Self-publishing has a long, proud history in poetry (for example, Walt Whitman self-published the first edition of Leaves of Grass). Self-publishing gives the author complete control over the process; self-publishing also makes the author completely responsible for production costs, marketing, and editing (including copyediting). Poets & Writers has put together an excellent overview of the process (along with the potential pitfalls and rewards) here, while WikiHow has a breakdown of pros, cons, and available choices here. And former Writer's Digest publisher Jane Friedman has published a useful series of blog posts on the process here.
On this page, we'll outline some platforms and options for self-publishing, from individual poems to full-length collections.
Note on copyright: Whether you self-publish, traditionally publish, or never publish, you own copyright in all of your written work. No one but you is authorized to reproduce, sell, or distribute your copyrighted work. (When you publish a piece, you generally assign some of your rights to the publisher; if you self-publish, you retain all rights of reproduction and distribution yourself.) See "Self-Publishing Single Poems Online" (below) for further guidance on Internet publishing, which has its own set of rights and licensing considerations.
Huge numbers of people self-publish individual poems online. Some of the most public and visible online platforms for poetry include:
Self-publishing poetry in ebook format can be somewhat tricky because of poetry's extra formatting requirements (you'll want line and stanza breaks to be preserved across multiple device widths, for example). For formatting options, see links below.
There are many printing vendors available to assist with the production of self-published books. It's beyond the scope of this guide to review self-publishing print vendors individually; instead, we'll examine the questions you'll need to ask yourself to determine which vendor or platform is right for you.
Finally, don't overlook the possibility of publishing printed work yourself in the form of a homemade chapbook or zine. Zines have roots in the subcultures of the twentieth century and a long history of amplifying voices outside the mainstream; chapbooks (in poetry, the term "chapbook" usually refers to a book that has fewer than 30 pages) are particularly easy to produce using standard household or office materials.
If you'd like to try your hand at making a zine, Whatcha Mean, What's a Zine? will get you started. This book is available in the Reference section of the Poetry Center Library.
Whatcha Mean, What's a Zine? by For the ambitious bookmaker, Alisa Golden's Making Handmade Books is an outstanding resource. This book is available in the Reference section of the Poetry Center Library.
Making Handmade Books by