Making money from Poetry/Greeting Card verse

Moon~Shadow · 27 November 2007 at 10:00AM

I have written poetry (funny ones) in the past and also verses for cards (mainly funerals) for relatives and friends.

Has anybody done anything like this and made money? A Manager I knew told me her husband did verses for card companies when he was on board ship to pass the time and would earn several hundreds of pounds :cool:

jessicamb · 27 November 2007 at 2:02PM

Hi Moon

I guess the best approach would be to try and sign up with a freelance agency or send some samples of your work to creative managers in the greeting card industry and see if they would buy work from you on a freelance basis.

Some names to think of:

Hallmark Cards
Carlton Cards
Carte Blanche
Watermark Publishing
Gemma

and there really are hundreds of small card companies - have a look at the companies supplying the big card shops.

macfloyd · 27 November 2007 at 3:07PM

i know someone who does this, she has her own website at www.wonderfulwords.co.uk and earns good money doing it too

you should give it a go

Lizzieanne · 28 November 2007 at 11:25AM

Hi,

Yes this is possible, I've sold a few verses myself!

Card companies pay anything from £20 to £100 per verse. My advice would be to get hold of a copy of "The Writers' and Artists' Year Book" which will give the names and comtact details of card companies and stationers in the UK. (The 2008 edition is out now and should be at your local library if you don't wish to buy it). You can then contact each individual card company and ask for their guidelines. They are usually very helpful and will tell you what they are looking for at that particular time. It helps, for example, to send in Easter verses when they are working on Easter cards, which could be the previous summer!

Good luck

Making money from Poetry/Greeting Card verse

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