Getting your Pamphlet Ready for Three Pillars Press by Caroline Bracken (Winner of Poetry Business' 2024 International Book & Pamphlet Competition)

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 together.

3.      First impressions: It has been suggested that the first poem should be your best poem, maybe one that has won a prize or been published in a prestigious journal. I would say that your first poem is like opening your front door and inviting the reader into your house, you don’t need fireworks. Keep it to one page and don’t give everything away, you want to pique the reader’s interest, make them curious to read more.

4.      Don’t be boring: Only you can write your poems, let your individuality come through, be bold, show off a bit, stand out from the crowd. If you are writing a series of sonnets or couplets or some other form that’s great. If not, demonstrate your versatility, vary the poems, experiment.

5.      Craft is where it’s at: Nothing else matters as much as craft, it shows you have put in the work, served your apprenticeship, have made each poem the best it can be. However, I would suggest that you don’t polish the life out of your poems, leave a little rawness, a few edges.

6.      I, I, I, Me, Me, Me: Whether you are writing as a persona or as yourself, try changing the point of view in some of your poems, he, she, you, we, they. This works well when you are tackling difficult subjects, brings some distance and objectivity.

7.      What’s the story? Some pamphlets have a clear timeline and storyline, an obvious progression from beginning to end. If yours is more fragmented, try looking at it in terms of light/dark, interior/exterior, real/surreal, individual/society. This might help you with the ordering of poems so that there is progression without trying to force them into an artificial timeline.

8.      Go for it: Submissions will be read blind so don’t worry if you don’t have a track record of publication. You have something to say, trust yourself, say it, let your poems speak. The ten poems you submit are a showcase of your work; they might not all finish up in the pamphlet if you win so don’t overthink your choices. Likewise, you are not going to be disqualified for typos. The publishers/editors will work with you on all aspects of the pamphlet, all will be well.

Good Luck! Caroline Bracken

© Caroline Bracken 2025