The Poets Circle

A Private Group for Poets

Connect with poets. Get advice. Stay motivated.

The path of writing and publishing poetry can be lonely and confusing. Led by Radha Marcum, The Poets Circle makes it less so, gathering writers working on a variety of projects—from building a portfolio of journal publications to assembling collections.  We meet monthly to discuss our process and the nuts and bolts of writing and publishing (see topics below), share challenges and wins, learn about tools available to poets, and exchange ideas. 

Open to committed poetry writers of all levels.

Lunch & Learns: How to Publish Poetry

Get smart about the path to publication. What can you do to make submissions stand out? What are poetry publishers looking for? Where should you focus your efforts? Are contests really worth submitting to? Radha will share practical publishing advice from over 20 years in publishing, plus get your questions answered.

Community Forums

Gain confidence in your direction as a writer. Each forum includes a themed discussion—the topics that aren’t normally covered in workshops (see below). Share successes and challenges. Plus, members can submit a submission draft for top-level feedback. Get tips on where to focus to make your submission stand out with publishers. Learn to read your work like an editor.

 Lunch & Learns (60 min): 12-1pm Mountain [11am-12pm PT, 1-2 CT, 2-3 ET], Zoom: Jan 17, Feb 14, Mar 6, Apr 3, May 1, June 5, July 10, Aug 14, Sept 11, Oct 2, Nov 6, Dec 4

Community Forums (90 mins): 6:00-7:30pm Mountain [5-6:30pm PT, 7-8:30 CT, 8-9:30pm ET], Zoom: Jan 24, Feb 21, Mar 20, Apr 17, May 15, June 19, July 17, Aug 21, Sept 18, Oct 16, Nov 20, Dec 11

Forum Topics

Get practical tips, plus bring your questions and insights on these topics.

Submission Strategies

January

Strategies that can increase your acceptance rate this year.

Publishing Trends

march

2024 literary journal and poetry book publishing trends.

Finding Publishers

may

Identifying publishers for your work, not just any work.

Mentors

July

What to look for in a poetry mentor.

Networking for Poets

SEPTEMBER

How to build a network as a poet (in ways that don’t feel ick.)

Author Platforms

NOVEMBER

What is a “platform”—and do poets need one?

Obsessions

February

How obsessions help generate & develop a body of work.

Conferences

APRIL

What to look for in a summer writing conference.

Project Book—or Not?

JUNE

Writing project books vs. writing without a goal.

Workshops & Peers

AUGUST

How to find/keep groups + tips to navigate feedback.

Publishing Options

OCTOBER

The pros/cons of traditional, hybrid, and independent publishing.

Members Showcase

DECEMBER

Celebrating the work we produced or published in 2024.

time zone

Denver, USA
Mountain Time 

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