contests with prizes. Remember, it's a great idea to submit your work to more than one publisher to maximize your changes for acceptance, so here are 50 poetry publishers currently accepting poetry submissions.

1. Copper Canyon Press: A non-profit publishing house, Copper Canyon Press has published hundreds of award-winning works and accepts book-length works of poetry.
2. Trio House Press: Trio House Press publishes three poetry collections each year and holds two annual poetry competitions, one for seasoned poets and one for those just getting started.
3. BlazeVOX: Contemporary poets can find a home with BlazeVOX. This publisher has its authors take an active role in their own publications, requiring them to create podcasts and participate in their marketing efforts.
4. Two Sylvias Press: Gaining fame through a feature in Oprah's "O" Magazine, Two Sylvias Press offers online poetry retreats for aspiring poets and holds a poetry contest, welcoming writers with no previous experience.
5. Autumn House Press: Autumn House Press accepts all styles of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction, but it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with previous publications from this publishing house to determine if your work is a good fit.
6. Saturnalia Books: With poetry competitions and seasonal sales, Saturnalia Books caters to poets who challenge the status quo of style and form.
7. Platypus Press: Platypus Press is a relatively young publisher that has already been featured in noted writers' resources. An independent publisher, this UK-based company accepts submissions for poetry and prose in a variety of genres.
8. Wipf and Stock Publishers: If your poetry is within the religious and spiritual genre, this is the publishing house for you. Wipf and Stock claims that its books never go out of print.
9. Coach House Books: Accepting submissions of poetry, Coach House Books is looking for works that push the existing boundaries and increase the current quality of poetry. This publisher mainly features Canadian authors.
10. Kore Press: Focusing on original poetry submissions from women, transgender, and non-gender-conforming poets, Kore Press holds contests for new poets but also publishes works from writers at any point in their careers.
11. Luath Press: Despite its long history and working relationships with some very well-established poets, Luath Press also happily accepts poetry from new authors.
12. Diode Editions: This quirky publishing house holds poetry submission contests for aspiring poets to enter both chapbook and full-length book submissions. Diode Editions offers a more playful approach to publishing and features some great cover art on its published works.
13. Moon City Press: Moon City Press, a joint venture with Missouri State University, holds a poetry contest for collections of 48 pages or more. Submission collections can include individual poems that have been previously published.
14. Codhill Press: The voice of this publisher is said to lie at the intersection of spiritual, literary, and poetic thought. Codhill Press reviews its submissions within 90 days, so you'll know pretty quickly whether you've been chosen for publication.
15. Four Way Books: Accepting both poetry and short fiction, Four Way Books has been run by its original founder since 1993 and offers free books to students who attend its readings through its Pay It Forward program.
16. Plan B Press: If you are an American poet just starting out in your career, Plan B Press maintains a focus on publishing new authors. This publishing house is famous for pairing engaging text with vivid imagery.
17. Nightboat: Its name suggests travel, passage, and possibility, and as a company, Nightboat seeks the same approach to its published poetry. The works from this publishing house are often unconventional, experimental pieces.
18. Black Mountain Press: Physically located in a renovated farmhouse, Black Mountain Press is currently focused on submissions of poetry, memoirs, and short stories. Submissions should be completed manuscripts, and all submitted entries will be recycled, not returned to you.
19. Alice James Books: Beginning as a feminist book publisher, Alice James Books has since expanded its accepted manuscripts to include works from authors of all backgrounds.
20. Counterpath: While some publishers have limited submission windows, Counterpath accepts poetry submissions year-round. Fun fact: its physical space serves as a publisher, exhibition space, and a bookstore.
21. Dedalus Press: One of Ireland's most established publishers, Dedalus Press publishes works by Irish poets as well as those from other countries around the world.
22. BOA Editions: BOA Editions publishes contemporary poetry and other literary works with the goal of creating revenue and funding its book donations to organizations that serve both children and adults.
23. LSU Press: Furthering the mission of Louisiana State University, LSU Press seeks to publish works of scholarly and creative excellence. Poetry is among the many types of literature this publishing house accepts.
24. Ginninderra Press: Based in Australia, Ginninderra Press favors submissions that feature socially aware content. This company also seeks to help those who have great ideas for literature but don't have the experience to bring those ideas to fruition.
25. New Issues: New Issues awards poetry prizes for feisty submissions and publishes four to six new poetry titles annually.
26. Tupelo Press: Tupelo Press accepts works in English from any author throughout the world and periodically holds poetry contests.
27. Fremantle Press: Poetry submissions from authors of Western Australian origin or works with a focus on the Western Australian region are given priority at Fremantle Press. The company's website features a Book Club tab, which can help spread the word about its published authors.
28. Dzanc Books: In addition to traditional print, Dzanc Books also publishes e-books, which readers can buy directly from the website! This publisher mainly seeks poetry with daring and original content.
29. WordTech Communications: WordTech Communications welcomes poetry submissions of book length and chapbook length from authors in the United States. Poets must be willing to be active partners in the marketing of their published works.
30. Giramondo Publishing: With a focus on innovative and adventurous literature, Giramondo Publishing accepts unsolicited poetry submissions from authors who have familiarized themselves with the organization's previously published works.
31. Red Hen Press: Red Hen Press accepts publications year-round and runs several poetry contests, in addition to publishing up to twenty works of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry annually.
32. Yorkshire Publishing: This publishing house employs a full team of experts to provide a full range of publishing services. Yorkshire Publishing accepts poetry collections but not single-poem submissions.
33. Ekstations Editions: Deriving its name from a Greek word that means "to stand outside oneself," Ekstations Editions accepts poetry submissions that comprise 20 or more poems from your collection.
34. Sundress Publications: In addition to accepting poetry submissions, Sundress Publications also publishes several journals and hosts an artists' retreat every year.
35. Anhinga Press: Boasting a strong history of publishing fine poetry for decades, Anhinga Press holds poetry competitions for English submissions of original work. The winner of these contests receives a cash prize and a reading tour of local colleges and universities.
36. Gaspereau Press: Gaspereau Press is a Canadian publishing house famous for creating high-quality, original books of poetry. Be sure to submit your poems in paper format.
37. Sarabande Books: One unique feature of Sarabande Books is that it devotes great effort to marketing its published submissions, while others require the author to put in the most work. In addition to publishing, this organization also holds poetry writing contests.
38. Cave Canem: A Home for Black Poetry: Cave Canem was founded to address the lack of representation among Black poets. The organization fosters local and national partnerships to fund poetry contests and develop the artistic and professional growth of African-American authors.
39. Mansfield Press: A poetry-focused publisher, Mansfield Press welcomes submissions from Canadian poets (and only Canadian poets). This publisher very rarely publishes work by first-time writers, believing that previous publication in magazines and journals brings valuable literary experience.
40. Pleiades Press: Pleiades Press holds a regular poetry contest, the winner of which gets featured in its published poetry books. This publishing house also ventures into new elements of literature through its visual poetry series contest.
41. Elixir Press: Publishing poetry and literary fiction, Elixir Press holds two yearly poetry contests to determine which works are featured in their published books.
42. Persea Books: Unlike many other publishing houses, Persea Books accepts books from around the world and even offers translation services. Accepted works of poetry typically depict contemporary issues through individual experience.
43. Graywolf Press: Graywolf Press fosters new thinking about life in the modern age. This nonprofit publisher produces 30-35 books, including poetry collections, each year.
44. Milkweed Editions: Believing that poetry helps shape how we see the world, Milkweed Editions offers annual poetry competitions to encourage poets in select areas of the United States to make their voice heard.
45. Soft Skull Press: Soft Skull Press publishes submissions from every genre, including poetry, favoring works that offer an alternative to and argument against the mainstream.
46. Ohio University Press: The oldest scholarly publisher in Ohio, Ohio University Press specializes in works on Africa, Southeast Asia, Appalachia, and the Midwest.
47. Orison Books: With a focus on spiritual themes, Orison Books seeks to close the gap between literary publishers and strictly religious publishing entities and welcomes authors from all backgrounds and works of poetry that open readers' minds and hearts.
48. Barrelhouse: The publications by Barrelhouse feature a sense of humor and an edge. Its corporate structure differs from other publishers in that its employees are all volunteers!
49. Virtual Artists Collective: Virtual Artists Collective strives to bring together global poets in works of collaboration, like its recent bilingual collection of poetry featuring authors from Lithuania and China.
50. 8th House Publishing: A newer publishing house operating out of Montreal and New York, 8th House Publishing looks for insightful, enduring subject matter in each of the submissions it receives. This publishing house also has a strong social media presence and sells books on Amazon.

Because the publishing field is so vast, you can enjoy several options regarding poetry publishers to which to submit your work for publication or poetry contests. Whichever publishing house you choose, make sure you familiarize yourself with the mission and previously published works of each one so you can determine if your poetry is a good fit. Also, be sure to review the submission guidelines for your chosen companies, because procedures can change every day. Good luck, and happy submitting!