Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Almost Finished

My cousin is almost finished with her drawings, she says, and I will be sending the completed chapbook out wherever I can. I asked her to please try to finish it during July, so I can take advantage of open reading periods during this month, having missed the June ones. Even some of these charge a reading fee, but at least they won't shred it unseen.
I have also managed to get on to Red Room, the publisher of Leza Lewitt's yoga poetry (or at least the newest one, forthcoming soon). I noted the publisher on her book announcement, and wrote to them. But I have to learn to do as Marly does, posting impressive looking stuff on Red Room so I can appeal to potential publishers. I guess posting a previously published poem (I'm sure Qarrtsiluni won't mind!) or putting a link to that publication where people can hear the audio would be a good idea. Any other suggestions would be welcome.

2 comments:

marly youmans said...

Sure!

Just keep posting, be positive, and keep sending out--but with a strict eye as to what will really work. If you don't target well, it is just discouraging, I would imagine. Send out queries with a couple of sample poems to presses that are looking for work.

I also think linking up with the small community around you might be fruitful. Group readings, too, where you might meet people.

I still think a nanopress initial book or chapbook with an academic intro might help too. Particularly if you can partner with somebody near you: then you can do readings together. And get newspaper coverage, capitalizing on the whole newness of the nanopress project. Nic mentors subsequent nanopress ventures, and eventually they mentor the next set... So you would get to know a number of writers that way.

http://verylikeawhale.wordpress.com/2011/06/26/woot-two-nanopress-teams/#comments

Robbi N. said...

The nanopress model won't work for two reasons: it won't work as credits for an academic job. Second, I know no one in this area who would work with me on it.(Also, I think more people will buy the yoga book, if I can put it in yoga studios). No opportunities for readings are available either, unless I just want to go on going to open readings and reading one or two poems at a time at a totally open mic.
This Red Room thing could lead to publication, if I just figure out a way to impress people. They publish poems. And have published poems related to yoga.