| Author | Message | ||
| ~M~
Board Administrator Username: mjm Post Number: 30269 Registered: 11-1998 |
Dearest All -- just another blog entry I ran across that I thought might be useful or at least somewhat encouraging. And for you cynics out there, yeah -- life sucks and then you die. And nobody can make a silk purse out of sow's ear rejection. I feel your pain. Keep putting that negative karma out there. It sucks, but at least it comes back and bites you on the ass. If nothing else, this proves your cynicism is appropriate and valuable, right?  And for the rest of you, here you go: Rejection IS Better Than Nothing Love, M | ||
| Fred Longworth
Senior Member Username: sandiegopoet Post Number: 4068 Registered: 05-2006 |
Okay poets, tell ya what. Ya send out ten (dat's right, TEN) poems dis month, or Gino and Marcello, da infamous poetry goons, iz gonna knock on yer door and havva little talk wid ya. Unnerstan?!  Unofficial Forum Pariah -- recent victim of alien abduction -- I'm running out of places to store the bodies. | ||
| ~M~
Board Administrator Username: mjm Post Number: 30271 Registered: 11-1998 |
Yeah, you'se tell 'em, Gino and Marcello! I tink I unnerstan' better den you'se tink I do. But den, I tink I unnerstan' a lot o' tings. And den I fine out I don't unnerstan' 'em at all. Somebody always tells me dat. And den I gets very confused. Oh, well -- what can you'se do? Does you'se have any stamps? I gots ten letters to mail and no stamps. Who took my stamps? Love, M | ||
| Lazarus
Senior Member Username: lazarus Post Number: 3430 Registered: 10-2005 |
I've got an opinion about submitting your work before you've resolved certain issues in your writing style. Sure, once in a while we all write something that gets accepted by our peers, friends, or writing group. It stands out as an achievement, and might even get published, but behind that there is still a lot of work to do for you as a writer. I believe submitting work of lesser quality is likely to dishearten you and possibly effect your reputation with some editors (especially if you submit to people you know- I know "real" editors will fight this assumption and say they don't have any idea who is sending them poems, but I just don't believe that). I recently identified a major roadblock in my writing that was at odds with my ability to produce good poems. I would not have found it if I had not been scrutinizing every failed poem for problems. I didn't find it in any particular poem either, but in a string of poems, which no one critique could have discovered. I'm glad that I haven't been sending out lots of poems with this flaw. I want to get my powers of self-criticism tuned before I start submitting and taking my body of work out for all to see. I may even have some gems in my archives that will polish up nicely, but only when I learn enough about this craft to do so. Sorry to be such a contrarian on this issue. -Laz | ||
| ~M~
Board Administrator Username: mjm Post Number: 30275 Registered: 11-1998 |
Dearest Laz -- I totally understand your viewpoint on this. We should all refine our work, or at least attempt to, until it is the best that it can be ( even if this is only in our own opinions *smile* ). However, don't let your concerns stop you from submitting. I'll let you in on a little secret. Sometimes you have to work hard (over months, even years) to get accepted by a particular mag. I've targetted some mags I'd like my work to appear in. I keep trying. I often cringe over the work I've sent them in the past. In retrospect some years later, I realize it wasn't very good and I certainly understand now why they rejected it. But it doesn't effect how an editor will receive you in the future. Each submission is handled as its own entity. And in the case of editors who remember your past work (though most don't given the sheer volume of submissions they receive -- some very popular mags receive upwards of a thousand submissions a month), they are often happy to see you improving. This just happened to me. One of my pieces was recently accepted by a mag that has rejected me consistently over the past ten years (that's right, I said ten years). I finally hit upon something that they liked. And it was only through receiving repeated rejections from them that I honed in on what they wanted and finally was able to give it to them. So, don't let fear of rejection or how you think you might be perceived stop you. When you feel a poem is ready, submit it. If an editor feels you have promise, even if he doesn't like that particular piece, he will sometimes tell you why and give you guidance. That alone is worth whatever embarrassment you might feel over sending him work he rejected. It shouldn't dishearten you nor will it effect your reputation. Most editors know that writers do have a tendency to grow and evolve and are willing to make room in their opinions for that. Every submission is a learning opportunity. Even the ones that are rejected can lead to a relationship with an editor. Don't let fear or hesitancy make you miss that. Love, M | ||
| Emusing
Senior Member Username: emusing Post Number: 5783 Registered: 08-2003 |
M that's great news about the pub  . I am so pleased and proud of you for persisting. I tend to go up and down with it; buoyed when something gets acknowledged disheartened when I am rejected. I've just started sending out a chapbook manuscript to two places for the first time. One was impossible (Tupelo Press) and the other well...you know which one it is and they received over 500 submissions. I can't believe it. Anyway, it makes me question why I'm doing it. I see Laz's point of view in that I feel that each of us has a standard to aspire to and we should try to work toward that level of quality before submitting to some journals. I feel there are a number of journals I could get into without much effort but I don't really count them as significant toward the quality of publications I'd like to be in so I don't submit. I tend to go for the very tough ones and so put myself to a higher bar. I often wonder whether to submit to less mainstream journals or ezines just for more exposure but do I want to dilute my work? Just some thoughts your thread started. Thank you for posting it and for reminding us to keep at it. I do agree that rejection is better than nothing. I think any action toward advancement in any area is better than nothing, but that's a personal philosophy too. Love, e www.wordwalkerpress.com | ||
| brenda morisse
Advanced Member Username: moritric Post Number: 2005 Registered: 04-2007 |
Congratulations, swinka, my dearest hermana. I'm so happy for you . I respect your persistence and, of course, your talent. This is great news. love, love borrachita without a prospect | ||
| Fred Longworth
Senior Member Username: sandiegopoet Post Number: 4070 Registered: 05-2006 |
Don't know what journal you got accepted to, ~M~, but congratulations. * * * * * As for me, the journal I keep trying for is The Bitter Oleander. * * * * * Fred Unofficial Forum Pariah -- recent victim of alien abduction -- I'm running out of places to store the bodies. | ||
| Teresa White
Advanced Member Username: teresa_white Post Number: 1158 Registered: 01-2005 |
Hi all, I just wanted to comment on submitting to ezines as opposed to print mags. For eons, print mags ruled but now many of the ezines can hold their heads up with any of the print mags. One of my favorite places to submit is Stirring--where dear M is an editor. I like Stirring because one's work isn't "lost" in hundreds or even scores of other poems. Some months, Stirring may publish only 5 poems. I've had literally hundreds of poems published in ezines --and I try to go for the ones with good reputations. The good part (I'll get there eventually) is that after my name was "out there," many editors I didn't even know would email me and ask for print submissions. And there's no better feeling than having the tables turned a bit --they're asking me, I'm not submitting to them. It doesn't happen very often but tis nice when it does. My last publication like this was shortly after the huge tsunami and Katrina...the book was sold to raise funds for disaster relief. I felt proud to be in a publication with the likes of Marge Piercy among others. Anyway, I just think to dismiss outright the notion of submitting to online journals can be a bit shortsighted. Best, Teresa Be satisfied that ye have enough light to secure another foothold. Anon. | ||
| Emusing
Senior Member Username: emusing Post Number: 5784 Registered: 08-2003 |
I've had literally hundreds of poems published in ezines --and I try to go for the ones with good reputations. The good part (I'll get there eventually) is that after my name was "out there," many editors I didn't even know would email me and ask for print submissions. That's a very good point in favor of ezine or journal submissions. Part of the art of publication is "getting one's self known." I think I need to write more. I don't feel I have enough quality poems to go around so this makes for a scarcity. I'm not being hard on myself, just haven't been writing that long so i have more early stuff than current. e www.wordwalkerpress.com | ||
| Ros Badcoe (Rosemary)
Intermediate Member Username: endolith Post Number: 365 Registered: 03-2008 |
Does anyone have any comments on the ezines with particularly 'good' reputations? I come across so many, and although I may like some of the work I have no real idea whether they are considered consistently good and worth aiming for. | ||
| ~M~
Board Administrator Username: mjm Post Number: 30308 Registered: 11-1998 |
Dearest Ros -- the answer to that question depends entirely on who you ask. Not everyone likes the same mags. Not every mag is appropriate for your work. The mags that accept one poet's work may not be appropriate for another. For instance, I like to read Self magazine. I think it's good. But if you write articles on fly fishing, Self magazine is not likely to accept your articles. They don't normally publish articles on fly fishing. You are going to get rejected, not because Self is a bad magazine or your article is bad. It's just inappropriate for the editors and readers of Self. Ideally, you are looking for mags that already contain work that is similar to your own. Submitting to those that accept your kind and style of work reduces the number of rejections you will receive. If you like reading the magazine, then submit to the magazine. It's probably a good place for you. I just posted a thread about publishing. You might want to consult that. And purchase the book from which the information came. Another good, online resource for poetry market information is Duotrope. Love, M P.S. Often a good way to find magazines that you like and might accept your work is to read the biographies of the poets you like and who have styles similar to yours in the magazine you are currently reading and enjoying. These poets often list their prior publications in their biographies. Use these lists of prior publications like bread crumbs to find your way to other appropriate journals. | ||
| Ros Badcoe (Rosemary)
Intermediate Member Username: endolith Post Number: 378 Registered: 03-2008 |
Thanks for the info, M. It just takes so long to search through the options online, so I wondered if there was a list anywhere of well-respected online mags. Some seem to come, sounding great then you realise their last copy was two years ago... still, I may be jumping ahead of myself here anyway! | ||
| ~M~
Board Administrator Username: mjm Post Number: 30335 Registered: 11-1998 |
Dearest Ros -- it would be a little difficult to put together such a list. Those who would make it onto the list would depend on who is putting that list together. What's the criteria for judging who is well-respected? And who is making those judgments? The list would have inherent flaws/biases and probably not be complete. Duotrope does allow you to search by specific criteria. They have an option that lets you narrow the list down to only those mags who have received awards of some kind. While this, too, is not flawless, since many good mags don't necessarily receive awards, it is a place to start. You can also filter the results to hide any mags that are currently closed. I hope this helps. Love, M |
