Make a proposal

Headless Poet is open for proposals from readers and writers who want to (re)introduce a single poet, or group of poems, from the past. Please consider buying a pamphlet, or taking out a subscription so that you can get a feel for the format.

Our first issues give a sense of the range and quality we are looking for. Each started as one person’s case for a poet or an idea worth reviving. Many of our pamphlets are commissioned directly. But we have space for some surprises, and we would like to be surprised.

What we are looking for in an introduction

We are looking for introductions to poets of the past, especially those whose work has been “buried by time”. Pamphlets are up to 36 pages: around twenty pages of poetry, with a short introduction (c.1500 words).

We define “buried by time” broadly. Perhaps a poet or group of poets you’ve been advocating for in private for years, work which is difficult to get hold of, neglected or misunderstood. Perhaps an extraordinary long poem you want to make available in a pocket-sized format.

We are particularly interested in anthologies. A short pamphlet will never be comprehensive, so any anthology should have a distinctive angle, whether historical (e.g. poets or poems neglected by traditional surveys of a period) or conceptual (e.g. tracing a single idea along an unexpected journey).

We are primarily interested in work which is out of copyright in the UK. Introductions which involve work which is in copyright will be considered, but will face stronger hurdles.

What we are looking for in an editor

We like criticism with style, substance and personality. You don’t need to have done something like this before. You do not need to be a poet, although you might be. Our pamphlets are necessarily a little niche, but we want them to be accessible to anyone interested in poetry.

Headless Poet is a very small press based in South London. Pamphlets are printed locally and posted by hand, though we are also stocked by the LRB bookshop, and hope to distribute more widely in the future. We are open to proposals from around the world, but if you are based abroad it is worth taking a moment to think about whether we are the right fit.

The first print run will usually be in the region of 200 copies. Editors receive 10% royalties, 10 complimentary copies, a further discount on additional copies, and a year’s subscription to the press. We do our best to get the word out, and hope you will do the same.

How to apply

Proposals should be sent to editor@headlesspoet.com with “Proposal - Your Name” in the subject header. In the first place, please send a short paragraph (no more than 200 words) on your idea for an introduction and a short paragraph (no more than 200 words) about you.

Please read the guidelines above carefully. Please don’t submit your own poetry. Please don’t send a full manuscript, multi-page document or CV as these won’t be read. Feel free to ask informal questions first if you need to. And please let us know if your idea is also being considered elsewhere.

If we think there could be a match, we will ask for more information. If we feel your idea is not the right fit for the press, we will try to say so quickly; to do that, we may not be able to offer detailed feedback. We look forward to hearing from you.