(Knock on wood: It appears the comments from yesterday's prompt are actually sticking. Maybe the server problems are fixed.)

Okay, so we made it through November. Yay! The fun part of the challenge is over. Now, it's time to revise and assemble your poems into a collection. With the proper mindset, this can be as fun (if not more fun) than the original creation of the poems.

My advice? Wait until this weekend to start looking through them. This will give you some distance and make it easier to come at your work with fresh eyes.

Click here to read the earlier post on rules and such.

Here are some of the highlights:

1. Your collection should be 10-20 pages long. (Notice that I did not say 10-20 poems long.)
2. No more than one poem per page.
3. However, one poem may stretch over multiple pages.
4. Deadline for manuscript submissions: January 5, 2010 (midnight US eastern time)
5. Submit to: robert.brewer@fwmedia.com
6. Subject line should read: My 2009 November PAD Chapbook MS
7. Manuscript should be attached as a .doc or .txt file. (Please no other file types, such as .docx.) If you have problems, send me an e-mail to discuss options.
8. Include your name, e-mail address, and manuscript title on the first page of the manuscript (which does not count against your 10-20 pages).
9. Table of Contents is optional (and does not count against your 10-20 pages if included).
10. Winners will be announced on this blog on Groundhog Day (2/2/10).
11. Poets can include poems that were not posted to the blog.
12. Poets can also include a poem or two written outside of November if they fit with the collection, but the vast majority of poems should be 2009 November PAD-inspired poems. (Using the honor system here.)

One more tip: Make sure your collection includes your finest work from the month. Last year's winning manuscript was one of the smallest (only 10 or 11 pages), but it was the one that packed the best punch. Think quality over quantity.

*****

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Tuesday, December 01, 2009 3:23:43 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [31]