Seems like many writers often lament they don't have enough time to write. Some of these writers ask me how I do it, or wonder aloud how writers like Joyce Carol Oates or Stephen King publish so much so often. I can't speak for other writers, but I can give my own take on the topic of making time to write: I've almost always got time.

That's not to say I'm not busy-busy-busy. As anyone who knows me in real life can attest, I'm tremendously busy and productive all the time--from cooking and cleaning at home to editing books and coding databases for work (which also just happens to take place at home). I say I've almost always got time, because I make time for my writing. And I improvise.

For instance, this past Saturday, I spent a delightful afternoon in Atlanta with my wife, son, and mother (who was visiting from Ohio) by eating at The Varsity, strolling past the Fox Theatre, and walking around Stone Mountain. Ideas and images flooded my brain, but I had neither pen nor paper. In fact, many of the no-time writers mentioned above would say I had no time either. Quite a predicament!

Here's how I improvised: I still had a cell phone, so I started typing a text message to myself of the lines rolling around in my head. When I finished, I saved the text to my drafts (I could've also sent them to my email address). Since the day was an inspiring one, I did this a few times on Saturday--all while enjoying the day with my wife, son, and mother.

Other ways I've written through the years have included (but are not limited to) writing on napkins, receipts, placemats, business cards, flyers, menus, Post-It notes, etc. If there's the tiniest bit of white space (and you have a writing utensil--even a crayon will do), then you can write.

Since I usually like to carry a pen and paper (folded in my pocket), I've written in several locations and situations, including conferences, meetings, nature trails, family reunions, theaters, restaurants, playgrounds (with my boys), sporting events, etc. And while I don't encourage others to do this--because it's extremely dangerous (for yourself and others)--I write when I'm driving. Basically, I write almost anywhere and everywhere. No excuses about time or location.

If you really want to write, I'm sure you're always ready and able to do the same.

Jericho Brown worked as the speechwriter for the Mayor of New Orleans before receiving his Ph.D. in Creative Writing and Literature from the University of Houston. He also holds an M.F.A. from the University of New Orleans and a B.A. from Dillard University, and he has served as poetry editor at Gulf Coast: A Journal of Literature and Fine Arts. His poems have appeared in Callaloo, The Iowa Review, jubilat, New England Review, and Prairie Schooner. The recipient of the Bunting Fellowship at Harvard University, a Cave Canem Fellowship, and two travel fellowships to the Krakow Poetry Seminar in Poland, Brown is currently an Assistant Professor of English at the University of San Diego where he teaches creative writing.  Western Michigan University's New Issues Poetry & Prose published his first book, Please.

Brown's name has been flying around quite a bit recently--with multiple poets either praising his collection Please (New Issues) or e-mailing me directly to ask if I'd interview him. That's not typical. So, I hunted him down, and he took some time out of his busy schedule to let me interview him.

His collection Please was a great read from the very beginning. He even names the first section Repeat, which is funny, because I felt like repeating the experience of reading the beginning once I finished the end. But I'll let his words do the talking--this being one of my favorite pieces in the collection:

Why I Cannot Leave You

You bring home the food. I'm your hungry man,
Captive damsel dragged by the hair from her favorite
Streetlight to the trap of your tower, hollow icebox,
No magnets with things-to-do. No rules. It wouldn't
Be fair--you bring home the food--you can't read
Or write. I pace, check the window for my hunter. You
Bring home food and toss it onto the card table.
My teeth barely miss my fingertips--I rip
Into the bag. You like to kiss me, my mouth
Packed with the faintest franchise you could find, animal
Blood at each lip. Say carnivore, and I kiss back. I eat
My meat rare. You bare your sharpest grin. Bum
I say I love, you're my place to stay. We're against the law.
No one keeps me big as you. Fatten me, sweet ogre.
Get me some meat. Bring home food. Feed.

*****

What are you currently up to?

I'm trying to get a hold of any footage I can that shows news anchors Max Robinson and Jessica Savitch in action.  I'm working on a few poems about and in the voices of the two of them as well as poems based on scriptures from the Bible.  The second book is tentatively titled The New Testament, and I just learned that I got a Bunting Fellowship which should give me plenty of time for writing.  

I'm grateful that I've been traveling a lot in order to give readings.  I now get to meet really interesting people from all over the nation who love good poetry.  Also, I try to make sure I have enough reading material to keep me busy on planes.

Other than that, I go to the gym a lot.  I eat a lot.  I talk with friends over the phone a lot.  I teach a lot and read a lot in preparation for teaching.  I usually go clubbing when I get the chance because I like flirting and dancing.

Please is your debut collection of poems. How long did you go about getting them together and published?

The oldest drafts of some poems in Please were written in 2000, and I wrote them when I first attended the Cave Canem workshop/retreat for African American poets.  Some poems were first drafted 2007, the same year New Issues asked to publish the book. 

But seven years seems dishonest when I think of how I'm prone to reading and thinking more than to writing.  In the last eight years of my life, there were times I couldn't stop writing. Over a short period of weeks, I'd have many drafts of very different things and begin to think I may be quite literally possessed. Once, I actually had a car accident trying to get some scribbling done while driving. These periods were thrilling for me, but during them, I felt vulnerable in a way I have a hard time characterizing.

At other times, for periods as long as two years within the last eight, I didn't write at all. I couldn't even think to revise. This is, of course, painful and scary in a very different way. Today, I think I managed to get through these silences because I was much more interested in figuring how to write poems than I was in how to write a book. I had no goal other than the poem itself and could almost satisfy my yearnings to write by reading and discovering other poets. 

The voices are strong in Please. Is there a type of sound or voice (or both) you go for in your writing?

I think of writing, first, as a process of listening and, second, as a process of embodying.  I don't know that I "go for" anything in particular because I try and leave as much as I can to instinct, intuition, and reflex—even in the final stages of revision. 

For me, poems usually begin with a line from which I do some vocal repeating and pushing in order to generate other lines.  The lines that follow the first one often mimic the sound or make what seems to me some sort of counter-sound based on the first one.  Then, because I'm so interested in both music and voice, I find myself trying to figure the personality of the sounds as I am composing.  At some point in the writing of a first draft, I start to take on the characteristics of the voice that is asking to be channeled.  An example of this might be something as simple as punching the computer if the voice is pissed to the point of violence. 

You have a very nice website. Did you put it together, or did your publisher? Also, how helpful do you think having a website is in spreading the word about your writing?

Thanks, Robert.  Jerichobrown.com is the brainchild of Nick Walker, one of my undergraduate students at the University of San Diego.  He's an amazing poet, and he writes wonderful fiction too.  Nick and I argued for more than a semester.  He insisted that the website would be necessary, and I kept reassuring him that I had enough to do without thinking about ways to publicize my book and spending mounds of money to do it. 

At any rate, Nick started making moves without me being aware of it, and the next thing I knew he had come in contact with Arlene Valdes, a very talented web designer who was looking to build a portfolio for her business.  The portfolio would include a few clients for whom she'd create sites for one-tenth of what I imagine she charges now.  Nick and Arlene made all the decisions and did all the work.  My only job was to provide them with what I had already gathered for New Issues: a bio, the blurbs, the dates for readings, and of course, a few poems.

I don't think having a website hurts, but Buddha never had one, and the word spread pretty decently about things he had to say. 

Your bio mentions that you previously worked as a speechwriter for the Mayor of New Orleans. What was that job like? And did your experience as a speechwriter help with your poetry?

I served the City of New Orleans for four years working for Mayor Marc H. Morial, who is now President and CEO of the National Urban League.  He's an amazing leader who made his love for that city absolutely contagious.  He is also a major role model for me as my fraternity brother and the man willing to take a chance on me and give me my first job right out of college.  (The word "give" is supremely important here, considering the desperate shape I was in.)

A speechwriter goes into each speech knowing the message and figuring the best way to communicate the message as he goes.  A poet figures ways of communicating and wonders if he has a message.  I prefer the latter because it gives me a chance to question beliefs that I myself hold dear.  There is no room for such questions when working to drive a message home.

While researching you online, I noticed people commenting positively on your readings. Do you have any special reading tips for other poets?

Slow down.

Who are you currently reading?

Today, I read Versed by Rae Armantrout, some Gwendolyn Brooks, a few poems online by Rodney Jack and Wayne Johns, some George Oppen, some C.S. Lewis, a little bit from Barbara Walters'memoir Audition, and the Bible.   

If you could pass on only one piece of advice to other poets, what would it be?

Make love.

*****

To learn more about Jericho, go to www.jerichobrown.com.

To learn more about his publisher, go to www.wmich.edu/~newissue/.

I received the following question via e-mail from a poet who wishes to remain anonymous:

Believe me, editors (especially of well-respected publications) are not afraid to send rejection notes. So, it's not good news yet (because your work hasn't been accepted), but it's not bad news either. Unless you don't like waiting around for responses.

If you're tired of waiting and the well-respected publication doesn't allow simultaneous submissions, then you can always respectfully pull your work from their consideration. Or you can move on as if it was rejected.

Many editors go over their stated guidelines, especially when they are drowning in submissions from eager writers. Often, response estimates are given by editors who are overly optimistic about how quick they'll get through everything.

One way to avoid this problem, of course, is to only submit to publications that accept simultaneous submissions. While I'm not a simultaneous submitter myself, many well-published poets are. If you go down that road, just make sure you have a good submission tracking system in place--so that you can notify journals when specific poems have been accepted for publication.

*****

Click here to check out other Poetry FAQs from Poetic Asides: http://blog.writersdigest.com/poeticasides/CategoryView,category,Poetry%20FAQs.aspx.

*****

If you wish to submit a question, e-mail me at robert.brewer@fwmedia.com with the subject line: "Poetry Question".

Tammy and I have been busy preparing for Baby Will (due between now and 12/19--Tammy's scheduled C-section date). In addition, I've been putting in overtime on www.WritersMarket.com related stuff, teaching poetry courses at www.WritersOnlineWorkshops.com, and even helping out with some poetry-related issues on www.WritersDigest.com. While things have definitely been hectic, I've still been finding time to write and even made a new submission over the weekend. After all, poets don't make excuses; they write, right?

Anyway, I've talked with many writers over the years who say they don't "have time" to write. Or they're stuck on a line and can't seem to move ahead. Of course, they've often not written down that line that's got them blocked, which is a problem in and of itself.

So, here are some of my poet survival tips:

1. Always carry two pens. Pens are to poets as six-shooters are to cowboys. You need them to survive. Why two? Because if you're using your pens, one is sure to run out of ink at some point, which is when you pull out the back up writing utensil.

2. Always carry paper. I fold up one or two pieces of paper to carry with me at all times. Paper fits easily in pockets when folded. By following rules #1 and #2, you should be ready to write regardless of when inspiration strikes. If you can only carry pens or paper, always carry the pens.

3. Keep receipts--if you're without paper. While I almost never forget my pens, I do sometimes forget the paper. And receipts come in handy for overcoming my forgetfulness. I've actually written whole first drafts of poems on the back of receipts from the grocery, fast food, etc. Of course, a poet always has to be resourceful in this area--other surfaces that work are paper placemats, napkins, flyers, and, of course, even your own body.

4. Text yourself. If all else fails, you can always use your cell phone (if you have one with texting capabilities) to send lines to your e-mail account. Or you can save as drafts on your actual phone, though you'll want to make sure you have plenty of memory on your phone before doing this.

5. Keep paper pads or Post-It notes at your desk. Preferably, you'll have both. Whenever images or lines hit me, I scrawl them onto Post-Its. At lunch (or over the weekend), I can then look the lines and images over and see if I have the makings of a poem.

Bonus (and maybe most important) Tip:

Take it one line (or image) at a time. When an idea hits you, don't hold onto it and wait for more to arrive before getting it down on paper. Record that line or image immediately. If there's more on the verge of coming, it will come then. If not, you've just freed your mind to think of new related or un-related images and lines. If you want to get into the habit of always writing, this is the most sure fire way to get there.

In anticipation of the November PAD Challenge (which starts Saturday!), I threw out the above question to members of the Poetic Asides group on FaceBook: What makes a great chapbook?

Here's what some of them had to say:

An interesting mix of poems on the same theme, not always by the same writer but with visable threads which tie each piece together or take the reader on a journey, turning the page again and again.

Sue Forde

*****

I think that a great chapbook is written around a theme and its variations. That theme might be the subject, the place, the people in the poem, a primary metaphor.

The variations might even involve different forms, different rhythms--a different sense of momentum.

And the whole chapbook builds on an emotional arc (it may even build along a narrative arc, if that fits the theme).

Granted, neither of my chapbooks reflects that thinking, although parts of them do. But this is the way I'm writing and developing chapbooks now.

Joannie Stangeland

*****

A chapbook is a universe, and the poet is the solar designer. The planets and moons, no matter how far out, need to follow their own laws of gravity. From the quark to the gravitational force, it needs to make sense to the poet or editor, even if it remains a mystery for the audience.

Jesse Loren

*****

Consistency of vision: a motiff, a strong extended metaphor. Kinda like making a kick ass mix tape.

Scott Whitaker

*****

Here are some thoughts:

1.) Excellent writing, whether for poetry or prose; 2.) a good editor who knows how to place individual pieces together which work in harmony and add cohesiveness to the project; 3.) having an understanding the audience of the chapbook and knowing whether the intent is to entertain, inform, enlighten and/or give some cause for pause.

It helps to have a nice cover too, to initially attract an audience, but the work has to stand on its own once the cover is opened.

Rj Clarken

*****

A great chapbook: when the poems taken as a whole allow the book to function as the final poem of the collection. I think I'm plagarizing Robert Frost here.

Charlie Cote

*****

I think with a chapbook you should either go the route of trying for as much variety as possible, to show your full range. The danger with this can be the tendency towards being uneven.

The other option is to go the total opposite and have a unifying theme, build it so it is more like a concept album with each poem exploring facets of a larger idea. This runs the risk of going in the total opposite and having everything too samey.

I think sort the framework out and then kind of forget about it and just concentrate on the individual poems.

Paul Grimsley

*****

After having read dozens of chapbooks, and sent out numerous versions of chapbook manuscripts, some as sort of a variety pack, and some ordered so that there was a definitive narrative arc, I have determined that what works best and what most editors (and readers) seem to be looking for are collections that focus on a single theme.

Because they're small, they are easily read in one sitting, so a series of linked poems -- sonnets that explore the complicated relationship with the body, an abecedarian where each poem interrogates a single letter, a series of ekphrastic poems -- is a great way to go.

My chapbook Small Fruit Songs is a series of poems written on a single theme in a single form: fruit-related prose poems. Once I had the concept in place, I wrote the whole thing in under a week, and the first publisher I sent it to accepted it within just a couple of days.

Cati Porter

*****

A chapbook is an opportunity to focus, and every good chapbook I've read had a clear theme or stance, typically with an arc of development. As a small press publisher, I find that thematic development and careful arrangement is what makes a manuscript submission rise above, as opposed to the seemingly random compilation of a selection of one's poems.

In journalism, feature articles (as opposed to hard news) often hang on a "news peg," or something that connects the feature to current events in everyday life. It's a hook, and functions just like the musical hook in a pop song. As long as it remains intelligent and avoids excess gimmickry, I think the concept of chapbook should do the same.

Nancy Pagh won the 2008 Floating Bridge Press chapbook contest with her collection After, with each poem being written "after" a particular poet. Each spread starts with the epigraph on a left-hand page, with the poem on the right, so the idea is abundantly clear. That's the hook, the concept. In a way, it's like an invented bucket (or drawer) that readers can categorize the book into, thus making the book more accessible. The real substance is deeper, of course, and in Nancy's case it's the emotional sway that underpins the poems in their darkness and fearless grit.

The art of chapbooks, of course, is the limitless pursuit of different ways to create an original theme, a hook, a stance, finding the right balance between intrigue and challenge while avoiding facile or cliched gimmickry. A good chapbook not only has solid poems, but often has an idea behind their assembly that makes me wonder "Why didn't I think of that!"

Michael Dylan Welch

*****

A great chapbook excerpts the general aesthetic of the author, while allowing a little leeway for them to explore either something new, like style or form, or topical that might not fill a book. I would argue it's not a "teaser" or a "taste," rather, a chapbook is a complete and individual, shorter work that may appear, in whole or in parts, in a larger body of work later.

Todd Dillard

*****

I've just become Co-director of Flarestack Poets, a new incarnation of Flarestack Publishing which has a reputation for producing some of the best chapbooks (or pamphlets as we tend to call them in the UK) in Britain. Here's the statement we put together that explains what we think makes a great chapbook:

We're looking for poetry that dares outside current trends, even against the grain... collections that aren't bus queues or greatest hits albums from poets who are forging their own linguistic connections with the root-ball of experience.

Jacqui Rowe

*****

Content (especially poems or prose pieces that work together to form a whole) coupled with design. A chapbook should feel good in the palm of your hand, should look good sitting on the edge of your desk.

Corey Mesler

*****

This is an interesting question since I will soon be judging a chapbook contest for Rosemetal Press. I'm interested in reading your summary post to get some insights.

The challenge I faced in putting together my own chapbook manuscript (I Call This Flirting, Flume Press 04) was fighting against the brevity of the form. My first stabs at ordering the short-shorts (it's flash fiction, not poetry) made the book read like running water. You just zipped right through with no stopping points. In this way, the early drafts seemed neutral as a whole. I was trying too hard to make it "flow." It didn't work.

I decided to break it up into sections--putting in resting points as it were. The section break pages each quote a made-up fortune cookie fortune... The sections are thematic but not obviously so. After I did this, the chapbook seemed longer and fuller. I also frontloaded it with the most powerful work (in my opinion, of course) leading the chapbook.

Unlike a novel or a full-length collection of poetry or stories, I think with a chapbook you have less time to build momentum. So your challenge is to artificially create the kind of depth a reader experiences with a longer work. A chapbook invites an all-in-one-sitting reading so I guess that ups the reader expectation in a way...

When I love a chapbook, there's a kind of resonance and completion when I hit the last page. It makes me want to look the whole little book over again, amazed that it's so short but seems long. I want to think about it, and then pick and choose favorites as I reread--not in order--the second time.

Sherrie Flick

*****

A great chapbook, to me, connects in some kind of way. It doesn't have to be a theme, but something weaves them together. Maybe it can be a chapbook about, say, a relative, and all the poems mention that relative and it can be titled after that relative. Also, chapbooks should be short (like 10-20 pages) and consist of the BEST poems, no fillers. Not poems that can't stand on their own.

Melissa McEwen

*****

Stature: If it has the stature of a book, it is a great chapbook.

Sally Evans

Recently, I asked members of my Poetic Asides group on Facebook to give me their take on the relationship of self-publishing and poetry. The response was so overwhelming that I couldn't include everything (and I apologize if your take was not included--or had to be edited), but I did get a lot.

If you feel like adding your own voice to the discussion, just leave a comment below.

Here's some of the great feedback:

As long as a person understands the differences between self-publishing and traditional publishing, and understands the pros and the cons, ie, the additional work involved for the poet, the responsiblity for self-promoting which needs to accompany the self-publishing, and choses the press with care, I believe there is nothing wrong with self-publishing. There is a history in literature of great poets having things to say and yet not having a publisher recognize them until after their death. For example, Emily Dickinson remained largely unpublished for the duration her life, yet still took the time to create booklets of her own poems, gathering them into groups, and hand sewing them together. If a writer feels that there is validity in their work and is willing to stand by it there is nothing wrong with chosing to self-publish even if it is only to feel a sense of completion so they may move on, to the next project.

Julia Ann Unruh

*****

Didn't Robert Creeley self-pub 10 chapbooks before he'd made any name for himself? It's a good idea, I think. If anything, the good ones serve as a sort of calling card, and it's a cheap enough route one could break even on sales well before selling out of a run.

Scott DeKatch

*****

With so few publishing houses and extended waiting periods, I think self-publishing might be a good option for many. Getting a good editor before publishing, however, might be a good idea. I'm all for it!

Helen Zisimatos

*****

Next to targeted non-fiction, I think poetry is the most logical work for self-publishing, especially for those who actively pursue readings, whether featured, open mics or poetry slams. The market for poetry in bookstores is miniscule, and the majority of presses aren't going to print more than 1,000 copies -- more likely 500 -- and have little wherewithal to actually promote them, so a self-published poet is going to have to do all of the legwork any way. Why not take on the easily calculated risks of production -- small initial print run + POD = minimal upfront cash layout -- and keep 100% of any profits made on hard-earned sales?

More thoughts on marketing here: http://loudpoet.com/2008/07/11/thrillerfest-buzz-your-book/

Guy LeCharles Gonzalez

*****

It all depends on what you want to do with your work and where you are as a writer. If you're just starting out and want something to sell/give away at readings and open mics, then make you own chapbook. If you want to be published by other people, self-publishing can be problematic, as many places won't accept previously published work.

The best route is to publish yourself within the context of publishing other people: ie, feature your work in the first issue of a journal or chapbook press, but then focus on other people.

Hugh Behm-Steinberg

*****

With Print-on-Demand so easy, relatively, self-publishing makes sense in some situations, outside the academic world. My husband and I spent a summer taking photographs of Langston Hughes sites in Lawrence and researching his boyhood years 1902-1915 in our hometown. We did not assume this to be a definitive scholarly book, but rather a chance to document information before it was lost. We self published the book, and to our deliglht, some scholars have made use of it. If we had rewritten it and worked with an academic press, it would have take 3-5 years!

I encourage writers of poetry to work within their communities, and when their work begins to overflow their town and region, then submit works to national markets. Self-published anthologies of regional work can be self published to good purpose.

Denise Low, Poet Laureate of Kansas (2007-2009)

*****

I've been hosting poetry in Las Vegas since 1999 and am fairly well-published in various journals, magazines, etc. Many of my friends have pressured me to produce a chapbook, but I have an odd stubborness about it. I feel as though if I self-publish, it's not legitimate; it's vain. Others would argue differently, but I don't think my work is valid unless someone else recognizes its publish-worthiness.

Danna Jae Nordin

*****

It seems there's a double standard out there among various media when it comes to self-publishing. For instance, why is it acceptable--and laudable, even--for bands to release their own albums and filmmakers to release their own films, but it's looked down upon for a writer to release their own work? This is especially the case in academic circles.

Some of my favorite reads were self-published: Al Burian's "Burn Collector," Aaron Cometbus's "Cometbus," among others. While there is a stigma attached to self-publishing outside of the underground, that doesn't inherently make the work good or bad, because the content is what counts.

Jason Jordan

*****

There is only one commercially legitimate way to self-publish your work and that is to learn the Book Arts (Binding, Macrotypography, etc.) and bind the books yourself. If you self-publish using one of the many 'services' for that purpose your work will still hold no water with publishers whatsoever. If you start your own small press, learn the trade, and establish an actual record of sales in differing demographics, then publishers will look at you in a legitamized light.

Drew Wiberg

*****

If there is no other way to get your stuff out, I don't see anything wrong with it. It might just be a way to be recognized as, after all, a lot of publishers don't seem to read. And even if they do, they want quick money, not quality.

Monique Caddy

*****

I teach undergraduates and at near the end of the course they have to memorize a poem and make a bookmark, broadside or chapbook of the poet they studied during the semester. They come up with the most beautiful and innovative broadsides I've ever seen using materials anyone can buy cheaply or scrounge up from around the house. I bring in examples from prior classes to show them how inexpensive it can be to get a poem out into the world. These aren't their own poems, but clearly that could be the next step.

With the economy closing in on us, poetry, an already marginalized, under-represented market (because there is not now and never was a big market for poetry books) will see a drop in sales. Barnes and Noble has already removed all poetry books from their shelves in an effort to cut back. They will re-order, but only titles that sell extremely well--Billy Collins, Mary Oliver, Sharon Olds, and major award winners. This leaves little room for the little guy or gal. So, in my mind, self-publishing, as well as self-distribution, may just be the wave of the future for poetry.

Small Presses may also find themselves going under during these tough economic times which means fewer contests, fewer venues for publication. Even poetry journals will surely stumble under the weight of the inflated dollar. As a result, we may see a surge in online publications. It's so cheap to make a broadside, a chapbook or even a full-length collection on computer. Something to note, even the Pushcart Prize is now accepting online publications for their yearly prize, and so these journals are becoming more accepted as legitimate. I think self-publication, as a result, is also finding and will continue to acquire more legitimacy.

This doesn't mean that there will be more good poetry out there. That's one of the legitimate gripes about self-publication. Just as anyone who fiddles with car engines and then decides to put up a sign and open shop is not necessarily a good mechanic. Just as there are good doctors and not so good doctors. The same holds true for those who write, maybe more so. But hey, there's already a glut of bad poetry on the market, legitimate prize-winning poetry.

The rush to publication is a problem with American poets who tend to view product above process, who seek recognition at the expense of excellence, who are self-satisfied rather than self-critical, and the worst, who spend more time writing and trying to get published than they spend reading and studying great poetry.

So, my advice, is to find people who are both strong advocates AND strong critics of your work and ask them: Am I ready to publish? Rule of thumb: You should have been working seriously at your craft for at least 10 years before you consider book publication. You should have at least 20 or 30 good magazine publications under your belt, along with a wealth of rejections. You should attend workshops, conferences, programs if money allows to garner feedback on your work. All the same holds true for self-publication. If you decide to self-publish, the rules haven't changed, just the venue.

We all know Walt Whitman believed enough in his work to self-publish and we're glad he did. He also rewrote and revised furiously. With self-publication--the time and expense of it--maybe more poets will think twice before flinging their poems out into the wine-dark sea.

Dorianne Laux

*****

I have never self-published but I did have contracts with two subsidy publishers...against both of whom I wound up in class action lawsuits. One publisher and her husband went to jail for cheating authors out of their money and not delivering on their promises. Those associations left a decidedly bad taste in my mouth and my pocketbook minus thousands of dollars.

That said, the first publisher did print thousands of my books (not the 10K as contracted though). I was able to parlay those books into a good career for myself (primarily on the web). Now, 60 small-press published books later, I can look back at that time as a learning experience. It taught me patience and humility. I have also tried to counsel newbie authors but I've found that's generally a waste of time. They are going to do what they are going to do and if what you suggest doesn't mesh with what they've decided to believe, you are wasting breath and effort. Some people can't be helped. They have to learn the hard way.

Would I self-publish? No, I don't believe I would. I would try every e-book route available first and use self-publishing as an absolute last resort. Would I subsidy publish again, suggest other writers do it? HELL, NO! The reason why is simple: at least with self-publishing you have some say in how and when and why you spend your money. With subsidy/vanity, you do not. You are at the mercy of just how honest that publisher is or isn't. There are too many reputable e-publishers out here who will look at your work and if it isn't good enough for them, chances are it won't be good enough for readers to buy. If even the poorest e-pub won't contract your work, it just might not be as great as you believe it to be. If you publish anyway and then place it before reviewers, be prepared to have a new one reamed for you.

Then there is the monetary to consider. For every $1.00 I make on my print books, I make $100.00 on downloads. The reason is simple: distribution via the internet. There is less overhead for the publisher and the royalty percentages are far greater than trying to get the books into brick and mortar stores. Your book never goes out of print and a reader can get it in the middle of the night during a snow storm while sitting in their jammies. That's a good incentive for some buyers. Most small pubs have very low prices on downloads but the NY boys are getting into the market with the inception of the Kindle et al and the prices are being traditionally hiked up to what the cost of a mass market paperback would be. That's highway robbery but hey! Anything the traffic will allow, eh?

As for poetry: I have been in a couple of anthologies and as a rule they just don't sell. I love poetry. I read poetry but I don't buy books of poetry. I can't see self-published poetry books fairing much better than those put out by publishers. In this day and age, people are moving away from the calmer, gentler forms of entertainment. We are not producing new generations of readers but rather generations of Xbox clones. That's a shame for there is so much solace in a well-crafted poem.

Charlee Compo

*****

On principle I'm against self-publishing, because it means skipping an important phase of a writer's work, i.e. submitting it to the appreciation of professional and expert readers. But there's the other side of the medal: most readers aren't interested in poetry, poetry books don't sell, and publishers generally don't invest their money in producing books without a financial return, so it's difficult for a poet to get published by a third part. The best way to work as a poet is, as we know well, submitting to specialized reviews or taking part in literary competitions.

This said, getting published rather than self-publishing doesn't mean more readers. If you're lucky, 100 will read what you write, maybe 15 will like it, and 5 will understand it.

Is self-publishing a good thing? Ezra Pound self-published his first book, and many great Italian poets did the same. Probably they had no other choice, but time is the best judge.

Valeria Di Clemente

Pescara, Italy

*****

There was a time when I would have said that self-publishing was a relatively harmless route. Now I would discourage any serious poet who asked me. My reasons? Glad you asked.

A. The ease with which it can now be done has really diminished the currency for all poets. I suppose vanity presses have always existed but now anybody can go to KINKOS and publish their own chapbook quickly and inexpensively. So in effect, being published proves next to nothing. Anyone can call themselves a poet and anyone can be published.

B. I regret having self-published some chapbooks because, despite the sense of self- accomplishment, and actually BECAUSE of it, I suspect I was less motivated to perfect my skills and hone my craft, instead of waiting till I was good enough to earn acceptance from an objective third part. I suppose a possible exception would be that if you'd been trying for a long time, and published in a lot of fairly prestigious journals, and a couple of TRUTHFUL, OBJECTIVE writers validated the value of your work, self-publishing might be OK.

C. A surprising number of presses holding first book and chapbook contests have made it clear that those who self-publish are not eligible. So according to those standards, you could create a chapbook and give 10 copies to friends at Christmas and they would not want you to enter.

Seems REALLY harsh but there it is. You would know even if they didn't.

Christopher Soden

*****

I would never self-publish a regular book of any kind (as opposed to a chapbook). Even if you opt for one of the companies that charges for set-up, then prints on demand, the expense is significant and the price you have to charge buyers for each book is much larger than if someone else with a press publishes it. A ibig issue, too, is marketing. Even poets who read regularly have a difficult time selling any quantiy of books. Poetry books, especially, are a difficult sell, unless the publisher has an agreement to sell to libraries, certain bookstores, or colleges.

I would self-publish a chapbook since I have a program that prints in book form. With a laser printer that goes on forever, the cost would be minimal. I say that I WOULD, but haven't done so. I've been fortunate enough to have offers for my first three chaps.

Pris Campbell

*****

One thing to consider is that some publications will not even consider running a review of anything that could be considered self-published.  I heard from a man this week who had published a book of fiction, but (he says) the publishers put little effort into publicizing his book.  He said he had decent sales without publicitiy, so he bought back the rights to the book and the remaining copies.  He was then told that doing so, technically, made his a self-published book now, therefore ineligible for "serious attention."

My experience in publishing poetry is slim, but I would think one should pursue all the avenues for publishing first. 

Nancy Posey

*****

I think small chaps are a great thing, when you have enough to sacrifice some. This is mainly a poet-to-poet world, so small inexpensive bait is a good thing. The quality and originality still has to be high, since this is a "showcase". The small chaps I really like have quirks and thoughts unique to that poet, so I try to do that also.  It's a souvenir.  A size mailable in a #10 envelope and a token price (free, or send back stamps in a bag?) is fun.

Jim Knowles

*****

Self-publishing is like a very large business card or portfolio. It's self-promotion which is personal-scale. You can participate in the gift economy to exchange small print-run (or photocopier-run) works without a big cost out lay. If you go thru a print on demand company, the overhead is still low.

One of the drawbacks is that if it is only you promoting you, the distribution networks and the onus to spread the material is all on your shoulders. If you work cooperatively with a group, channels can be shared. There's more credibility if a group says you are good than if you alone say you are worth the time to read. If you are published in magazines and thru other people's networks you are less in control of what goes to print but your works can be accessed by more people.

The other main drawback is that by self-publishing you may set the bar too low. You may (or might now) rush to publish before the work is polished enough. An editor or more experience or more time sitting with the work could give room for improvement. The gating of going through someone else can hold you in a purgatory that is useful for more refining time.

Pearl Pirie

*****

I, and several other poets I know, have self-published chapbooks.  I think that self-publishing works perfectly for chapbook-sized collections.  It allows the poet to gather his/her work in one place, or follow one theme without the need to fill 90 or so pages.  It allows the writer also to dip his/her foot into the world of "merchandising" your art--seeing what it feels like to have a larger number of readers looking specifically at your work--without having to submit to the intricacies of having someone else publish you.  

And, don't underestimate the psychological value of having a collection of work "published"--ie in book form, bound, ready to hand out or sell to anyone who will have it.  It all helps you to take yourself and your work more seriously.  So I believe it is a great first step on the road to publication.  

Of course, it is not a substitute for being published by an outside publisher, someone who doesn't already love you.  That not only has even greater psychological implications, but also catapults you into a community of writers who have also been published by that publisher.  

I have found this to be one of the greatest results of all of being published by bluechrome over here in the UK.  But self-publishing, especially for poets, is a great first step.

Sue Guiney

Earlier this week, I received a long e-mail from an anonymous Poetic Asides reader who asked important questions I'm sure all poets have asked themselves at some point or another in their poetic development. Here's some of the e-mail:

"I want to put together a book of poetry. I have the subject already in mind. Here's the thing. I am a fly-by-night poet. I have a hard question for you. Do you think I have what it takes to make it as a poet from having read some of my work?

"I sent in six poems to a local competition this year and didn't make it even as an honorable mention. I also sent in five or six to the Writer's Digest competition in December. I haven't heard anything, so am assuming that I didn't make the cut. Now we are talking 100 poets who made it, and I didn't get there.

"Anyway, I turn to you in a moment of despair. I am feeling low and just want a crumb to pull me out of this mist. However, honesty is what I need."

And my honesty is what this poet will get.

First, I don't advise poets to try thinking about putting together books of poetry until they've published some individual poems. It's not that a poet can't do this, but by entering competitions, I'm assuming that a poet wants some kind of recognition, and publication is a great form of recognition.

Second, contests are great, but they are competitions, which means there are several other poets battling it out for the top poem(s). If Writer's Digest recognizes 100 poets, for instance, then they must receive thousands of entries for the competition. Keep in mind that most competitions produce a minority of winners and a majority of losers.

Third, I'd suggest spending less time entering competitions and instead submitting to online and print publications that publish poetry that fits your style. Yes, this means you should devote time to reading online and print journals to see what fits. (Note: This is also a great way to learn from what works and doesn't work in other poets' poems.)

Fourth, it sounds like you need involvement with other poets, whether online or in person. I would suggest trying to get a small critique group together, either by contacting other poets online or trying to do so locally--either through your local library or bookstore. You'd be surprised how many poets are all around us.

Finally, only you can say if you have what it takes to be a poet. Do you feel compelled to write poems even facing the possibility that no one will ever read your work? If so, you are and will always be a poet. Poetry is not a form of writing that will earn you much fortune and glory, so using recognition as your "poet worth" gauge is probably not the best idea.

However, recognition can be a powerful fuel for the poetic motor. So get involved with some other poets; read and submit to publications; and keep writing. The rest will take care of itself.

One of the things I value about this blog is the community that's built up around it. As a result, my posts are often just a springboard to more helpful information and poetic discussion. So, when it seems appropriate, I'm going to collect comments that readers have made to posts that could benefit the whole group.

Enjoy!

*****

From Laughing with or at?: The simple joy of parody poems

So the rest of you won't have to work as hard as I did to find the poem We Real White, try the URL below.It goes directly to the poem rather than to the poet list. The poet was Matthais Peterson Brandt.

http://japicx.com/coereview/backissues/cr_35.pdf#Page=30

Now, this would be a great pre-Wednesday prompt, giving us time to figure out how to do one of these ourselves. Maybe you could do a two-for-one Wednesday if you had another idea in mind

I had always considered a parody as making fun of something, but this is simply writing a poem using the original as a template. Thanks for the idea, your poem, and the reference to the We Real White poem. It is fun.

Sheryl Kay Oder |SkoderAT NOSPAMaol dot com

(P.S. I found another great parody poem this weekend from a back issue of Rattle called “T.S. Eliot’s Lost Hip Hop Poem,” by Jeremy Richards.)

*****

From Poetry FAQs: Making Your Mark

I would add, keep the poems you write organized and accessible in some way.

Like you, Robert, I wrote poetry for years before really attempting to publish it. Alas, I was not organized about it, wrote it into various notebooks, etc.

Finally, I wrote one I wanted to keep, so being a person involved with more than one computer, I looked around for a way to make them accessible to all of them and ended up putting them up first in yahoo briefcase and later in google documents.

With google documents, I can go back and see (and retrieve, if I need to) prior revisions. I can go back easily and revise old poems. They are handy to submit.

Having my poems organized and accessible was a real turning point for me. I think it was about a year or two after I started keeping track of them that I was reading an ezine and noticed that I had a poem that fit into the parameters for their current contest. It was a finalist, and this finally got me off my ass, joined a critique group, started reading and writing more poetry, submitting, etc.

Margaret |infoAT NOSPAMmargaretfieland dot com

Start your own critique group. That's what I did and we've been going about a month now. I emailed a few people from the challenge asking if they would be interested. We got the guidelines from Alessa Leming's critique group. Unfortunately, I don't have the website information handy. Alessa, if you're out there, please help this person!!!

Basically, for a small group, one person submits material each week on Sunday, the others send helpful comments by Wednesday, the person revises and sends to others by Sunday. A new week begins, a new person submits material, and it starts all over again. I had never been in a critique group before, let alone online, but I can tell you it is really worth it. Post a notice in the forum for people who are interested and give it a try.

Good luck.

Linda H. |LNSHOFKEAT NOSPAMyahoo dot com

To riff on Margaret's excellent comments re: organization:

I always write by hand - but then I key all work in and edit on my Mac. I have a folder on my desktop: Amy Writings.

Within that, there are folders: Prose, Poetry, The Book (don't get me started on that behemoth).

Within Poetry, there are some folders:

Poems

How to Get Stuff Published

Submissions

Rejections - Building Blocks

Sites to Avoid

Good Sites

You can easily copy a file into a folder and move it around. I always retitle when submitting, for ex: "A Cup Of Coffee," Pedestal 6-08

Can't you tell I used to be an admin. asst.? ha ha good night and good luck, Peace,

Amy Barlow Liberatore |poetmomskasAT NOSPAMrochester dot rr dot com

*****

From Self-publishing and slamming: an interview with poet Bill Abbott

I'm sure there's a slam in Buffalo. Try the slam finder at:

http://www.poetryslam.com/index.php?option=com_sobi2&Itemid=75

The founder of slam, Marc Smith, named it that as a connection to baseball, where a grand slam is a huge success.

Good luck with the 60-day challenge.

Bill Abbott |slamguyAT NOSPAMwoh dot rr dot com

TanyaB--one of my friends on Facebook--recently sent me some poetry-related Q's she'd like addressed on the blog. One series (of three) had to do with editing. So, I'm going to list the questions below and try to answer them the best I can. Any blog readers who have a different take are more than welcome to contribute their thoughts in the comments (even if you completely contradict my advice, I'm always open to the possibility of being wrong). :)

Btw, these questions have to do with editing your work.

How do you get started with the editing process?

As far as I'm concerned, the editing process is sometimes going on as early as the actual first draft when I'm deciding what to write. But that said, I often try to just write and let ideas and images come out. When I do this I can sometimes start editing as soon as I finish the draft, but more likely I'll have to let the draft sit for some period of time before revisiting. That period of time could be anywhere from half-an-hour to several weeks (or longer). That's why I copy all my poems down into notebooks--so that I can always revisit old ideas and develop into new pieces if the mood strikes.

There are many things I look for when I revise, but those are based off comments I've received over the years about things I tend to do with my writing. For instance, I try to eliminate the word "it"--unless I can justify its existence. And I prefer active verbs over passive verbs, etc. Also, I read over the poem for rhythm and examine the poem to see if I can give it structure without sacrificing the meaning or flow. And there are many other things--someday I may write a book on them all.

How do you know when it's finished?

A poet friend of mine likes to say that a poem is never finished, and I tend to agree. I mean, look at Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman--it went through the revision process until there was a "deathbed edition." There's no perfect poem; therefore, you can always play around with them. When you can't find anything new to do to the poem, though, it's usually a good time to try submitting it. If it's accepted, great. If it's rejected, the time apart from the poem may give you new ideas on ways to play with it.

Should you hire an editor or just go with your gut?

I think poets need to develop their guts; I also think poets should never hire an editor. In addition, poets are served well by developing relationships with other poets who can help critique their work. And the critiquing should go both ways. The process of thinking about what works and doesn't work in another's poems can be very beneficial if you then look for similar flaws in your own work. And the feedback you receive from other poets will give you the opportunity to defend your poetic decisions or admit that improvements could be made. No matter what, you should thank anyone who volunteers their time to give you feedback--even if it's not an easy pill to swallow.

Hope that was helpful. And if you have additional comments, please share them with everyone in the comments section below--so the whole group can benefit from your insight.

If you happen to have questions of your own you would like to see addressed on the blog, feel free to send 'em my way with "Poetry FAQs" in the subject line to robert.brewer@fwpubs.com. I can't promise I'll answer them all, but I will try to do what I can.

After more than 12 years of writing, I finally felt confident enough to start submitting my poetry around for publication in January of 2006. Since then, I've had around 20 poems published in print and online journals--quickly growing more as both a writer and a submitter of poems.

Writing the poems is the natural part of submitting. I love writing poems, and I've been teaching myself to be harder and harder on what is ready for submission and what is not. But the less natural, though technically easier, part is preparing the submission.

First off, you should always follow the submission guidelines of the journal or magazine to the T. If a publication states they only accept submissions by traditional mail, then only submit by traditional mail. If an editor says no attachments on email submissions, then don't think you will be the one exception that doesn't get deleted without being read.

Secondly, there is the cover letter. It used to intimidate me to no end. I felt I needed to crazy creative, impressive, and fun to be around--all in one brieft letter that accompanied my poems. Actually, all the cover letter really does is prep the editor for the submission. Cover letters do not get poems accepted, but they can get them rejected by knocking an editor off balance before reading them.

So I thought I'd share samples of my cover letters for the poets who don't have much experience with them. Feel free to take what I've written and personalize it with your own information. Over time, as with writing poems, you will find that you develop your own style and voice with these simple little letters.

Traditional Mail Cover Letter Sample

Dear Poetry Editor.

Please consider the enclosed poems--"Watching the Ice Melt," "My Father," and "Relevant"--for possible inclusion in a future edition of Dayton Quarterly. After reading several sample poems online and the most recent print edition (especially work by emerging poet J. Alfred Prufrock), I feel like my work may be a fit with your publication. 

I'm the editor of Writer's Market and co-founder/sole contributor to the Poetic Asides blog at http://blog.writersdigest.com/poeticasides. My poems have been published in several print and online publications, including MEAT, Words Dance, Otoliths, and MiPOesias (Cafe Cafe Edition).

Thank you in advance for your consideration.

Robert Lee Brewer

Email Cover Letter Without Attachments

Dear Poetry Editor.

Please consider the following poems (included within the the email message as requested in your guidelines)--"Watching the Ice Melt," "My Father," and "Relevant"--for possible inclusion in a future edition of Dayton Quarterly. After reading and enjoying several poems online (especially work by emerging poet J. Alfred Prufrock), I feel like my work may be a fit with your publication. 

I'm the editor of Writer's Market and co-founder/sole contributor to the Poetic Asides blog at http://blog.writersdigest.com/poeticasides. My poems have been published in several print and online publications, including MEAT, Words Dance, Otoliths, and MiPOesias (Cafe Cafe Edition).

Thank you in advance for your consideration.

Robert Lee Brewer

Email Cover Letter With Attachment

Dear Poetry Editor.

Please consider the attached poems--"Watching the Ice Melt," "My Father," and "Relevant"--for possible inclusion in a future edition of Dayton Quarterly. After reading and enjoying several poems online (especially work by emerging poet J. Alfred Prufrock), I feel like my work may be a fit with your publication. 

I'm the editor of Writer's Market and co-founder/sole contributor to the Poetic Asides blog at http://blog.writersdigest.com/poeticasides. My poems have been published in several print and online publications, including MEAT, Words Dance, Otoliths, and MiPOesias (Cafe Cafe Edition).

Thank you in advance for your consideration.

Robert Lee Brewer

*****

As you can see the basic language does not need to change drastically from one cover letter to the next. However, you do want to make sure you actually study each publication before submitting. It takes hard work, but just blasting out submissions without no thought is a waste of time, paper and postage (or digital space if you're submitting online).

More publications are beginning to accept submissions only through online submission forms. The same rules of cover letter writing apply with these as well. And don't worry about your bio paragraph: Just keep it honest and not overly long. For instance, I could've just as easily used this as my bio paragraph when I was in college:

I'm a full-time student and part-time ice cream scooper with a passion for reading poetry. Currently, my favorite poets are Bob Hicok, J.D. McClatchy, and Louise Gluck, though I'm also fond of Dr. Seuss.

Bios matter most to the poets who write them. Editors care about the poems. So just remember that when writing your cover letters, and you'll be A-OK.

Over the weekend, I was asked by a poet for tips on how to handle criticism as he tried thinking out whether he should join a writing critique group. With his work, he was afraid of a few things:

1. He wouldn't be able to handle the critiques. That is, he was afraid too much negativity would lead him to give up writing.
2. He wouldn't find the right readers to give critiques. He'd written a massive blank verse poem, and he's afraid the wrong group won't appreciate his words.
3. He won't appreciate the written words of his peers. He seemed to have a particular view of other contemporary writers--thinking much of today's writing is kinda like spam.

Now, I'm not going to get into a debate of his stance on contemporary poetry, which I personally think has very good vital signs. However, as a former participant of several online critique groups and a student that logged more than 60 credit hours in writing courses at the University of Cincinnati, I will speak a little on the value of critique groups.

So there, I've already tipped my hand: I think critique groups are valuable, even if you don't agree with the critiques. And here's why:

First, the only way to gauge if something is actually working for your readers is to solicit feedback. Sure, you know what you're trying to do, but you don't know if anyone else is picking up on it unless you hear it from your readers. After all, you can't go around explaining your intentions to every reader--unless you actually want a very small audience.

Second, bad feedback is still valuable, because it forces you to look hard at your work and try to justify exactly why a particular line or image is fine as it is. And you need to be honest with yourself. If you can't honestly defend your work, then you may have an area that needs revision.

Third, there's nothing better than good feedback. After taking in all the praise though, be sure to develop a certain sense of paranoia. Is everything really okay? Can I change a line here or there? I've found that when I receive absolutely no negative feedback that I'm usually more self-critical of my work. After all, there's no such thing as a perfect poem.

Fourth, critique groups give you the ability to talk out problems you're having. If you know something's not working, you can ask the group to pay attention to x or y and give specific feedback.

Fifth, critique groups provide camaraderie with other poets. And that's often hard to do, especially if you don't live in a major city--but even there, poets are a bit hermetic and love to fly solo.

So there are some reasons why critique groups--as well as workshops, conferences and creative writing programs--are a good thing (in my opinion).

*****

As far as handling the criticism, as mentioned above, you should always be prepared to defend and scrutinize your work. It's a crazy tightrope act, but one that poets need to perform to get the most out of their lines.

Personally, I always bring a new poem to my critique group hoping for the best and expecting the worst. Usually, I find my words are somewhere in the middle.

Currently, I'm not a part of a critique group, but I still have some trusted readers for poems that I feel are close to getting where I want them to be. These are the readers I trust to let me know if my writing is hitting the mark or falling short. I know they'll let me know, because we've built up a level of trust over the years--both in giving and receiving criticism. Hopefully, if you haven't already, you will be able to find such a group of trusted readers.

And if you're looking for a brilliant, cost effective, creative and last minute gift for Mother's Day, do what I plan on doing for my mother: Write her a poem.

Actually, I'm going to go a few steps beyond that. First, I've written the poem. Second, I will get one of those two-picture frames tomorrow. Third, I will insert the poem into one half of the frame. Fourth, I'll insert a picture of my two brothers and I in the other half.

Wow! Super easy. Super cheap. Super creative. And super last minute. But I guarantee you my mom will be knocked off her feet and overcome with emotion.

(Note: While this kind of gift usually works with moms, it's sometimes frowned upon by the dads. Better to stick to your usual gameplan of a tie and a Father's Day card that farts or burps.)

As I’ve mentioned on this blog previously, I have a Facebook account under my full name (Robert Lee Brewer). And as I’ve mentioned previously, I’m all about playing online Scrabble at that account as well. And one of my more consistent opponents is none other than poet Dorianne Laux, who’s authored several collections of poetry and co-authored an instructional text (mentioned below) with Kim Addonizio.

Dorianne will be the first of what I hope will be many poet interviews conducted for this blog. I will categorize all these interviews under the totally misleading title “Poet Interviews.” ;)

So, let’s get started!

What are you currently up to? Any thing new coming up in the near future?

When I’m not playing Scrabble with you on Facebook, I’m packing to move to North Carolina where I’ve accepted a job at NC State.  We’re also trying to sell our modest little Cape Cod style house in Eugene so we can buy a modest little Cape Cod style house in Raleigh.  In the midst of all this I’m still teaching at UO (Oregon) until the end of the winter term and at the Pacific University Low Residency Program, so, there’s little time for new projects.  I am lucky in that I have two new books out. 

My first book, Awake, was reprinted in January by Eastern Washington University Press.  They did a beautiful job and I like knowing it will have a second life.  http://www.ewu.edu/ewupress/poetry/awake.htm 

And Red Dragonfly Press just put out Superman: The Chapbook, a gorgeous letterpress edition that contains six new poems.   http://www.reddragonflypress.org/

I have a jumble of new work I can’t wait to get to and revise.  This summer my husband and I are going to spend 5 fabulous weeks in May at VCCA, The Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, where we hope to write new poems, the Muse willing. I’m going to be culling and reviewing the last few years of poems and see if I can’t cobble together a working manuscript.  

Joe and I will both be teaching a workshop this August at Truro Center for the Arts near Provincetown.  It’s a beautiful spot and there are a bunch of wonderful classes and teachers there including Mark Doty and Paul Lisicky, Tony Hoagland, Eleanor Lerman and Martin Espada.  http://www.castlehill.org/workshops_writing.html

I’ll also travel to Guatemala in the beginning of July where I’ll join Joyce Maynard and Ann Hood to teach a poetry workshop.  Joyce has a home in San Marcos on Lake Atitlan and has begun to invite a poet and a fiction writer to join her there for a mini-lit fest. I’ve never been to Guatelmala and am aching to go.   http://www.joycemaynard.com/writing-workshops/lake-atitlan.shtml 

I’m collecting tennis shoes and writing materials to give to the children.  It’s a place where paper and pencils are luxuries.  I hope to bring poems back from the 10 days there. 

Right this minute, I’m working on a series of poetry columns for Writer’s Digest, short essays with model poems and an exercise, much like what’s in The Poet’s Companion.  The first one should be out this June. 

In The Poet’s Companion, which you wrote with Kim Addonizio, you mention that poets should write what they know. Could you explain this concept a little and why you feel this way?

As I get older, I become more and more sure that I know absolutely nothing.  I thought I knew about love, about death, about motherhood, men.  I know nothing.  I can only guess how much less I’ll know 10 years from now.  But, I do know my backyard, my street, the way light bounces off a car windshield in summer, how frost glazes the roses when they are fooled into bud in February.  I don’t know who we humans are or why we’re here or where we’re going, but I want to.  I think those eternal questions continue to be asked, in spite of their mystery, because of their mystery.  I explore those questions by looking deeply into the things I do know, the visible, touchable world. So often young poets try to speak to those mysteries directly, and unless they happen to be Rilke, they more often fail.  It seems to me that the world is a pathway, a conduit, to the invisible, the unknowable, and helps us translate what we feel through the bodies we touch and that touch us. 

In a review of Facts About the Moon, Robert Pinsky singles out the poem “Little Magnolia” and points to how the tree and man in the poem can be rooted and homeless at the same time. I’m often struck by how your poems are very accessible on one level, but have a lot going on beneath the surface. Do you think poems should try to be both accessible and layered?

I love that Pinsky chose that poem.  It’s a small poem, one that could easily get lost in a book of longer, flashier poems.  It’s a quiet piece, but yes, there’s more there if you take the time, slow down, look closely.  I remember going to one of my teachers to ask about a poem I wasn’t sure I fully understood.  She said, “Slow down.”  I said, “You mean read it more slowly or slow down in my life?”  And she said, “Yes.”  Any good poem is asking you simply to slow down and, as Stanley Kunitz said so beautifully, to live in the layers. Do you know that poem?  The final lines are:

In my darkest night,

when the moon was covered

and I roamed through wreckage,

a nimbus-clouded voice

directed me:

"Live in the layers,

not on the litter."

Though I lack the art

to decipher it,

no doubt the next chapter

in my book of transformations

is already written.

I am not done with my changes.

“Though I lack the art to decipher it.” That’s an important line.  He’s not sure what it all means, but he trusts the voice speaking to him.  I don’t think we can bend a poem to our will, or that layers can be consciously engineered.  Poems that try to do this usually come off as tedious and self-conscious, overwrought, but we can be fully present while writing it and hope that the complexities fold themselves into the words, that the passion we feel for our subject engenders a natural layering.  It’s simply not a conscious process and so it’s hard to take credit for it.  That said, yes, I want my poems to be accessed by everyone, anyone, as many as possible given the limitations of poetry. I grew up in a neighborhood of military brats, kids who didn’t give a damn if you could read the back of a cereal box let alone a book.  I think I often write to those kids, the ones I never fit in with because I wasn’t quite tough enough.  I write to the girls with ratted hair and denim skirts, the boys with butch cuts and torn T-shirts.  I want to reach them.  I also want to give them something beautiful and complex, something they can read again and again.  It’s what I want as a reader.

For me, the best poems are the poems I can read and understand.  On the other hand, if I understand everything in the first sitting, it’s merely information.  I think of a line I love from Li-Young Lee’s poem “One Heart.”  He says:  “Look at the birds, Even flying is born out of nothing.”  That’s a simple line anyone can comprehend on first reading, and yet each time you read it or say the line aloud, the more you think about it, the more it dissolves into mystery. 

Do you have any pet peeves with poetry?

The only thing I can’t abide is dishonesty.  I don’t care if you’re smart or stupid as long as you tell the truth.  That’s all I want to hear.  It’s what we all long to hear.  

You are married to poet Joseph Millar. So, I’m wondering what it’s like being married to another poet? Do you steal each other’s ideas? Do you share early drafts of poems? Did poetry play a role in bringing you together?

Oh we steal from one another all the time.  It’s impossible not to.  But then we steal from every great poet we know.  It’s all a pastiche.  We do share our drafts, though we’ve learned over the years to hold off as long as possible for fear of boring the other to tears with draft after draft.  We met in a poetry workshop.  I was teaching night classes for adults at an independent bookstore in Mill Valley.   He was a student, though it was more like a group of us who got together to share our work.  We knew each other for a couple of years before we began a relationship.  

So yes, poetry brought us together, and it has played a role in keeping us together.  We find that when we can’t agree on anything, or are pissed off at each other for one reason or another, one of us will bring up poetry.  He’ll say, “Hey, did you read that poem in APR by Tony Hoagland,” or I'll say, “Do you want to hear a new Lucia Perillo poem,” and that’s the white flag, the common ground, the fight is over and we can talk again. 

You’ve put together 4 collections up to this point (Facts About the Moon; Smoke; What We Carry; and Awake). Do you think about how collections might come together as you’re writing single poems? Or do you work solely on a poem-by-poem basis? Or is it some combination?

I simply write poems.  If I was good at the long view I’d be a novelist and make much more money and have a shot at the movies.  Not that I care so much about the movies.  I think I do, sometimes, but when I go deep, I realize that I am most happy when I’m writing a poem, or revising a poem, or putting a book of poems together.  I may be frustrated, but it’s a fruitful, soul-making frustration.  At my poetic best, I’m asking a question I have no hope of answering and making something that has little chance of being read by more than a handful of people.   And that’s fine with me.  I prefer it even. I'm at my best when I’m at my most anonymous, when I am one grain of sand hidden among the many, making my single pearl.

My books have always found their own way into being, poem by poem.  When the time comes that I have too many to keep in a binder--an irritation--I know it’s time to make a book.  I take them out and spread them on the floor to see what I have.  Each time, I’ve found a thread that holds them together.  We humans do this.  It’s in our nature to make connections.  But it’s also a frame of mind.  Each of us has a question that haunts us and we pull our poems up over and over, like buckets of water, out of that dark well. The poems may seem on the surface to be a jumble of our days, but they all spring from the same source.   

If you could share just one piece of advice with other poets, what would that be?

I once had a dream in which the poet Jack Gilbert came to me in a white room and sat down in a white chair at a white table. We made soup together and his had blueberries in it.  I asked him if he had any advice for me as a young poet and he said, “Yes.  Don’t write sissy poems.  And don’t be in collusion with your own poems.”  It’s still the best advice I ever got. 

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Note to publishers and poets, if you'd like to set up an interview for the Poetic Asides blog, feel free to check out the interview guidelines available here: http://blog.writersdigest.com/poeticasides/Call+For+Poets.aspx

The editors at Pebble Lake Review offer a sample cover letter. This specific example is for fiction, but it's easy to see how it could be modified for poetry.

http://www.pebblelakereview.com/samplecoverletter.htm

A word of advice: Any time editors go out of their way to give you specific tips or samples of ways to prepare your submission, you should pay attention and follow their guidance. Trying to get overly "cute" or "creative" can get you an auto rejection slip.

I received a couple questions over the weekend as part of my Writer's Market thing I do. And I thought they both would work well as things to ponder here. In fact, I'm opening myself up to poetry specific questions at my work email (robert.brewer@fwpubs.com) if you put "Poetic Asides Poetry Question" in your subject line AND if you refrain from asking me to critique your poetry (while I'd be honored, I just don't have the time to critique everyone's work).

If I get enough good questions, I'll try and answer some here from time to time.

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Question 1 had to do with planning ahead. The writer was ashamed she didn't know where to start with writing and getting published. This is a common problem, and the answer is very simple: Start by writing and not worrying about the other stuff.

Too many writers, including poets, worry about making money and finding fame before they've actually finished their manuscripts. Don't trouble yourself over all the riches and awards your writing is sure to earn you. Just write and enjoy the writing process.

As you're writing, you can (and should) read as many literary journals as you can. This is where you will be trying to place your poetry, so you should be studying these journals to have a good idea which journals match up well with what you're writing.

After you've got a lot of great material, read up on the do's and don't's of submitting your poetry. Then, read the specific guidelines of where you're submitting. As soon as you pull the trigger on submitting, don't wait around for a response: Get your butt back in your chair and craft some more poems.

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Tied to that 1st question I received this email (name omitted for privacy): "I am a very accomplished author and writer and I have written eleven poetry books to date now in a series. But I cannot seem to be able to land a good agent to represent me with my poetry books. They keep saying that they don't do poetry. I know that there is a big market for good poetry books. My newest two-book set of 600 poems is going to be a hit. Please help!"

Okay, so that's not really a question. It's a call for help.

The problem here is that this "very accomplished author" has an unrealistic view of the poetry market. Most bookstores reserve very little room for poetry. And then, the space in that rare shelf space is dominated by "the classics" and major award winning poets. So, there's usually no room for "good poetry books" by other poets--whether they are accomplished or not (in non-poetry fields).

Poetry is not a "get rich quick" method of writing. And literary agents are usually going to have no interest in representing poetry, because agents make 10-15% of what their authors make. And no agent is interested in working for 15% of 2 free contributor copies or even $50 (for those poets who do hit it big).

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So the message of this post (I really should try to have a message, shouldn't I?) is that you shouldn't get caught up in wondering what's going to happen to your poetry after you write it; you should just write it.

Several poets blog. So thought I'd share some interesting pieces on blogging that some of my co-workers have been throwing online:

"20 Tips for Good Blogging," by Maria Schneider from The Writer's Perspective

"Best Blog Software for Writers," also by Maria

"What is a blog?," by Brian A. Klems from Questions and Quandaries

These articles should be of use to poets, whether you've thought about blogging or want to improve upon what you're already doing.

"Three cheers for the epic poetry of jargon," by Jonathan Guthrie from the Financial Times, applauds the clever use of jargon by businesses to discourage further correspondence with clients. While this kind of "poetry" is great for businesses, it should be stated that poets will likely have the same effect on their readers if their poems are filled with an obscure personal jargon: Effectively, writers will cut off further correspondence with their readers. While business jargon could add a bit of authenticity to a poem, use with caution.

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"Report Reveals All Poetry is Rubbish," by Amateur Writer from Spoof.com, is a spoof on the importance of poetry reporting on a "1500 page report titled Poetry: Really, what is the Point?" If you're easily offended by poet or poetry put-downs, I would not recommend reading this "fake" report. But if you need a good laugh on a Thursday morning, you've probably already clicked on the link.

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"A poet forged in heartbreak," by Don Aucoin from The Boston Globe, profiles poet Afaa Michael Weaver, a former factory worker, who is now hitting his stride on the national scene, including a cover spot on this month's Poets & Writers. Interesting read, for sure.

*****

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Actually, I'm not sure if there is any truth to that statement. I don't have any official statistics on award winning poets and their voting record. However, I think most good poets are actively engaged in the world around them. And what better way for poets living in the United States to engage in the world around them today than to vote?

That's right. Today is Election Day in the United States. There isn't the glamour of voting for President or even members of Congress, but the local concerns that affect you more directly are still going to be voted on today. So make your voice count and vote today.

And for people who say that it doesn't matter because the things you vote for are going to lose anyway, consider this: There are few things better than knowing you were right when you were in the minority and that you stood up for what you believed even when you were in the minority.

Anyway, I don't care what your political views are. Just get out there and cast your ballot.

Received this question via e-mail from poet Liesl Garner:

"Last year I performed a poetry show at our local Fringe Festival. I got wonderful reviews, and I am performing a Repeat Performance in October of this year. The Fringe Festival is every Spring, and I plan to participate each year. After my first show, I was asked if I had my poetry printed in a chapbook for sale. I didn't, but for the Repeat Performance I want to have that available for audience members. I'm actually thinking of doing a chapbook for each year's performance. Is it bad for my hopes and dreams of someday becoming a published poet to be doing my own publishing of chapbooks?

"Currently, I just don't have the time to be submitting with the numbers I would have to in order to get noticed by a publisher. However, on my local scene, I have a large fan base that wants to see my work in print.

"Thanks, Liesl Garner"

Before I get into my ramble, you should probably read Nancy's Published Is Published post about what self-publishing will do to those poems that are self-published in the eyes of editors. Then, come back here to read what I have to say.

(Tapping on desk as Liesl reads Nancy's post. Ba-ba-ba. Humming to self.)

Back?

Okay then.

So you now know that self-publishing any of your poems will have editors considering those specific poems already published, right? That doesn't mean your career is over, it just means these specific poems are now only available as reprints. This fact can hurt when submitting to poetry journals and magazines or even chapbook contests. But the publication of some of your poems does not affect what you do with other poems that are not self-published.

If you decide that for the current crop of poems you wish to self-publish that it is okay if they risk being only available in your self-published chapbook format, then you should go for it. More and more poets are doing this. However, if you wish to see any of these specific poems in some journal or future chapbook competition winning collection, you may not want to include in your self-publishing effort.

As far as actually self-publishing, I advise you to either go with a local printer that you can work with directly--or there are some online POD companies that allow you to print and publish only one book at a time, which dramatically lowers the investment you have to make in your self-publishing venture. I'm sure some very nice poets (hint, hint) could even give suggestions in the blog comments below. Even if not, that's why God created Google; just type "POD Publishers" into Google, and you will receive plenty of online resources of how and who to proceed with.

On another note, there's no shame in self-publishing. Through the ages, poets have been especially prone to self-publication. And that trend only seems to be expanding even more with online and POD technologies now available to poets.

Just remember: Self-publishing does equal publishing. So those specific poems that are self-published could pay the price with publishers in the short term. Of course, most poets would agree that you're not risking much financially by self-publishing over traditional publication. For many, the main goal is to just reach an engaged audience.

Best,

Robert

"Kakanipoetry.com Launches Innovative Poetry Game" from daijiworld.com, reports on an interesting and "easy-to-play" poetry game for poets who can read Kakani.

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"When writing poetry becomes a 'business'" from The Hindu, looks at Kurdu poets struggling with writing for an audience (or market), instead of for themselves (or for the art).

As a follow-up to this article, I would suggest reading my post on the importance of setting poetry goals. An argument could be made that poets should not complain about audiences scorning high art over more simplistic forms of poetry. If a poet wants art over pleasing a crowd, then nothing is sacrificed. The problem that may arise, of course, is when poets want to please crowds and attain high art. It's hard to get everything you want.

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