As a modern writer, I’ve come to terms with a few things: Good fiction writers are a dime a dozen. I could crank out a book and, maybe, get published in a few years and make enough money to avoid working for a year and then it’s back to good ol’ blue collar America for me.
I could get lucky and get a contract, or have a few well-reviewed, widely-read books, in which case my life would be lived with the written word as I desire it.
The problem is that my true love and talent lies in poetry. It seems that when I mention I’m a poet, people that write poetry come out of the woodwork. Like leeches they beg to pounce upon my ideas, and then I realize when raeding their writings, they sound oddly familiar. I think this takes all of the amazement and beauty out of poetry. It is near impossible to become a published poet (unless you want to pay the 49.95 for the book through NPS or one of their sister companies).
Does anybody know of a place where true poets, not people that write poetry but word-for-word-in-your-blood poets can get recognition for their talents, or at least get sent home like no-talent hacks? At least then I could either keep writing and have my writings appreciated, or quit writing poetry with a clear conscience.
Poetry is my first love, too. My own conclusion is that there are two ways for a young (or just new) American poet to receive recognition:
[li]Get a famous [novelist/director/TV star] to reference your work in a [book/movie/episode][/li][li]Surrender all subtlety and become a rap-master poetry-slammer talk-slanger flavor for the day.[/li]
Upon consideration I realized that both avenues were equally likely in my case.
Does anybody know of a place where true poets, not people that write poetry but word-for-word-in-your-blood poets can get recognition for their talents, or at least get sent home like no-talent hacks?
Well, God knows what your definition of a ‘true poet’ is, but http://www.everypoet.com might be a good place to look. It’s an on-line poetry workshop with forums for people of varying degrees of ability to post their poems and get critical feedback from others.
It’s not exactly like getting published, but you would be exposing your poems to large numbers of readers.
Also, please take to time to familiarize yourself with the lay of the land, and the posting guidelines before diving into the forums there.
theshadowpoet, I would offer to share one of my old writings with you and possibly critique yours, but I’m not very impressed with your attitude.
First, I don’t think good fiction writers are a dime a dozen. It may be easy to get published, but that has always been true – you just don’t hear about all the shoddy novels that were published years and years ago because they were unremarkable and thus forgotten. Time (in most cases) filters out the talent and the rest sifts to the bottom. Someone can even self-publish their books. Published != good. You seem to think because more fiction books are published, that means fiction is easier to write. (And I’m not sure, but maybe the fact that you write poetry makes you somehow superior?)
Second, poetry is not as popular as fiction or even non-fiction in most cases. If it sells less, publishers are going to make less of it. So that’s why it’s so hard to get published. Not because there are necessarily less “good poets” than “good fiction writers,” but because there is less demand for published poetry.
Mostly, I’m annoyed with your comparison of “true poets” to the, um “non-poets.” People that write poetry are poets, regardless of whether or not you /like/ their writing. If it makes them and their friends/loved ones happy, then they are every bit as much a poet as you. I don’t like Pablo Picasso’s artwork, but I’m not going to say he’s not a “true artist” because I happen to think almost everything he painted was junk.
I would ask your name so I could avoid buying any of your books, should you have one published, but there’s no need since I don’t read poetry anymore, and I can’t afford books anyway.
P.S. If someone is writing poetry, no matter how bad you think it is, they probably would also be interested in buying/reading poetry. It is generally not a good idea to insult potential customers.
I just don’t “get” poetry in general. Sure, there are a couple verses here or there that I find clever or moving, but they are very few and very far between. IMHO, poetry is almost always too personal to be truly appreciated (or even understood) by anyone but the author.
Actually, good poetry and good poets are rarely interested in the author’s feelings. It’s the awful versions of poetry found infesting the internet & amateur poetry contests and those god-forsaken $49.95 anthologies the OP wishes so dearly to join, which thrive on the “poetry as the diary of my inner feelings” school of thought.
Btw, theshadowpoet, those pay money get published in an anthology offers are grade-A scams (the International Library of Poetry and Poetry.com are two notorious examples). The fact that you’re even considering being a part of that trend casts rather grave dispersions on whether or not you understand what good poetry is.
theshadowpoet, Helpful hint for posting as you’re a newbie: Try NOT to insult the people who may be answering your question/OP.
One writes poetry because one loves poetry – not to earn a living from it. It’s too difficult to earn a living exclusively as a poet and always has been, unless you’re a good lyricist. A poet is anyone who writes poetry – good, bad, or ugly – profitable or not. Payment and publication makes one a published or perhaps professional poet, it does not make them a “true” or “untrue” poet. Besides, even “true poets” like Emily Dickinson or John Donne wrote some god awful poetry (according to scholarly critics, not just MHO).
Don’t worry, you true poet, I’ll neither ask nor volunteer for a poetry exchange anytime soon. And since you seemed so bent on being judgmental of others in your OP, I hope you can receive as well as you give.
If your prose is indicative of your poetry, based on this sample you’re not not in a strong position to be critiquing others. Leeches slither or wriggle (most commonly in water) and suck blood from their prey. Like leeches they may “beg to suck dry my poetic lifeblood…” or “creative juices,” perhaps, but they do not “pounce” like leeches since leeches don’t pounce.
Now look what you did – you made me get all cranky. I hate being all cranky.
“At least then I could either keep writing and have my writings appreciated, or quit writing poetry with a clear conscience.”
I’d say you’re writing for all of the wrong reasons. If you’re good enough, or if you keep at it and become good enough, you won’t have any problem getting published. But, it sounds like you’re of the “Nobody understands my deep, deep pain…” school of poetry. So, I would suggest you quit now. Hope this helps!
"Good fiction writers are a dime a dozen. I could crank out a book and, maybe, get published in a few years and make enough money to avoid working for a year . . . I could get lucky and get a contract, or have a few well-reviewed, widely-read books . . . "
YEAH. Right. Acting’s easy, too—think I’ll mosey on down to Hollywood, get me one o’ them star roles in a motion picture and win one o’ them Oscar thingies. Sounds like rollin’ off a log.
It’s not impossible to get published, but it takes time, dedication, and relentless effort. Submit, submit, submit. If you submit to a LOT of publications (and I’m talking about decent publications here, not NLP or whoever they are), eventually, IF you are a decent poet, you will find someone to accept your work.
Check out Poets & Writers magazine. Lots of calls for poetry in there.
Overdone? Nah. Underappreciated? Perhaps. Unless you have done a lot more than just love writing, you are probably NOT going to make poetry your profession. The very successful poets I know aren’t JUST poets–they are teachers, professors, etc, who have spent their entire adult lives pursuing the craft they love.
I’m a poet, have been published a few times, and have a decent collection coming out in a magazine in a month or so, but I sure don’t plan on retiring on the money it brings me. I’m not sure how you define a “true” poet–I know some incredible writers who have never been published, and it is not something I will ever pursue again either. Too much hassle, and I am not interested in winning a Pulitzer.
(I hope the Pulitzer guys aren’t disappointed now.)
~k
Well I feel like an idiot now. I was happy a couple of weeks ago when I received notification that one of my poems (submitted to poetry.com just for the hell of it) would be published in an upcoming anthology by the ILP. I realized that a vast majority of poems received there, unless truly awful, would probably be published. That didn’t lessen my excitement though. Hey, it was my first experience with being published, I guess I didn’t realize it was something to be ashamed of and actually reflected negatively on my writing abilities.
As far as scams go, I was informed in several different places in the letter that buying their book was optional. As long as I returned the artist’s permission form, the poem would be included in the book. I didn’t see any scam in that. I returned the form without including a check to purchase the book. I guess since I didn’t buy it, I’ll never know whether the poem actually gets published or not.
My bad for thinking it was an accomplishment, I guess.
Parade is hereby cancelled due to inclement weather.
Didn’t say nuttin’ about feelings. I mean poetry in general (and I admit that I certainly haven’t read it all, of course) seems to be too personal for anyone but the author to really grasp. Just MHO.
It is. To admit that you got published through ILP, Poetry.com or any associated contests is to admit you got scammed. Plain and simple. May as well stamp sucker on your forehead.
**
**
It does. People in the industry consider these anthologies to be a bloody joke. Serious writers will laugh in your face if you mention you got published by the ILP.
A) No, they are under no obligation to print your poem. You included a form given them permission to print your poem if they want, and since you sent no money, they won’t. They are under no contractual obligation to publish you poem.
B) The scam is that people are deceived into thinking that a) their poem is particularly special and displays talent and ability, b) that they are being published in a reputable collection, c) that the anthologies will be sold in bookstores, available in libraries, etc, and d) that the anthologies are consulted by serious editors and poets canvassing for talent, and that if they just write a cheque, they’ll be part of a poetic elite. It is misrepresentation and outright lies, and preys on the uninformed and the gullible, soliciting money in exchange for promises not kept. I.e. it is a scam.
If you are good at it and really want to do it perhaps you could teach it. If you get that then maybe you could write a letter to the mayor on Cinncinatti and suggest you could become some honorary poet for the city for no pay. Use that position to get your poems in the papers for certain dates and events, like an artsy editorial column.
Or go ahead and write books and makes poems an important part of the storyline.
Or do the smart thing and just write for your own pleasure. And let whatever comes come.
Well, Jeff, I’ll certainly keep in mind that not writing a check and purchasing the book means that I was scammed and I’m a sucker.
**
So what’s the harm done? I didn’t buy the book, they don’t publish my poem, big damn deal. I still don’t see how that makes me a sucker, or a no-talent poet wannabe, which is essentially what you’ve told me.
**
You know, I was informed a long time ago by a respected individual in the business, who was also a former state poet laureate, that my poetry is admirable. Or have I been deceived yet again in believing that poet laureate is actually an honor?
If you’ll re-read my OP, I did indicate that I was aware that if you submitted a poem, unless it was horrendous, it would likely be published. I didn’t believe it was an immense accomplishment. But since I hadn’t been trying to get published anywhere, I thought “Ok, cool, might as well.”
I’m not serious about my writing. In other words, I don’t write a lot, I’m not looking for exposure or trying to get published somewhere, so I don’t consider myself to be a serious writer. I write poetry for fun, and sometimes as a diary of my inner soul (which I wasn’t aware also carries negative connotations.) If I were a serious writer I would likely be as aware of these things as you seem to be.
I’ll check out your link. I don’t disbelieve you, I just don’t appreciate being told that I am a sucker and have no talent.
