Preditors and Editors ™
A guide to publishers and publishing services for serious writers
Frequently Asked Questions (About Poetry)
An opinion by Joe Barby, Editor, Amrita Poetry Pages
First published in Amrita's Newsletter
Hello Literarians
As I tend to the regular e-mails received on behalf of Amrita Poetry Pages, I see that many poets and authors on the Internet are wondering about (pretty much) the same things. I thought I would list the most common or important questions and pit-falls facing us as new, unpublished, inexperienced or just trusting authors as we seek to publish or share our material... Then, offer my solutions and responses...
My future plans include placing these FAQ's on my website, but for now I hope they provide you with a little interesting reading... Since I never force this type of "lengthy" mass mail on my subscribers, maybe this one will be well received...
if you see a # mark, it indicates that there may be helpful links to webpages about this topic located on Amrita's "Resource" page...
========== In order of frequency =============
Q: I heard about this publishing house called the National Library Of Poetry and want to send them some of examples of my work; and I was wondering if you had heard anything about them?
A: YES, I've heard about them! And unfortunately, NONE of it has been good! I have gotten reports from authors and even a substantial investigative story on my local TV news that confirm what I have known to be true about this publisher, and that is... Their ONLY source of revenue is attained by
"YOU" the contributing poets... They ask that you send in examples of your work for publication, then they return a form letter praising your work and asking you for money so that they can include the poetry in their next publication. MANY have sent them the required fee. But, after being promised publication, a copy of the anthology (that their poem/s are supposed to appear in) and boasting that their "anthology" has enormous circulation numbers giving you exposure to all the right people, you usually end up getting "NOTHING". A very large number of the authors never get the book they were promised and many never even get their poem in the anthology; even after paying them. When I'm asked about this matter, I always advise to avoid this company altogether...
Q: I was reading my magazine ("Poetry Digest") and saw this add for a contest offering money and other prizes. I have been told my poetry is good and want your opinion about whether you think it is worth my time to enter these contests.
A: Contests are perhaps the most commonly and unscrupulously abused technique for attracting submissions by what's known in the publishing industry as "vanity publishers." There are several types of vanity publishers but I want to discuss one particular group in this response...
Let me try to give a somewhat detailed explanation about this type of "vanity publisher" trying to weed out the bad ones (like the National Library Of Poetry) without too badly maligning those few that offer poets a (not too expensive) way to break the "print barrier"... Most "budding" authors would do just about anything to see their work in print form, and this eagerness is too often exploited by those wicked sorts...
OK; this type of "vanity publisher" refers to publishers who print anthologies that require the contributing authors to (at least) buy one copy of their publication in which the authors works will be published. This "subscription fee" (more often than not), "more than" covers all of their editing, printing and shipping costs for their publications (most often with a delicious profit margin left over). Depending on the amount of money they ask of you, you might get some idea of what the publication will look like. Some ARE rather low-class (simply a homemade newsletter type publication) while some quite good and reputable (industry periodicals and college presses) and can get rather extravagant (printing very expensive, handsome, hardcover books), but the most common resemble a newspaper or cheaply done magazine, and are printed up at some local small (news) press... Those that are "legit" won't object to selling you a copy of their most current issue (maybe at a reduced rate) or they'll tell where you can view a copy so you can see what they're like. If they refuse that request, "don't even bother with them..." The LESS legitimate ones will normally turn on some extreme sales pressure, and before you know it, you've spent a week's pay on copies of their rags and other keepsake memorabilia (like copies of your poem/s mounted on plaques or framed etc...). This all may be acceptable for some and it depends on how "up-front" they are about their procedures that tells us of their overall worth to you as an author...
As for the "CONTEST"... The legitimate ones actually do use some of the profits to pay a small prize to one or two individuals that get their poem printed, but often they recoup most of that prize money by making the contest winners buy copy/s of the anthology; after all, most of us would rather get a dozen copies of the print to pass around to friends and family than a 1 or 2 hundred dollar prize, Right? (but, the really good ones will waive the standard subscription fees and offer the winners and runners-up a free copy of the publication)! At any rate, the "LEAST" you should expect as a "contest winner" is a certificate for your scrap book; But, if you've prematurely boasted to everyone about winning a contest, and the publisher don't even send you a nice certificate, then, just sit down at your PC and forge your own to shield yourself from your own embarrassing braggartism....
Q: I am new to writing and can you tell me whether I should copyright my poetry before I send it into publishers or show it to anyone?
A: At the risk of making our rich Uncle Sam even richer "YES!"
Plagiarism is a verrry harsh reality, and if you have any desire "what-so-ever" to protect your interests in your creations, then I urge you to carefully submit your collection/s of poetry to the U.S. Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. for copyright protection. "Legal Copyright"... Technically it is "AUTOMATIC!" The moment you put your thought or idea's into "tangible form" (on.. paper, computer, disk, audio or video) it IS already the legal copyright of its creator! ONLY the "assignment of copyright" by its creator (preferably in writing) can transfer any usage rights to another for temporary or permanent use of the material.
BUT, let's get real here! Once you expose your creations, whether it's by print publication or on the internet, you're fare game for any soulless ass with more gaul than talent. If someone wants to take your creations (in whole or in part) there really isn't much you can do to stop them! And unless you are the most well read and well connected writer in the entire world, chances are you'll probably NEVER EVEN KNOW you've been ripped off... But, (being the animals we are) we have this need to show our teeth and mark our turf; so nearly all of us tend to display some "badge of copyright" along with all of our literary works. I am guilty of this myself but I have been publishing poetry for so long and have discussed this topic with so many, that I have probably given the matter more thought than the average author... And this experience has resulted in my forming a few basic rules to aid in my illusion that I can arm myself against the plagiarist!
- "Legally Copyright" at the first "equitable" opportunity! That is to say; when you have a reasonably sizable collection of works, and you ACHE to begin showing it around, set yourself down and get the proper forms filled in, sign the check, and send it to Washington... I don't recommend that you cough up a $20 copyright fee every time you write a few poems or a chapter in a book, but only after you have a substantial bundle. When the fee was only $5, I thought it worthwhile to copyright with every 5 or 10 poems written, but since it is really a tool for your own peace-of-mind, and the Library of Congress set the fee at such a high end, let your wallet be your conscience... There are a few books available (some at libraries) that can detail your specific legal needs and aid you in completing the right forms to fit your circumstances. Or you'z with the deeper pockets can always hire a copyright attorney to do the forms for you.
- NEVER give the plagiarist any more ammunition than you have to! NEVER post or send copyright dates (the dates you actually wrote the piece or even the dates you've been granted "Legal Copyright") It's bad enough you're giving him your blood, sweat and tears; why arm him with the details about your copyright too? IF you ever discover that someone has stolen your work, and you manage to take the slime-ball to court, any evidence about when the work was actually done by you may tip the scales in your favor in the courts... If you tell the details of your copyright, the thief can simply doctor his records to make it appear as if "s/he was the first to put the material in a "tangible form!" I simply attach a claim- "copyright by J. Edward Barby" under the title of each of my poems or on the cover page of a collection and purposely omit any reference to any dates that pertain to when a work was written or copyrighted...
- Whenever assigning license or rights to a publisher (on the internet or in the traditional markets)...
- Read the publisher's submission guidelines and adhere to them as much as it is reasonable to do so! They usually detail what rights the publisher expect from your "assignment." And get a printed copy of those details.
- Never "give away" any more than very limited rights. Even a publisher's "guidelines" are a sort of contract, so it's your responsibility to protect your own interests. Don't be afraid to amend their guidelines to include one or two details that conform to your own needs or to offer you some clarity in what may be a cleverly worded phrase or clause. And don't be intimidated by their wording! If you do not understand any part of a contract, ask someone to look it over with you.
Q: I have plenty of poems for a book so how can I find a publisher?
A: This is by far the most difficult question from a poet to answer. Unfortunately; the traditional market for poetry has the "slowest demand factor" of all the known literary arts categories! In fact, so few people will actually buy poetry that the traditional publishing industry usually only invests in poets that have somehow already broken the "print barrier" and have some proven record. This is not to say that you don't have a chance! But, unless you have (as some prefer to call it) "paid your dues," you will have to be of EXCEPTIONAL talent (or luck) to get a "conventional" book deal as an "unknown." Now is the time to mention the other types of "vanity publishers..." the reputable kinds...
- The subsidy publisher: These publishers are by far, the most difficult for the average beginner poet because they usually require large sums of money to edit and print your material. They range from "Self Publishing Printers," printing companies like Speedy printing company (that just print and bind cheap and often tacky looking books); to well connected "Cooperative publishers" that ask the author to bare a variable portion of the financial risk (splitting the cost of production and marketing and thusly splitting the profits); and many levels in-between. Here the old rule "you get what you pay for" will be true if you are ambitious and shrewd.
- The College Press: Some universities have well reputed literature departments and if funding allows, they may have the means to publish a periodical anthology (usually offering no payment to the authors) or even from time to time a university will publish a collected works or "chapbook" (a booklet of about 30 to 60 poems) by a particular poet (often times offering the author a better pay percentage than traditional publishers offer, because the market exposure and overall sales potential of the average College Press is much less). For an unpublished novice to be accepted by one of these publishers is considered a rare honor. Many universities limit their submissions to students, successful alumni, or faculty of that institution.
- Industry Held Periodicals: These are the "snobs" of the industry! Even more so than the college press. They usually represent some "highly specialized group or club" publishing only within their interests. They're the ones doing their damndest to keep Poetry a "Rarefied Art Form" and usually refuse to publish anything that does not fit "EXACTALLY" into their venue or poetic fetish. They usually view inclusion within their circle of distinguished authors is payment enough for any author.
- Industry Standard Periodicals: This group is large and varied; From the best known magazines to the least known newsletters. Some have loose guidelines and some are by strict invitation only (how they find out about you is anybody's guess). Most of them do not pay the author for submissions BUT few of them will ask the author for any payment or fees. Most have very high (but not snobbish) standards for the poetry they accepts to publish; (to compensate for their time spent sifting through mountains of poetry that does not meet their standards some may require a very low "reading fee")...
Your "dues" are normally considered "paid" only after you have completely "run the gauntlet" (several times over) of being published in every form of literary "sub-market" known. This includes those few reputable and legitimate publications (as discussed above)... anthologies, periodicals, trade publications (poetry magazines and coffee table books).
However you decide to go, you will need to have; a day job, the patience of God (see the Gideons Bible- old testament), and an ego equipped to withstand many, many, many rejections. Many (like me) give up before they ever find a single worthwhile publisher. And many (also like me) feel fated to be one of those poets that will be long-since dead before their poetry ever breaks the "print barrier."
Q: Do I need a literary agent; and how do I get one?
A: Unless your poetry collection numbers in the hundreds or even thousands and publishers are beating down your door to get your signiature on a contract; I would say you probably don't need an agent.
If you are like most of us, looking for their first real publisher and would be most grateful just to see your poetry in print for the first time, an agent is not even likely going to look twice at you even if you felt the need to consult one. But to get an agents address, phone number, or e-mail addy, you can probably find a reference guide to this subject in a book store or library. I suggest you get ONLY the most current edition of the guide and use it immediately because the listings begin to turn obsolete as fast as they are printed! The fact that many agents are "here today, gone tomorrow" says allot about the very nature of the profession. Most well established and long-lived agents are just as selective about dealing with poetry as is the publishing industry. So finding one worth their salt, is (in, and of itself) a major undertaking! And who needs the added frustration of being rejected by agents when you have enough to worry about just getting over the rejection of the damn publishers! If you should get into a position of an actual book contract, and since agents work on a commission that lasts the full term of a contract, it's likely to be just about as equitable to retain a contract attorney to represent you in your first deal... Its' a little known fact, but the majority of the "main-stream publishers are fair enough to help a first-timer through their first deal and probably won't try too hard to short-change the author! After all it would behoove them to treat you fairly, because if you are a success, they'll probably want to be in your good graces when it comes time to sign your second book contract...
I hope you've found this newsletter helpful
My Book of Poetry On-line (A Dead Poet)
Copyright 1998, Joe Barby
