A few weeks after returning from a week-long retreat in the Sierras with the Community of Writers in the summer of 2018, a retreat that tremendously improved both the quality and the quantity of my writing, I was suddenly inundated with family obligations. Those obligations were, for the most part, pleasant, but it was clear that they would keep me …
From First Poem to First Book: Finding Homes for Your Poems — Simultaneous Submissions
STEP II: SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS — BREAKING MY OWN RULE CHECK TO SEE IF SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS ARE ALLOWED A Journal’s “Guidelines/Submit” page tells you whether the editors will accept simultaneous submissions. In other words, will they consider poems you are also submitting to other journals? The submission guidelines might state simultaneous submissions are acceptable and encouraged, but please notify us immediately …
We’re back!
And What A Journey It Has Been! Dear Readers, We apologize for taking a year-long break from blogging. We’ve thought of you often. What has kept us so busy? Well, first, Wisteria from Seed appeared on the publisher’s website, then on Amazon. Finally, with a loud thud, a box of books was dropped at the front door. But …
From First Poem to First Book: Lists of Journals — Five More Links
Links: Links: Links: Lynx: Link: Before we discuss what to do when you visit a journal’s website, we’d like to thank Clifford Garstang, author of the Pushcart Prize Ranking list, for reminding us about NewPages! [I’m happy to say his list is back up after having been down for a few days …
From First Poem to First Book: Hunting for the Best Journals to Publish Your Poems — Three Excellent Lists
Beating the Bushes (Theodoor Verstraete) Once I have written a poem, I perform it at open mics, at parties in front of friends (many of whom are poets), and for my wife. Reading a poem aloud tells me how it is received when performed aloud, and also lets me hear things in the poem that I didn’t notice before …
From First Poem to First Book: Wisteria from Seed — My first book of poems is actually in my hands — and it’s on Amazon!!!!!!!!!
A box just arrived on my doorstep. I heard a knock at the door and a thud. I didn’t think much about it until I looked at the return address. My first collection of poems is really here! And it’s on Amazon!!! (Wait, did I already say that? I’m so excited I can hardly spell!!)
From First Poem to First Book: Keeping Track — Don’t Drop the Ball!
from Notes Toward a History of Juggling, Bandwagon, Vol. 18 No. 2, March-April 1974 I need to know which poems I sent to which journals, which were rejected and which were accepted. It’s not polite to let an editor spend time reading poems that you’ve already committed to another journal. Record keeping is essential. I’m going to keep …
From First Poem to First Book: Simultaneous Submissions — ♬ Wishing and hoping and thinking and praying ♪
When I visit a journal’s website I first look to see if the site is aesthetically pleasing and easy to navigate. If it is, I go to the menu bar and click on “submit” or “guidelines” to find out whether or not they accept simultaneous submissions. In other words, are they willing to look at a poem that is also …
From First Poem to First Book: Where to Submit your Poems — 1000 journals that don’t want your money
above: The Library at Alexandria A LINK TO A VERY USEFUL LIST OF JOURNALS Once I got past my The New Yorker phase, I went looking for online lists of literary journals that would be more likely to accept my work. The first list I worked with was the one that Professor Emeritus Louie Clay (née Louie Crew) created …
From First Poem to First Book — Warning, Scam Alert — D’OH!
Why submit poems to literary journals at all? Because journals are distributed widely, allowing many people in many places to read your work. And if you hope to eventually have a collection accepted by a publisher, an established history of publication in journals will be an important factor in the publisher’s decision. But not in just any journals! “Will …
From First Poem to First Book: Mistakes to Avoid — Leave my poems in coffee shops?
You can print your poems and leave them in coffee shops… You can recite them at parties and literary salons… …or at public gatherings and on street corners. You can post them on your blog or email them to friends. You can print and distribute your own chapbook, or self-publish a larger collection. I …
A Tale of Two Bloggers
I will be joined in writing this blog by my wife, Marsha, who brings to the table her lifelong passion for social justice through universal literacy and has co-authored books and articles on the teaching of reading. She and her co-author and lifelong friend, Professor Mary Hoover of Howard University and previously of the University of Pennsylvania, traveled the country …
I don’t work alone
PARTNERSHIP Now that I’ve invited you into my studio where my most delicate work is on display where even a brush with the tip of your scarf might bring something, shattered, to the floor at your feet I must remind myself I asked for help with this. I know that I would never finish it without you. So here you …
From First Poem to First Book
In future posts I will write about how I arrived here, and offer tips and links that poets just beginning their careers may find useful. But first I would like to thank my publisher, Karen Kelsay of Kelsay Books, whose patience and good judgement are amazing.