| Author | Message | ||
| Ros Badcoe (Rosemary)
Intermediate Member Username: endolith Post Number: 471 Registered: 03-2008 |
Suppose you were the sort of person who wrote poems, not the sort who had been doing it for years and consistently produced great stuff, but more of a still learning sort of person. Suppose occasionally you produced a poem and stuck it on a forum, and maybe seven or eight people said 'great stuff' and 'no suggestions', and you thought, yes, that's one of my better ones, see those metaphors, look at that use of language. How would you know whether it was really any good? As in, worth-putting-in-a-competition good, worth sending-to-a-magazine good? Cos when I say 'great' to someone's poem, a) I'm still learning, and may not spot a weaker section, b) I may recognise it as stronger than earlier things they've posted, and I'm really pleased they are improving, c) I know when I find a poem exciting and powerful, but who am I to judge? | ||
| S. Thomas Summers
Advanced Member Username: s_thomas_summers Post Number: 1181 Registered: 10-2006 |
Hi Ros, Just write and write and write and submit and submit and submit. The worst a contest judge or a publication can say is no. No big deal. Just write more and submit more - as you do, your poetry gets better as do your publication chances. Just have fun. If you're rejected - so what. Just write and have fun. Make sense? Scott visit me at http://www.freewebs.com/sthomassummers/ author of "Death settled well" and "Rather, It Should Shine" | ||
| ~M~
Board Administrator Username: mjm Post Number: 30772 Registered: 11-1998 |
Dearest Ros -- I'm in agreement with Scott. He gave you excellent advice. Good is highly subjective. I've submitted poems that have been turned down by the best of 'em. No sweat. And some of them have even gone on to be accepted, by the best of others of 'em. Same poem. So, you can't always judge "goodness." If you (not your peers in workshops, your friends, your mother, etc.) feel the poem is ready for public consumption, submit it. What you want to find is mags or contests who've accepted work similar to what you want to submit to them. Match the poems to the markets. You'll up your chances. Get used to rejection. In this business, it's part of the territory and happens every day to thousands of us. It won't kill you and you'll learn much. You might even run into an editor who rejects you and tells you why. That's gold. And you can't find that unless you submit. Love, M | ||
| Gary Blankenship
Moderator Username: garydawg Post Number: 24673 Registered: 07-2001 |
Submit, but read the zines/mags you are submitting to to make sure there is a match. And know why you submit - for validation, to see your work in print, cause you want to collect copies of where your work is, to spread enjoyment to others. I may sound flippant but seriously, know the reason and submit accordingly. Smiles. Gary Smiles. Gary Celebrate Walt with Gary: http://www.poetrykit.org/pkl/tw10/tw4conte.htm | ||
| Lazarus
Senior Member Username: lazarus Post Number: 3616 Registered: 10-2005 |
Ros- I see a deeper issue here besides when to submit. It's about knowing when you've solved certain overarching problems with your poem production. It can be the case that you post a few poems that receive good reviews by peers whose opinions you respect. But you don't know what it was that they approved of, or how you got to that place. Each time you write a poem you are traveling a route, you make decisions along the way (should I stick to the facts, should I go present tense, should I go where the last simile took me, etc) You make these decisions, and many more with every poem, and after a while you begin to recognise the territory. It's at that point that you don't have to worry too much about the opinions of others. If you are satisfied that you made the best choices for yourself and for the poem, and that you have a finished poem- that it is in the best shape that you can make it- then put it in the submit pile, and follow the above instructions. -Laz | ||
| Judy Thompson
Advanced Member Username: judyt54 Post Number: 1226 Registered: 11-2007 |
sometimes the poem you think is a stinker turns out to be acceptable in the oddest places. The only way you can know for sure is by just submitting the thing everywhere. If you don't you'll never know and if you wait for the perfect poem to submit to magazines you may never find it. Just do it, dammit.  | ||
| Ros Badcoe (Rosemary)
Intermediate Member Username: endolith Post Number: 475 Registered: 03-2008 |
Thanks for the thoughts, peoples. I suppose submitting is the only way to find out. I think I know what you mean, Laz - I'm at the stage of only having a few poems where I *know* I've done well without really needing anyone else to tell me so. As for why - interesting question! I've just been looking down Duotrope to see what's out there - there are so many possibles! I've found one or two that seem to run along my lines, so maybe I will give it a try. | ||
| Lazarus
Senior Member Username: lazarus Post Number: 3624 Registered: 10-2005 |
Good plan Ros. There's a whole art to keeping track of what you submit also. M has a hard copy method with sticky notes. I use computer folders and files; A folder for submissions, and a file for each submission, with poems, date, and place submitted, and a master for the year with basic info. I also keep track of them in my email files, but consider that just a back up. -Laz | ||
| Ros Badcoe (Rosemary)
Intermediate Member Username: endolith Post Number: 477 Registered: 03-2008 |
Good point Laz. I get lost already with what I've submitted to Wild, particularly when I change the title. It's a sort of grey area... there's a whole range between what might be well respected ezines (though I'm finding it hard to tell) and what are basically someone's blog. I guess the only way to really judge any of them is the quality of stuff they include. | ||
| Lazarus
Senior Member Username: lazarus Post Number: 3635 Registered: 10-2005 |
Ros, a quick look at this thread might be of help in that area:emusing's poem and comments They should probably move it here but you can find a lot of good advice there about choosing where to submit. -Laz | ||
| Ros Badcoe (Rosemary)
Intermediate Member Username: endolith Post Number: 478 Registered: 03-2008 |
Laz, thanks, I missed that thread and it looks very interesting. Yes, I think a thread about people's views on (and experiences with) such ezines would be very useful, not just to submit to but to see which ones are useful to read. |
