In an increasingly fast-paced world, writers—particularly poets—can feel propelled toward publication as the ultimate goal. Yet it is the act of creating that allows time for genuine artistic development. In my experience, there is no greater satisfaction than crafting a poem that feels authentically my own; that is the true reward. Although many of us aspire to have our work published and hope our words will reach readers, poems themselves require time to evolve, deepen, and

We are delighted to announce the longlist for our 2026 Poetry Pamphlet Award, by Pamphlet Title (in alphabetical order): Avagab Callows Camellias through The Mist DIVEST Gunpowder Town Home How Cold The Empty Sky It's Back M(other)ing Metamorphosis Never Forget the Bowl You are Baked In Ode (me) Porcupines Prodigal Hearts Rattled Heart Scarlett in the Hatchet Field Small Catastrope Sweeney's Legend The Body, A Map The Girl Who Fell in Love with the Buffalo Herder The Land of

I recently received an email from a respected poet. The subject was ‘Write a Chapbook in a Weekend’. Don’t do it! Although a pamphlet is much smaller than a full collection, it deserves time and consideration. Think of it as your calling card after you have spent time and effort publishing your poems in respected journals. I don’t think someone is ready for a pamphlet after they have just drafted their 25 th poem. I had gotten back to writing for about five years before pu

When I'm speaking to poets about different approaches to putting work together, my main advice is to try to enjoy the process of experimentation, of not quite knowing what you're doing. Putting poems together to create a bigger statement of sorts that will sustain a reader's interest in a pamphlet or collection is as creative a process as writing poems in the first place, and, like writing the poems themselves, it's a process that can't be forced, that's beset with uncertaint

Q: Eleanor, could you outline your poetry influences? The poetry books in my home growing up were by Yeats, Thomas Kinsella and Kavanagh, and so those were the poets I read and loved first. It was a gift to read Sylvia Plath and discover her unflinching, disruptive, blistering poetry. I would say that reading Paula Meehan gave me permission to be brave in my writing, to discard old and limiting notions of what a poem should consist in. I love to read Charles Simic for his ma

Maeve McKenna’s debut pamphlet A Dedication to Drowning (Fly on the Wall Press) 2022, and Body as a Home for this Darkness, 2023. Preparing a pamphlet 1) Patience is essential, the poems themselves require time to evolve, deepen and settle. Poems given time to develop are often more refined. 2) Know your poems, spend time with them. Identify which poems belong together and curate a selection that offers a coherent and meaningful experience for the reader. 3)

Attracta Fahy, Dinner Through the Fields, winner Fly on the Wall Press Chapbook Competition, 2019. In choosing poems, I relied first on my intuition. I also focused on poems that had already been published. I started with a group of poems that I was confident about and I found a theme that connected them. The next step was selecting poems that continued to reflect this theme while also highlighting sub themes. My aim was to choose poems that were evocative and relatable

1. Check out the guidelines, submissions open from Jan 12 to Mar 8 2026. Submissions | 3pillarspress 2. To theme or not to theme : If you have a clear theme that’s great but make sure you are not saying the same thing over and over again. You do not necessarily need a theme but the poems need to have some sort of coherence. Think of them as a patchwork quilt, each square/poem has its own integrity but look for the threads that connect and hold the whole thing toge

A pamphlet of poems, although smaller than a first collection – does not necessarily mean less. A pamphlet introduces a new poet, therefore the same guidelines apply when preparing your work for publication whether it is a small or large group of poems. Many writers publish their first poetry book in pamphlet form – James Joyce and Dylan Thomas to name just two. A pamphlet is a group of 20 -25 poems that showcase a poet’s range, form and skill, indeed a pamphlet can be one