The American Poetry Journal publishes
poetry, poetry reviews and essays about poetry only. Starting in the summer of 2008, the
magazine will appear once a year in summer. The APJ considers unsolicited
submissions from September 1 through April 30th and limited to twice during the reading
period. We consider submissions from subscribers for publication in print
all year round. Yes, the complimentary year's subscription by entering the
American Poet Prize automatically qualifies you as a subscriber.
The primary interests of The American Poetry Journal include strong,
fresh imagery, metaphor, and good sound. Please be sure to check out the Mission statement.
Please send submissions of no more than five original and unpublished poems.
A cover letter is a nice way to break the ice but not necessary, however, be sure to
include contact information such as: name, address, phone, and email on the page of each
poem. Note that the APJ accepts email submissions
only. Send your email submission either in the body of the email message
or as a MSWord doc or rtf file to: APJsubmission@yahoo.com.
The APJ is seeking essays on poetry and reviews of poetry. All essays and reviews must be germane to poetry and are accepted with the understanding that the author will work (in required) with the editors on any recommended revisions (length, punctuation, general editing, etc.). Reviews should be no longer than 1500 words; essays should be 2500 words or less. Reviews should be about the book, not the author. Reviews should be written with an applied knowledge of poetry. No gushy "love letters" to the author. We like solid case-building and citing facts and showing examples of particular devices or techniques that work (or don't).
If you are sending postal submissions, please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) for our response or the submission will NOT be read. Envelopes which are too small or have insufficient postage for a manuscript’s return will only get a response, and the manuscript will be recycled. Send submissions in standard #10 envelopes.
Simultaneous submissions are acceptable with notice of such, but please notify us
immediately if the work we are considering has been accepted elsewhere. The APJ’s
reporting time is approximately 1-10 weeks.
While the APJ strives to treat each submission respectfully, quickly and
objectively, the APJ cannot accept responsibility for manuscripts lost or
damaged, so please do not send your only copy.
For a few hints about our editor's preferences, visit the links page on the editor's
personal site under "The
Dancing Bear Reader."
J. P. Dancing Bear, Editor
The American Poetry Journal
P. O. Box 2080
Aptos, CA 95001-2080
