Publishing...Holy Crap!

[johnyamrus]

shell;
of course i bought yr book...and i loved it. it's actually sitting in my library on the table next to my chair. if i got up from my desk here and took a few steps to my left i could look down the hall and see it. i believe in showing support whenever i can...and your book certainly DOES deserve support. to anyone who's reading this...please do the same and order yourself a copy. you won't be disappointed.
john

[johnyamrus]

a very interesting little poetry magazine worth subscribing to (not only for the fantastic poetry in it, but also for the leads to other publishers that it'll provide) is:

The Lummox Journal
P.O. Box 5301
San Pedro, California 90733
USA

US: $22.00/year
World: $37.00/year

(i've got three poems coming out in the issue after next)

[johnyamrus]

so, with all my big talk about what i feel people who want to publish should be doing on a daily basis, i guess you might be wondering what i do every day...well, today is as good a day as any to describe...so, here's what i've done so far:

1. written a thank you letter to a magazine that recently accepted some of my poetry.

2. submitted poetry to two magazines that i've never submitted to before. 3 poems each. different poems to each magazine.

3. wrote a query letter to a third magazine asking if they might be interested in reviewing my newest book. (it's easier and cheaper to write first before going thru the expense of sending out review copies unsolicited).

4. wrote to another writer re his new book. (it pays to make and maintain contacts).

i don't necessarily do THIS exact thing each and every day...but i do SOMETHING. in addition to writing, i always set aside at least an hour or two to do SOMETHING that will take my work another step forward. it may be a bit of a chore for you, at first. but, once it becomes a habit, it's just part of your day.

try it.
john

[shell]

John - you are absolutely right, you know, in everything you have advised ... if we want to look our best at a party we make the effort, put in the time. If we want to see our writing in print we have darn well got to get our transport sorted and take it out there! Writing doesn't know how to drive beyond its own light, darn it lol

The hardest part about introducing any change into a day is ... doing it ... the first few times .. after that we wonder how we found it such a struggle, even with all the other stuff that most have to do in a day.

Bless ya, John - i for one am constantly delighted that you are here on this site, finding ways to fire us up *grin ...

btw - i adore your books ... 2nd drawer down in bedside table for easy access! lol

Recently one of my poems was published in Poetic Monthly, a small online 'zine. It looked awful because they had centred it and most of my stuff is innately left aligned, but i was pleased to see something i wrote spreading its wings further than usual.

[johnyamrus]

congratulations, shell!
don't you just HATE when they center things? if you wanted it centered you would have submitted it that way. and centered seems so....Hallmark...doesn't it?
once again...congratulations. now...go ahead and do something for today. send something somewhere or write to some magazine asking if they'd be interested in seeing a review copy of your book.
one thing.
do it.
john

[shell]

John -

Thank you! and for the push too!

I have, as of this moment, signed up to receive a free monthly magazine that i liked the look of; from there i will explore what they like. Have found a list of do's and don'ts on their site regarding magazine submissions and several cool articles about writing/publishing.

As soon as i find the submissions button, or any way of participating, i will be in there ... aha! just found the "contact" button ... *muah-ha-ha*

... and so very yes about the centering *grin

Shell

[soulfir3]

Congratulations too John and Shell, for all their achievements. I will, as soon as able, get copies of both your books and add them to my steadily growing collection ( can never have enough GOOD reading material ).

Thanks to John and all, for this interesting thread. I've never consider any of my work decent enough for publishing and indeed, a lot of the time it is me, just venting off over things which occur daily or whatever, rather than some landmark piece of work.
In having said that, from reading all that is here, I know that if I should ever choose too submit or start inquiring about publishing houses here in Australia, then I am more than armed with the information required, to make sure I make the right sort of impression from the get go.

Have a marvellous time in Mexico, John and again, thanks for everything


Much Love and Respect, Soul

[anirbas]

The Lummox Journal
P.O. Box 5301
San Pedro, California 90733
USA

US: $22.00/year
World: $37.00/year

~*~

Thanks for the heads up, Yam! I'll subscribe soon as I can. And some more great tips, from the mind of the Yam...Man, you men are so impatient...I'm not getting any feedback...That's it...I'm closing this thread...Yeah, like the ladies picking your brainmatter to pieces are going to go for that...

*Kathy! Kathy! John's being silly and acting like a guy, again! CAn you please make him some more of those whiskey laced cookies?*

I can't report back a single thing to you, as far as my endeavors per your tips, til I get a printer...So, you'll just have to be patient, as far as this little how to get published student of yours, goes...

Close this thread...We'll all go enmasse to your fansite and leave dirty messages all over the place...*This writer flips off other drivers on the highway* type stuff...ggglgggl...Not...

Made me laugh thinking of it...
Ya'll take care, poetical folks! Nir

[johnyamrus]

today's started off on the right foot...i just learned that a selection of my work is to be translated into Swedish and published there early next year. i sure am a lucky guy!

[anirbas]

*punches him in the arm* yes, you are a you lucky snot...ggglgggl...congratulations, Yam!
but, you'll know you've really made it when your piece gets translated into Norwegian!*t-he*

[johnyamrus]

sabrina...Norwegian, huh? i just had some stuff of mine published in Romanian...is that close enough?

[anirbas]

tremendous noise of cackling and giggling on the other side of the computer screen...
hehehehehehhehehe...Romanian? the langauge of Dragul...
that's great, too...but, it's still not Norwegian...ggglgggl...i think it's great you've been translated into Swedish and Romanian...i'm just such a picker and teaser...i'd say, you go, girl...but, instead, i'll say, you go, boy!!!!!!!! and with any luck, i'll be right/write behind you...
LOL...Sabrina

[johnyamrus]

sabrina;
yesterday (if i might brag a bit) turned out to be a huge day for me...it started out with me learning that some of my stuff is being translated for publication in swedish...that should have been enough right there to make it a great day...but on top of that i got acceptances from 2 new print magazines which will each be publishing 3 of my poems. also, i agreed to participate in a feature on me that another magazine will be doing for their march issue. and, finally...i learned that another print magazine will be reviewing my new book in their december issue!
kathy had to practically leave the room my head got so swelled! that was one great day, that's for sure!
but...to prove a point i've been making...today's a new day and i can't rest on my laurels. so, that means it's back to "work". so far today i've written to three publishers...submitted some new poems to one magazine and sent my new book to another for review (i had already written them to see if they were interested). finally, i mailed out a subscription to another magazine that's published my work. it pays to show support every now and then....plus it's also great for new leads.
the bottom line is that it's an everyday thing. am i lucky? certainly i'm lucky. but i do everything i can to put myself in a position to GET lucky.
thanks. i'll talk to you later.
john

[johnyamrus]

an interview with RD Armstrong (AKA Raindog)...who wrote the introduction to my newest book...can be found here:

www.poetrycircle.com/index.php?topic=3015.0

well worth checking out.
john

[johnyamrus]

i'm curious to see if anyone ever checked out the RD Armstrong interview that i listed in my previous post. he's a hell of a writer and it's a great interview. if you missed it...here it is:

www.poetrycircle.com/index.php?topic=3015.0

[johnyamrus]

i thought this might be of some interest...on another site in yet another discussion on whether to publish or not publish, someone posed this question to the group in general and to me in particular...i won't list her name, but this is her question in its entirety...followed by my response. now, you all know my feelings on publishing...if you're going to do it, the only honest way is to do it with all your heart and soul and approach it with as much vigor and enthusiasm you can muster...she asked:


After reading some of the comments here, I thought I'd pose a query or two (or even three [or four]).

1. Isn't poetry about the craft of writing and occasional 'sharing' (e.g., "publication" and/or "presentation" [including "oration"]) of the same?

2. Should 'marketing' be a major focus of the poet's effort(s)?

3. Aren't there some poets who simply write & publish, without advertising, and who yet manage to "sell copies" of books [and/or individual poems] based on the strength of their individual 'creative reputation'?

4. Aren't there some poets who simply write & publish, without advertising, and who yet manage to have people requesting their appearance at 'poetry events' to present/read/share their work based on the strength of the poet's individual 'creative reputation'?

I pose this series of queries rather broadly; however, John Yamrus' thoughts on these points are also directly solicited.

Take care.


and my reply to that question/statement was:

hi carol;
i have never been one of those "isolated ivory tower" types who write their gossamer verse and let it be published only to have it remain unread. i'm not one of those types who feel it's somehow beneath them to push their work and do my best (i'm changing to the personal here, because it IS me we're talking about now, isn't it?) to have my poems read by as many people as possible. i'm not fortunate or great enough to be in the realm of a bukowski or someone like that who comes to the table with a built in readership. no, if i published and let my poems land where the wind takes them i'd never get read. i have to scratch and fight and claw for every reader i have. you see stephen king or updike or any other writer out there with a new book...they're on all the shows...they're out there, "marketing" their work. why should poetry be any different? i'm not about to ignore my books and do both my poems and my publishers a disservice by acting like i'm too good for it all. no, i'm not afraid to get my hands dirty. that's what's wrong with much of the poetry seen today...it's got no balls and a big indicator of that is that people are unwilling and afraid to stand up for what they've written. no, they publish and sheepishly let happen what happens and that's the end of it.

to quote you: "Aren't there some poets who simply write & publish, without advertising, and who yet manage to have people requesting their appearance at 'poetry events' to present/read/share their work based on the strength of the poet's individual 'creative reputation'?"

There are...certainly there are. and maybe one day i'll be fortunate enough to count myself among them... but for the average schmoe out there...the you's and me's who are starting out or a few paces along in the journey, it takes more than just a hope and a prayer. it takes work, determination and grit. shoot, Carol, i've always taken a lunch pail approach to my poetry. the poems are simple. the attack is straightforward, strong and true.
and i'll do everything in my power to get my books and my poems read by as many people as possible. that's the least i can do for myself.
best...
always...
john

[anirbas]

Yamster! Great to see you hanging out and banging at the keys amongst us, buddy!
And as always, very interesting your brain pickings...LOL...When I get an extra moment,
I will try to check out the site you mentioned...I have so little time when I do get to the computer around my Nirland activities, I rarely do more than hit this site to read and write...

Don't do much netsurfing unless it's for mini-me to do research for a school project
or to do research myself, for some poem, I'm writing...But, will try to remember...
Note to self...Check out site...

Take care and wish you and Kathy the best of Thanksgiving holidays! Nir.

[pegesus]

ok, i'm gonna toss my hat in the ring and open up 2007 with a question for you guys, i love to write my words for everyone to read and share all the ideas that pop in and out of my head, i have two books of poetry out, some of my poems have been published in online anthology's of various poetry forums i belong to and one was used in a book by a young woman who had been diagnosed with early onset alzheimers and felt it would compliment her book, and two have been published (now this will tell you yow gullible i really am) in seperate anthology book they put out for suckers like me when i was new at writing. the point being, my books are not going anywhere cause i started my own website and put all my poems on it as i wrote them, i have since deleted almost half if not more to entice people to want to by the book instead of my webwsite. will that help? i cant do my own pr and hoof all the book stores to stock my books ( give me a break people, im 61 years old, i can do some things but isnt this suppose to be my golden years to relax after spending a lifetime working my a** off?) i will consider any advice to get them moving, im not looking for best sellers, although that would be nice, but a nice steady income to supplement my disability check each month might be nice. so what is my question? how can the ivory tower type sell more books than 20 or 30 a year? i think one was even sold in england, but im not sure.

peg

[anirbas]

I have moved this thread, John, as David and I feel you are an invaluable source of information and this will be helpful to those of us interested in publishment.

Thanks again, for letting us all pick your brain! Sabrina.

[johnyamrus]

Aug 25, 2007 17:34:22 GMT -6 pegesus said:

ok, i'm gonna toss my hat in the ring and open up 2007 with a question for you guys, i love to write my words for everyone to read and share all the ideas that pop in and out of my head, i have two books of poetry out, some of my poems have been published in online anthology's of various poetry forums i belong to and one was used in a book by a young woman who had been diagnosed with early onset alzheimers and felt it would compliment her book, and two have been published (now this will tell you yow gullible i really am) in seperate anthology book they put out for suckers like me when i was new at writing. the point being, my books are not going anywhere cause i started my own website and put all my poems on it as i wrote them, i have since deleted almost half if not more to entice people to want to by the book instead of my webwsite. will that help? i cant do my own pr and hoof all the book stores to stock my books ( give me a break people, im 61 years old, i can do some things but isnt this suppose to be my golden years to relax after spending a lifetime working my a** off?) i will consider any advice to get them moving, im not looking for best sellers, although that would be nice, but a nice steady income to supplement my disability check each month might be nice. so what is my question? how can the ivory tower type sell more books than 20 or 30 a year? i think one was even sold in england, but im not sure.

peg

peg;
there's no simple answer to this. one can't just put a book out and expect it to sell just because it's out. you've got to have a name. you've got to have a hook. and you've got to have talent. talent is the least thing you'll need. look at me...i've managed to carve out a nice "career" of sorts with very little talent. what i DO have is drive. like yourself, i'm not a kid. i'll be 58 soon. my books sell modestly because i've done the groundwork. read the initial post on this thread...my article from ART WITH WORDS magazine. it'll help you out and will give you some direction.
seriously, at 61, i don't think you'll be able to pull together enough readers to manage a steady income at poetry. poetry's tough enough as it is for anyone. at 61, with the minimal exposure you've so far found in print...you've certainly got your work cut out for you. my advice at this point would be for you to join as many online poetry sites as you can and increase your visibility. the best thing for you to do is get into the print magazines, but that takes time and a lot of work. so, the online sites are your best bet right now.
have you done any readings? book signings? what exactly (other than your website) have you done to promote yourself and your books?
if there's anything i can do for you...any questions you might have...please feel free to write me direct...
at [e-mail]
best...
john