Some Advice on Pamphlet Preparation by Maeve McKenna

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)      Choose your pamphlet title carefully.  It should provide insight into the collection’s themes. 

4)      Equally important are the opening and closing poems, which serve to frame and anchor the work.

5)      Consider the order of the poems.  Balance the variation and flow – alternate shorter and longer poems to create rhythm and space throughout the collection.

6)      Proofread meticulously, this is your work; present it in a form that you are happy with.