Exploring the Children's Magazine Market (Part 2) - An Interview with Heidi Roemer

I'm back again sharing more insights about writing poetry for the children's magazine market. We're continuing our discussion with Heidi Bee Roemer, poet extraordinaire, and author of over 450 magazine poems plus ten children's books.

Eileen: I still remember the first SCBWI-Illinois meeting I attended long ago. Esther Hershenhorn was our Regional Advisor and there was a panel discussion featuring many Illinois authors. You were a panelist and discussed the magazine market and publishing stories and poems for children. You encouraged new writers to consider that option as a good way to break in and earn some publishing credits, which was so wise. (Advice I promptly took!) What advice can you give to our readers who are interested in submitting poetry to children’s magazines? 

Heidi: ​Yes, I remember, Eileen! You and I go back a long time, my friend. For many years I taught a workshop on how to get published in the magazine market. Over the years, things have changed a bit. Today there are less print magazines and more online magazines. Today’s highly regarded, long-standing print magazines are Hello, High Five, and Highlights, plus the "bug" magazines, Babybug, Ladybug, Spider, and Cricket. Also, in recent years, rather than submitting your poems via U.S. mail, publishers have primarily managed submissions through the software platform Submittable.
 
So, what are the first steps to moving into the children’s magazine market?

• Learn how to write awesome poems! Take a children’s poetry writing class. Better yet, subscribe to RhymeDoctors.com and let them help you hone your poetry skills!
• Determine what age group you’re interested in writing for. Babies? Teens? Or in-betweens?
• Research various magazines to find those that fit your age range and to learn what they publish. Make a list of those you plan to target. Evelyn Christenson Magazine Market List is a good place to start. http://evelynchristensen.com/magsA-E.html
• READ the magazines you intend to write for. Note the tone and types of poems they publish. Make sure your poems are appropriate and relevant to their standards.
• Check magazine submission guidelines. Most have them listed on their website.  (Tip: Be sure to check the magazine's submission guidelines at the time of submission. Sometimes they may temporarily close to new submissions for a period of time, but indicate when they are open once again to submissions. For example, at the time of this post the Carus/Cricket Media magazines are currently closed to submissions.)
• I suggest you submit FIVE poems at a time to maximize your chances of having one accepted. (Five is usually the maximum number but check the guidelines to be sure.) This will motivate you to write MORE, increasing both your productivity and chances of publication!
• Keep a careful record of your submissions. Evelyn (God bless her!) also offers a handy Record Keeping Form: http://evelynchristensen.com/keepbabies.html
• When you get a rejection (and I promise you will), review poems to determine if they need tweaking. If satisfied, submit your poems to your vetted second-choice magazine.
• Keep poems in circulation to increase your chances of getting a sale.
• Be patient! Sometimes publishers take months to respond.

       

Eileen: These are terrific tips, Heidi! Can you share with our readers two favorite magazine poems that you’ve written – and share why they are special to you?

​Heidi: Getting poems published in Cricket magazine (ages 9-14) was a hard-won victory. It took years to meet this self-appointed goal! But finally, they succumbed, probably in part to my persistence. Cricket has purchased several poems to date, but one I’m most pleased to see in print is titled, “Is There Nothing to Be Said About Cicadas That is Kind?” It’s a parody of Mary Ann Hoberman’s humorous classic poem, “Is There Nothing to Be Said about Camels That is Kind?” Cricket published it this past summer to sync with the 2024 double-whammy cicada outbreak.
 
​Another poem that I am pleased to have published is “Applesauce.” I had fun using playful language to engage very young children. It was featured in Highlights Hello and given the Highlight’s Pewter Plate Award, 2013. 

Eileen: Oh my goodness, I love both of these poems. I think I need an apple treat right now! These days, I know you are very active in STEAM-focused initiatives. You share STEAM resources and also host contests for college, high school & jr. high students.  Is there anything you would like to share with our readers?

Heidi: I am excited to share poetry with children in a new format! My blog, STEAM Powered Poetry Videos, is dedicated to helping students from pre-primary through 8th grade explore important STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) concepts through poetry. The blog also serves as a valuable resource for educators, offering access to a gallery of STEAM videos, along with a wide variety of poems, book lists, activities, and crafts—all for free.

When you visit our site, you will notice that STEAM Powered Poetry Video is divided into two segments: Wee Steamers and Student Videos. Wee Steamers provides parents and teachers with engaging poetry videos designed for young children. Narrator Sheila Kerwin, who has 30 years of experience as an early childhood educator, presents a poem and a brief mini-lesson; I do the video production. Each STEAM episode also includes free downloadable classroom resources.
Student Videos features STEAM poetry videos created by junior high, high school, and college students through our annual contest. Teachers can enroll their students, or students may register on their own at no charge. Contestants receive a Poetry Packet containing 40 STEAM poems. Inspired by the poems of their choice, students create one-minute videos. In essence, older students produce educational videos for younger students. Winners receive cash prizes, and the videos are posted on our site, making them available for parents or teachers to use at home or in primary and middle-grade classrooms.

What other benefits do contestants gain? By hosting our classroom contest, teachers provide students the opportunity to read and reflect on poetry, develop their video-making skills, and enhance their personal creativity. This contest offers a fresh way to engage with poetry and explore STEAM concepts. Whether you call it visual poetry, reel poetry, digital art, poetry film, or moving poetry, it serves as a fun extra credit assignment, midterm project, or poetry month initiative. It's a win-win for everyone involved! And by the way, registration is open! Hint, hint! And lastly, we’re currently featuring an exciting new “Featured Teacher” segment as a promotional outreach. If you’re an educator interested in learning how YOU can be a Featured Teacher, visit our site and click on NEWS UPDATES for details.

Thank you for inviting me to share my information and passion for poetry, Eileen! I’d love to connect with and hear from your devoted followers. May the muse be with you all!
​
Email:  [email protected]
STEAM Powered Poetry Videos Blog: www.steampoweredpoetry.com
STEAM Facebook: www.facebook.com/SteamPPVideos
Personal Facebook: www.facebook.com/heidi.roemer.90
Website: www.heidibroemer.com
STEAM X: https://twitter.com/steampoweredpo1
Personal X: https://twitter.com/poetweet4
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidi-bee-roemer-1326629/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roemerheidi/
 

Many thanks to the "Queen of Kidlit Magazine Poetry," Heidi Roemer for joining us in this insightful and helpful two-part interview.

​Eileen Meyer, Rhyme Doctor