Lesson 7 | Developing & Publishing Full-Length Love/Sex Poetry Collections

Indie publishing stats, data + your pathways & chances for success

Art by Mariam Chagelishvili

This is class 7 of 8 from Shannan Mann’s Forever Workshop “Hot and Heavy: Writing Love & Sex Poems that will Actually Get Published and Have Readers Begging for More”

Maybe you’ve heard that “sex sells”, but like…does it…in indie lit…in publishing in general…what about for poetry, specifically? Let’s look at some overall stats and then try and narrow down our observations. Indie publishing has seen an increase in both the volume and variety of works being produced.

For instance, poetry sales have surged, particularly among younger audiences, with 66% of poetry book buyers under the age of 34. This demographic shift has influenced the content and themes of contemporary poetry, making space for bolder (raunchier? spicier?) themes.

Indie presses are at the forefront of transforming the literary landscape, particularly in how love and sex are explored in poetry. For instance, Graywolf Press has published works like Danez Smith's Don't Call Us Dead, which explores themes of sexuality, race, and identity with a raw, unfiltered lens. See below a poem from that collection, which, for me, exemplifies a call to self-love.

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a note on the body

your body still your body

your arms still wing

your mouth still a gun

          you tragic, misfiring bird

you have all you need to be a hero

don’t save the world, save yourself

you worship too much & you worship too much

when prayer doesn’t work:      dance, fly, fire

this is your hardest scene

when you think the whole sad thing might end

but you live      oh, you live

everyday you wake you raise the dead

          everything you do is a miracle

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Despite operating on a smaller scale, indie presses are pivotal in pushing literary boundaries. They focus on publishing works that challenge traditional norms and embrace diverse identities and experiences. This includes poetry that addresses LGBTQ+ experiences, non-traditional relationships, and culturally specific narratives about love and sex, thereby promoting a more inclusive literary landscape.

One specific trend in the indie publishing scene is the emphasis on intersectionality. Publishers like Copper Canyon Press have released collections that intertwine personal and political themes, exploring how love and sex are affected by social issues such as racism, gender inequality, and mental health. Jericho Brown's The Tradition, published by Copper Canyon, is a notable example that delves into these complex intersections, earning critical acclaim and a Pulitzer Prize.