1. Introduction to the website
The following are notes from a class given by Kate Gale of Red Hen Press.
Please click here for the "portaportal page", a collection of favorite websites, designed to go with this blog. It is a link to all the sites mentioned during the talk. Anything italicized in this entry has a category within the portaportal page (categories in parentheses).
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
On being "publishable"
2. On being "publishable"
Before you can consider publishing, you need to make sure the most important things are attended to. The following information is provided to those poets who have already gone through the polishing and training that is necessary for their work to be considered publishable.
The most important stuff:
~ Learning the craft
~ Understanding the importanct of revision
~ A thorough awareness and exposure to classic and contemporary poetry, etc. etc.
These fundamental things must be completed before considering publishing.
Before you can consider publishing, you need to make sure the most important things are attended to. The following information is provided to those poets who have already gone through the polishing and training that is necessary for their work to be considered publishable.
The most important stuff:
~ Learning the craft
~ Understanding the importanct of revision
~ A thorough awareness and exposure to classic and contemporary poetry, etc. etc.
These fundamental things must be completed before considering publishing.
On publishing your poems
3. On publishing your poems
Of the genres of writing, it is hardest to get poems published. Agents in Boston and New York are looking for fiction and non-fiction because that sells well and can potentially be optioned as movies. Agents in LA are looking for (not necessarily good) screenplays.
Nobody is looking for a poet.
This occurs for the same reason a tall, gorgeous, blonde bombshell of a woman doesn't look for dates: dates find her. There are so many poets out there that publishing companies never go looking for poets. The "discovery" of poets doesn't happen.
So what do you have to do? You have to find a publisher.
Of the genres of writing, it is hardest to get poems published. Agents in Boston and New York are looking for fiction and non-fiction because that sells well and can potentially be optioned as movies. Agents in LA are looking for (not necessarily good) screenplays.
Nobody is looking for a poet.
This occurs for the same reason a tall, gorgeous, blonde bombshell of a woman doesn't look for dates: dates find her. There are so many poets out there that publishing companies never go looking for poets. The "discovery" of poets doesn't happen.
So what do you have to do? You have to find a publisher.
Who will publish your work?
4. Who will publish your work?
The big publishing houses are not looking for poetry. They rarely publish books of poetry unless it is from a very well-known name. Because they can't make money off of books of poetry, for the most part, they're not interested in publishing books of poems.
Some medium sized publishers do exist, but they're mostly getting crunched out by the big publishing conglomerates, which continue to eat up all the little ones. What that leaves for poets are small, independent presses (cat 2) and university presses (cat 3).
University presses are good routes to go because they have more funding than independent presses. Plus, their presses are a form of publicity for the university.
The big publishing houses are not looking for poetry. They rarely publish books of poetry unless it is from a very well-known name. Because they can't make money off of books of poetry, for the most part, they're not interested in publishing books of poems.
Some medium sized publishers do exist, but they're mostly getting crunched out by the big publishing conglomerates, which continue to eat up all the little ones. What that leaves for poets are small, independent presses (cat 2) and university presses (cat 3).
University presses are good routes to go because they have more funding than independent presses. Plus, their presses are a form of publicity for the university.
Making yourself appealing to an independent or university press, part 1
5. Making yourself appealing to an independent or university press, part 1
So, how do you make yourself appealing to the independent and university presses?
If you use a very small press, make sure they have a reputation that is respectable. You should avoid vanity presses. If the press has a reputation for printing anything, the more reliable presses that you are trying to impress will be skeptical of your talents.
Here are the best routes to take:
I.) Meet people--other writers, publishers, editors, etc. This is an important aspect of becoming a publishable poet because editors are looking for poets who are willing to get out into the world and sell their work. Publishers seek out writers that are willing to go out into the world because most small presses do not have anyone working on sales. It is also important to know other writers because if their work is published by a press you would like to be published in, you can get recommendations from the people that know you.
~ Being in an MFA program is a good start
~ Going to big things, like the AWP conference and meeting people there, especially at the after-conference gatherings, where the real connections take place
~ Other places, like the Book Expo of America, may be too large for a poet, but is worth considering
~ Go to poetry readings in your area. Some our curated by indepent person, others by libraries or universities. Keep a look out by searching postings, blogs, and newspapers.
So, how do you make yourself appealing to the independent and university presses?
If you use a very small press, make sure they have a reputation that is respectable. You should avoid vanity presses. If the press has a reputation for printing anything, the more reliable presses that you are trying to impress will be skeptical of your talents.
Here are the best routes to take:
I.) Meet people--other writers, publishers, editors, etc. This is an important aspect of becoming a publishable poet because editors are looking for poets who are willing to get out into the world and sell their work. Publishers seek out writers that are willing to go out into the world because most small presses do not have anyone working on sales. It is also important to know other writers because if their work is published by a press you would like to be published in, you can get recommendations from the people that know you.
~ Being in an MFA program is a good start
~ Going to big things, like the AWP conference and meeting people there, especially at the after-conference gatherings, where the real connections take place
~ Other places, like the Book Expo of America, may be too large for a poet, but is worth considering
~ Go to poetry readings in your area. Some our curated by indepent person, others by libraries or universities. Keep a look out by searching postings, blogs, and newspapers.
Making yourself appealing to presses, part 2
6. Making yourself appealing to presses, part 2
II.) Find places to submit poems to literary journals/ reviews/ contests (cat 5).
~ Writer's publications, like Poets and Writers, often have lists of calls for submissions and contests.
~ If you want to submit to contests, for now, you should make sure they're "first book" contests, as opposed to the ones that well-established poets will submit to.
~ The Poets' Market isn't the best source for places to submit. They do, however, have good tips and advice on craft and on the submission process, including how to organize yourself and how to create a cover letter.
~ Find out where the contemporary poets that you enjoy reading are publishing their work. Most often they're publishing in smaller and bigger presses, magazines and journals. If you like their work, and their publishers like their work, there's a chance the publishers will like your work.
~ In addition to Poets and Writers, the Council of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP) Literary Press and Magazine Directory is a good source
II.) Find places to submit poems to literary journals/ reviews/ contests (cat 5).
~ Writer's publications, like Poets and Writers, often have lists of calls for submissions and contests.
~ If you want to submit to contests, for now, you should make sure they're "first book" contests, as opposed to the ones that well-established poets will submit to.
~ The Poets' Market isn't the best source for places to submit. They do, however, have good tips and advice on craft and on the submission process, including how to organize yourself and how to create a cover letter.
~ Find out where the contemporary poets that you enjoy reading are publishing their work. Most often they're publishing in smaller and bigger presses, magazines and journals. If you like their work, and their publishers like their work, there's a chance the publishers will like your work.
~ In addition to Poets and Writers, the Council of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP) Literary Press and Magazine Directory is a good source
How to decide where to submit your work
7. How to decide where to submit your work
People have different ways to approach submitting work. Kate Gale described her steps during the class
1.) Look through the directory to find potential places to submit work
2.) Go to your bookshelves to see if you have a something from their press or publication
3.) If you don't own anything, explore their website to see if your work goes with their aesthetic
People have different ways to approach submitting work. Kate Gale described her steps during the class
1.) Look through the directory to find potential places to submit work
2.) Go to your bookshelves to see if you have a something from their press or publication
3.) If you don't own anything, explore their website to see if your work goes with their aesthetic
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