Directory of Writers - Criteria for Listing

Thank you for your interest in applying to be listed in our Directory of American Poets and Writers. Before applying, please read the Evaluation Criteria below to see if you are eligible for listing. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Directory Administrator.

Evaluation criteria:

Applications are evaluated on a point system. Poets, fiction writers, creative nonfiction writers, and spoken word artists are invited to apply. You must have 12 points in a category to be listed; i.e. you must have 12 poetry credits to be listed as a poet.

The following count as points for listing:

• Each book of poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction (personal essays or memoirs) (12 points)
• Each chapbook (6 points)
• Each work of fiction or creative nonfiction (personal essays or memoirs) published in a literary journal, anthology, or edited Web publication (3 points)
• Each spoken word performance (not readings) (3 points)
• Each poem published in a literary journal, anthology, or edited Web publication (2 points)

The following do not count as points for listing:

• Journalism or scholarly texts (biography, history, how to, travel guides, book reviews)
• Publications from vanity presses such as International Library of Poetry, Poetry.com, Noble House Publishers or from other presses or publications that ask authors to pay all or some of the publishing costs
• Self-published work, or work from presses such as Publish America that do not offer authors standard book contracts, including, but not limited to, online entities like iUniverse.com, lulu.com, and AuthorHouse.com
• Writing for children under the age of 12
• Credits from publications that do not regularly publish poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction
• Work published by a journal, anthology, or press for which you make editorial decisions
• Plays or dramatic treatments
• Translations