I am not published, so it is probably unwise for me to advise others on their first anthologies. I have read my fair share of upcoming and self-published poets who have turned me permanently off from their work through their first anthologies to know what tips to give myself when I am publishing my very first anthology.
This is what I have learnt:
> Gauge the number of poems you publish in the first anthology by how well known you are. Basically, if you are an unknown, it would do you good not to have over 50 poems in your first anthology. I say pick 20-50 of your very best works and let your words say it all.
> Wait it out. I know the feeling. Once you have written over a hundred poems, you might figure that the time is ripe and opportune for you to give the world your collection. Whoa! Hold on there slick. Write a hundred more and once you reach two hundred, write as many more as is necessary for you to settle on a style of writing. Yes, you won’t always write about pink clouds and purple oceans but, at least you will not confuse your readers by shifting to three different writing styles in one stanza.
> Make contact with other “better” and “different” writers than you. If you surround yourself with “Yes men”, you will never be wrong. That is no fun. Get poets whom you admire or respect, make friends with cut throat publishers and book critics who don’t give a toss about your feelings and aren’t interested in the story behind every single poem. Get these people to read your draft before you publish. You might find that you need to wait until next year or maybe to invest your time more in this poetry thing of yours. Give them a hardcopy as it is much easier to notice spelling and grammatical errors when in print.
> Be weary who you choose to feature in your first anthology. I think it is ideal for first time publishing poets to keep the focus on themselves. You really do not want to be the person who has 20 odd poems that do not measure up to the one poem that belongs to the featured writer.
This is what I have learnt:
> Gauge the number of poems you publish in the first anthology by how well known you are. Basically, if you are an unknown, it would do you good not to have over 50 poems in your first anthology. I say pick 20-50 of your very best works and let your words say it all.
> Wait it out. I know the feeling. Once you have written over a hundred poems, you might figure that the time is ripe and opportune for you to give the world your collection. Whoa! Hold on there slick. Write a hundred more and once you reach two hundred, write as many more as is necessary for you to settle on a style of writing. Yes, you won’t always write about pink clouds and purple oceans but, at least you will not confuse your readers by shifting to three different writing styles in one stanza.
> Make contact with other “better” and “different” writers than you. If you surround yourself with “Yes men”, you will never be wrong. That is no fun. Get poets whom you admire or respect, make friends with cut throat publishers and book critics who don’t give a toss about your feelings and aren’t interested in the story behind every single poem. Get these people to read your draft before you publish. You might find that you need to wait until next year or maybe to invest your time more in this poetry thing of yours. Give them a hardcopy as it is much easier to notice spelling and grammatical errors when in print.
> Be weary who you choose to feature in your first anthology. I think it is ideal for first time publishing poets to keep the focus on themselves. You really do not want to be the person who has 20 odd poems that do not measure up to the one poem that belongs to the featured writer.
> Anthologies are not CDs. If you are intent on releasing an anthology every December like your hero; MaBrrr, then maybe poetry is not for you. Two year intervals are okay, three years are even better. This time between your own anthologies gives people time to digest your work and that is what you want, right?
> Make friends. Make lots of good friends within the publishing and poetry industry. Make friends in every possible sector that could help get your anthology out of the shelves into the shopping carts, over the counter and sneakily into the ears of your new loyalists. Do this way before you publish. It will help get the word out there.
That’s all I’m going to say on that, I’ll revisit this topic once I have learned my own lessons by the time I publish my second anthology. Otherwise I have no grounds to lambaste anyone. Use it or lose it.
Namaste.
That’s all I’m going to say on that, I’ll revisit this topic once I have learned my own lessons by the time I publish my second anthology. Otherwise I have no grounds to lambaste anyone. Use it or lose it.
Namaste.
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