Exploring the Children's Magazine Market (Part 1) - An Interview with Heidi Roemer

Here's a trivia question about the Rhyme Doctors . . .
Early on, how did Patty, Michelle, and Eileen achieve some  kidlit publishing successes?

​Answer: All three writers earned sales early in their careers by placing poems in children's magazines! 

The Rhyme Docs first met through an in-person poetry course (in the Chicago suburbs) taught by the queen of magazine poems, Heidi Bee Roemer! Heidi is the author of TEN children's book titles, and importantly, over 450 (yes, you read that right) published magazine poems!​ After taking Heidi's class, we formed a poetry critique group to continue meeting to provide constructive feedback for each other. That was over twenty years ago. It was an essential part of our study of poetry and helped us polish and hone important skills. I'm delighted to share a two-part interview with our amazing friend and poet, Heidi, for our House Call newsletter readers.  Let's talk magazines and poetry!

Eileen: Tell us about how you began writing poetry for children’s magazines. Describe the first poem you had accepted for publication – and how you felt when you learned it had sold.

​Heidi: Thank you for inviting me on your, blog, Eileen! My journey in writing for magazines began in 1996 when I, as a rookie writer, received a bit of advice from Patrica Rae Wolff, who was then the Assistant Regional Advisor for SCBWI-IL. Pat said, “Write for magazines while you’re waiting for your book sale.” It was advice I took to heart, and I encourage aspiring poets to do the same. Here are 10 benefits gained when writing for magazines:

1. You have a greater (and faster!) chance of getting published with a magazine than with a book publisher.
2. You’ll gain marketing research experience.
3. You’ll learn about the processes involved in submission, contracts, and publication.
4. You’ll gain “tight writing” experience (due to low word count requirements) and increased production.
5. You’ll open doors to new and unexpected writing and networking opportunities.
6. You’ll get a faster turnaround and response time than from a book publisher.
7. You’ll gain a list of writing credentials for your resume.
8. You’ll get paid. (Unless you submit to a non-paying publisher.)
9. You’ll have reprint possibilities.
10. You’ll gain self-confidence. You’ll be able to say, “I’m published!”

 

​Bolstered by Pat’s encouragement, I started writing and submitting poetry to magazines. My first poem, “Baby’s Game,” was published in the June 1997 issue of Babybug. I thought the illustrations by Kathleen Collins Howell were adorable and conveyed the loving father-baby relationship beautifully. Bitten by the publication bug, I was even more hooked! 

Eileen: There are so many different types of poetry forms: haiku, mask, shape, limerick, apostrophe, dactyl . . . and the list goes on. You had a picture book, Come to My Party And Other Shape Poems, published with entertaining shape poems that took the reader through the year season by season. I love that book – and it sits proudly on my shelf; it’s always a favorite read-aloud book when I have young children over to visit. Are shape poems a special favorite of yours?

Heidi's PB featuring shape poems

Heidi: Thanks for your kind words, Eileen. I became intrigued with shape poems when I happened to find Robert Froman’s STREET POEMS, published in 1971. This oldie-but-goodie consisted of text and lines forming black-and-white images that reflected each poem’s topic. It was colorless and bland. It was shape poems in its infancy. But I imagined more! So I began composing poems for Come to My Party... and the rest is history! I’ll always enjoy shape poetry, but I can’t say it’s my favorite poetry form. There are just too many other irresistible forms to admire and write!

Eileen: Since I have known you for a long time, I know that you are modest about your amazing accomplishments in our industry. If memory serves me well, you were awarded a very special prize for publishing several hundred poems in magazines. Can you tell us more about that?

​Heidi: Well, since you asked… The Highlights group has purchased 235 of my poems, with fifty of those still awaiting publication. In 2014, Highlights Hello honored me with a special Pewter Plate Award. The inscription reads, “Thanks and congratulations, Heidi Bee Roemer, for all your poems in 2014.” The enclosed letter stated, “You had lots of votes for lots of titles! We couldn’t pick just one!” I am proud to display this award, and three other Pewter Plate Awards from various years, as well as a Magazine Merit Honor Certificate from SCBWI, in my office. 

A collection of pewter plates honoring Heidi's excellence in writing poetry for children.

Many thanks to our "Queen of Kidlit Magazine Poetry", Heidi Roemer for joining us! Stay tuned for more of this insightful interview. Early next month Heidi will share terrific tips about writing for the magazine market!
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​Eileen Meyer, Rhyme Doctor