This article was originally published in Poetry Wales Summer 2025.
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Congratulations! You’ve done the hard part of writing poems and refining them, and you’re starting to send them out. Maybe you’re at the beginning of your journey with submitting, or perhaps you’ve already had a few poems published (fantastic). You might be building up to a pamphlet or full collection or already have a book under your belt. Regardless of what stage you’re at, how do you go about putting the word out about who you are as a poet? In this article, I’m going to explore some tips and tricks for marketing and promotion.
In my role at Seren Books, I work daily with poets and writers at all stages of their careers. But one thing is always consistent: everyone has doubts about marketing their work. It is daunting putting yourself out there, especially when you’ve put in so much time in private nurturing your poems into something you’re proud of. You want to hear responses to them, but the thought of criticism, misunderstanding or indifference is also scary. Marketing is about balancing what you’re comfortable doing and experiencing with owning and celebrating your achievements.
Do I need a website?
A website is a great tool for platforming your work. There are loads of user-friendly website builders out there, many with free options as well as paid plans (e.g. WordPress).
What you choose to put on your website is up to you and may depend on how much time you have to maintain it. At the most basic level, a website should have your bio, photo, a bit about your interests and details of where you’ve been published or your books (including where to buy them!). If you’re at the start of your writing career, talk about your ambitions and the kinds of writers/books you admire. Put your personality into it. What do you want readers to know about you and your work?
You may also decide you want a page to share upcoming events. Collating all your readings in one place is great for both readers and potential publishers; it shows you’re engaged and active and want to connect.
Some writers also choose to run a blog, but this takes time to maintain. Having said that, blog posts don’t have to be long. It’s nice, sometimes, to talk about the small wins like ‘I wrote a new poem today’ or to share disappointments such as a recent rejection. And in between you can write about inspiration, balancing writing around work or family, or anything relevant to your journey as a poet that you feel comfortable sharing.
One joy of websites is that you’re in control – you don’t have to add ‘comment’ or ‘contact me’ functions if you don’t want to. If you’re nervous about interacting with readers, websites offer you an interface on your terms.
How important is social media?
Social media is a great tool for building an audience and connecting with other poets. It’s an ever-changing landscape, not without its challenges, so choosing the right platform for you is important. Whilst I would always encourage writers to use at least one form of social media for promotion, it’s not essential.
Think about where the poetry readers are. Instagram is a popular platform for poets, but it’s very visual, driven by short reels and photographs. If you’re not comfortable with taking photos or making videos it might not be the platform for you. There is also a growing community of poets on BlueSky. Sometimes referred to as ‘the new Twitter’ BlueSky posts are limited to 300 characters, so it’s a useful platform for posting small regular updates and engaging with wider conversations.
Facebook is another popular site, but many people only have a personal profile. This is great! There’s no need to change your existing account to public if you’re not comfortable with this, but you can still post about your writing and share career moments with your existing network of friends. You might feel shy or embarrassed about doing this so post in a way which feels authentic to you. The likelihood is they will want to share your excitement, support you and build you up.
Social media isn’t only about posting content either, it’s also ideal for making connections with other poets. Grow your community by following and connecting with poets you admire and engaging with their posts. By interacting with others in a genuine, generous and proactive way, potential readers will be more inclined to explore your work and profile.
What should I post?
Any social media platform requires regular posts to grow a following. Don’t overcomplicate things. Be yourself and try to include some kind of image or a link. Why not post a picture of your writing space, share the latest issue of Poetry Wales, or your thoughts on what you’re reading? Videos are also best kept simple. Many poets choose to record themselves reading poems and this doesn’t have to mean sitting yourself in front of a camera. You can also play with other footage such as images of nature. Enjoy yourself and don’t take yourself too seriously – followers will engage more if you’re relatable.
One word of caution! Some publications and competitions might count poems posted on social media as having been published, so consider only posting poems you’re not planning to submit somewhere.
Of course, social media can have its downsides. Negativity, and harmful or upsetting content exists on these platforms so protect yourself with the right privacy settings to ensure you keep your content and community safe. You may find that deleting negative responses to you and your poetry is the easiest and most effective way of managing your online safety and well-being. Engaging often gives oxygen to those who thrive on putting others down – you won’t change their mind, may say something you regret, and you will draw attention. There’s no shame in curating your professional profile to ensure it is positive and reflective of you and your work.
Performing and events
One of the best things you can do to promote your work, make connections and build confidence is to get involved with local events. Open mic nights are great for road testing new material, and you’ll often find yourself surrounded by supportive, likeminded individuals. Start by finding one local to you and give it a go. Speak to other writers and the organisers whilst you’re there – you’ll often find they’re just as nervous as you. And don’t leave until the end. This may come across as being disinterested in others, the community and feedback.
If you’re very nervous about performing your work, seek out mentorship or coaching from other poets or via organisations such as Literature Wales or (occasionally) Poetry Wales.
Attending book launches and bookshop events in person or online are also great for finding other writers and readers. There’s nothing better than building a network and finding a community of local poetry lovers – some of our best-selling collections are by poets who have really invested in long-term engagement at events.
Tip: There are loads of local open mic nights happening in Wales. Check out the Blue Sky Versify open mic in Bangor, Tiger Bay Poetry in Cardiff, Talisman Spoken Word in Swansea, Voicebox in Wrexham and many more! (The Literature Wales ‘What’s On’ page is a good resource.)
Final thoughts
To summarise:
- Start straight away, no matter what stage you are on your writing journey. Publishers will be more inclined to publish you if you can demonstrate an existing following and readership.
- Find a way of marketing which works best for you whether that’s a simple website, social media page and/or personal network.
- Don’t be afraid to be yourself and share both the ups and downs of your writing journey.
- Build connections with other poets.
- Prepare yourself to brush off any negativity. Not everyone is going to love you and your work – that’s life. Trust in what you’ve written and focus on the positive reactions you receive.
- Be proud of your achievements and open about your ambitions. You’ve done the hard part (the writing), now enjoy it!
Sarah Johnson
Sarah Johnson is Deputy CEO and Head of Marketing & Sales at Seren Books. She has extensive knowledge of marketing and publicity and works closely with writers to connect their books with readers.
She was named a Rising Star by The Bookseller in 2022 and writes fiction in her spare time.
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