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How to Find a Book Publisher: A Quick Guide for Aspiring Authors
If you're here, chances are you're ready to take the next step toward publishing your book. Finding the right book publisher starts with understanding your options. This guide breaks down the different publishing paths available to authors—traditional publishing through a literary agent, submitting directly to small or independent presses, exploring hybrid models, and identifying red flags like vanity presses.
How to Publish a Poetry Book: What Every Poet Needs to Know
Publishing poetry comes with unique challenges, whether you're aiming for a traditional publishing deal or self-publishing your collection. Traditional routes often require an agent or submitting to small presses, while self-publishing offers creative freedom but demands more personal effort. This blog explores both paths, offering tips for manuscript preparation, cover design, formatting, and marketing strategies. Whether you’re seeking recognition or creative control, understanding the landscape of poetry publishing is essential. Learn how to make informed choices about the best route for your work, build your platform, and get your poetry into the world.
Why Publishing Poetry Books Is Harder Than Other Genres—But No Less Worth It
Publishing poetry is often seen as a challenge—but that doesn’t make it any less worthwhile. In a market that undervalues lyricism, vulnerability, and truth-telling, poets are frequently told their work is too niche or unmarketable. This blog dives into why poetry faces more barriers than other genres, from industry biases to lack of infrastructure, and how marginalized poets are often excluded from traditional pathways. Still, poetry remains one of the most powerful forms of expression—and it deserves to be published. Whether you’re navigating the contest circuit, querying indie presses, or self-publishing your first book, this piece offers insight, encouragement, and real talk about what it takes to get your work into the world.
A Writer’s Guide to Publishing Lingo: 33 Terms Every Author Needs to Know
Navigating the publishing world can feel like learning a new language, but understanding key terms can help you communicate confidently with agents, publishers, and other industry professionals. This guide breaks down 33 essential publishing terms every author should know, including book royalties, literary agents, book rights, and hybrid publishing. Whether you're exploring traditional publishing or considering self-publishing, knowing these terms will empower you to make informed decisions and avoid misunderstandings. Bookmark this guide and step into the publishing world with clarity and confidence.
A Home in Her Own Words: Meet Kaniz Hossain
Poetry became the lens—one that allowed NYC-based poet and curator, Kaniz Hossain, to make sense of the contradictions, the intersections, and the quiet battles that come with moving between cultures. She writes about the things that are whispered, the things that are supposed to be kept inside, and in doing so, she gives herself—and others—permission to be loud.
The Politics of Poetry: Why the Margins Have Always Been the Center
Poetry lives in the margins—underestimated, undervalued, and often overlooked by the mainstream. But that’s where it’s always thrived. Born from the body and carried through ritual, memory, and song, poetry has never needed permission to exist. It has been a vessel for survival, resistance, and truth-telling—especially for those denied voice, space, and power. In a world that erases, poetry remembers. In a culture that commodifies, poetry lingers. It doesn’t sell easy answers—it makes space for contradiction, for feeling, for possibility. Whether whispered in protest, written in exile, or performed on stage, poetry has always been political. Because to speak when you're not supposed to, to feel when you're told not to, to create when the world says your story doesn’t matter—that’s resistance. And it’s never been more necessary.
On Art, Mental Health, and Finding Strength Through Expression: Meet Dani Fallon
Dani Fallon’s story begins with a quiet fascination for words and colors, a duality that has shaped her life as both a poet and a visual artist. Based in Long Island, New York, Dani’s work is a deep reflection on mental health, relationships, and the ways we grow through life’s challenges. For Dani, creativity is a form of survival, an anchor that keeps her connected to herself and the world around her.
10 Tips for Navigating the Publishing Process Without Losing Your Sanity (Mostly)
Writer to writer, let’s agree that the publishing process does not exactly scream Keep Calm and Carry On. Most days, it’s more like Keep Screaming and Hope for the Best. I’ve been there, and after taking every long road, hitting every pothole, and driving through every storm with broken windshield wipers, I’ve pulled together some sanity-saving tips to help you keep it together.
Using Intuition and Authenticity to Inspire Creativity: Meet Angelina Young
Angelina Young’s journey as a writer and creative spirit is an ode to intuition, self-discovery, and the magic of dreams. Rooted in her German and Mexican heritage and shaped by the vibrant California Bay Area, her work blends the mystical with the deeply personal. In moments of uncertainty, she turned inward, finding guidance in her dreams and the pages of her journals. Now, through her writing, design, and podcast Journey Through the Dreamscape, Angelina inspires others to embrace their inner voice, trust their creative flow, and step into their authenticity.
How to Publish a Book in 2025: A Go-To Guide of Authors
Explore the different ways authors can bring their books into the world—traditional publishing, self-publishing, and the increasingly popular hybrid model. We break down what each path involves, how the process works, and what authors should consider when choosing the best route for their goals. You’ll also learn how to avoid common pitfalls like vanity presses and why having the right support can make all the difference.
On Breaking Boundaries and Uncovering Truth: Meet Jessica Payes
For Jessica Payes, poetry is a means of survival. Through her unfiltered, deeply personal writing, she confronts mental health, love, and the complexities of human relationships with raw honesty. With her upcoming collection, Temporary Lovers, she continues to challenge taboos and carve space for authenticity in literature.
Five Places to Buy Books Online That Are Not Amazon
Looking to buy books online without supporting Amazon? Explore these five alternatives that champion local bookstores, support authors, and promote ethical book buying.
Writing as a Bridge Between Identity and Community: Meet Aurelia Luciano
Aurelia Luciano, a Dominican American poet and community organizer, explores the intersection of identity, cultural heritage, and storytelling in her work. Through her poetry, she invites readers to reflect on their own stories while reclaiming her Afro-Latinx identity. Aurelia's writing acts as a medium that connects personal experiences to shared human experiences, fostering dialogue and community engagement.
Where Vulnerability Meets Creativity: Meet Patty Ihm
Patty Ihm has lived a life filled with stories, some spoken, some written, and some carried quietly in her heart. As a writer, former teacher, and beekeeper raising a large and vibrant family on an Illinois farmette, her path is anything but ordinary. Yet, it’s in the ordinary moments of life—those flashes of joy, sorrow, and reflection—that Patty finds her creative fuel. Through her writing, she transforms vulnerability into art, offering readers a space to connect with their own humanity.
Embracing Duality and Cultural Identity: Meet Cecilia Dagdagan
This interview with Filipina-American poet and creative writer Cecilia delves into her journey of self-discovery and artistic expression. Through her poetry, Cecilia explores themes of cultural identity, personal growth, and the duality of belonging, drawing inspiration from her experiences as part of the Filipina diaspora. Her story highlights the power of storytelling as an act of defiance, a bridge between generations, and a celebration of heritage.
Discover the Heart of Belonging in Goldie Bird by Patty Ihm
Delkab, Illinois — Our Galaxy Publishing is proud to announce the upcoming release of Goldie Bird, the emotionally resonant and beautifully crafted middle-grade novel by Patty Ihm, a celebrated author, teacher, and mother to many. With her gift for storytelling, Ihm brings readers of all ages a timeless coming-of-age story about love, loss, friendship, and the search for identity.
Nikki Giovanni: A Voice That Shaped Poetry, Culture, and Civil Rights
The world recently lost a literary giant with the passing of Nikki Giovanni, but her legacy is eternal. As one of the most influential poets of the 20th and 21st centuries, Giovanni didn’t just write poetry—she crafted truths that challenged societal norms, celebrated Black identity, and inspired movements. Her words demanded introspection and action, compelling us to confront uncomfortable realities while also finding joy, love, and hope amid the struggle.
Beyond the Narrative: An Interview Series Amplifying the Voices of Women Writers
Beyond the Narrative is an interview series that explores how identity, cultural background, and lived experiences shape your writing, highlighting the unique contributions you bring to art, literature, and community. We want to uncover the heart behind the stories and celebrate the power of diverse voices in shaping the future of books.
Goldie Bird: The Book That Found Me First
Some books leave a mark on your heart; others become a part of it. For me, Goldie Bird is the latter. As both the editor and publisher of this work, my connection to this story runs deep—so deep, in fact, that at times, I wondered if I was too close to it. This book has been a four-year labor of love, and as it gets ready to take flight, I feel an overwhelming mix of pride, nostalgia, and gratitude.
What's the Difference Between Author Marketing and Book Marketing?
Author marketing and book marketing serve different purposes in a writer’s journey. One is about cultivating your identity and long-term presence in the literary world; the other focuses on selling a specific book. Understanding the difference allows writers to build lasting reader relationships while promoting their work more effectively. Both are necessary, but they require distinct strategies to support a successful and sustainable writing career.