tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829168697372726752.post6256302746106090358..comments2024-02-10T03:45:25.354-05:00Comments on Blogalicious: Some Thoughts about Poetry Book ContestsDiane Lockwardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07614479152159652577noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829168697372726752.post-44278647095381126102011-11-25T09:34:25.046-05:002011-11-25T09:34:25.046-05:00Thank you for this wonderfully clear and succinct ...Thank you for this wonderfully clear and succinct guide. I like to think that my poems are wonderful, but when I've submitted them as a group, they just don't cohere. Hot Damn! This helps a lot ... and at 73 I'm starting to wonder who wrote these things; they look to me to be the work of a younger, more clever guy.<br />Sorry to get off-track: I am inspired by your advice.serphhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13449825252302858148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829168697372726752.post-23580579553845796882010-07-18T13:53:09.886-04:002010-07-18T13:53:09.886-04:00Therese--yes, objectivity is something we might st...Therese--yes, objectivity is something we might strive for but most likely not fully achieve. And that's why I passed one of the mss that I did not like to another judge. It wasn't to my particular taste, but I suspected that it might be more agreeable to someone who likes more experimental poetry.<br /><br />Your last point is well made, and that's why I always advise poets entering contests to be sure they have read at least one book put out by the sponsoring press. Is that a press you'd want to do your book? Do they have a distributor? Will you have any say about design? You have to know what matters to you. I've known several poets who ended up very unhappy with the finished book, but to some extent they needed to hold themselves accountable for being over-anxious and failing to do their homework.Diane Lockwardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07614479152159652577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829168697372726752.post-51336658769523303192010-07-18T09:37:39.668-04:002010-07-18T09:37:39.668-04:00I appreciate wisdom that comes from experience. Th...I appreciate wisdom that comes from experience. Thank you for this list, Diane! I have already shared it with two poetry pals of mine. <br /><br />Perfect objectivity is impossible. Subjective value judgments are just part of the contest enterprises (tempered by codes of ethics, of course). Whether I choose a book to buy, schedule a feature at an open mic, bookmark a favorite blog, or judge a contest, my "taste" comes into play.<br /><br /> I would like to add that the contest sponsor needs to treat the winning manuscript with as much care as the winning poet treated his/her manuscript. If the contest sponsor produces a final publication which is mis-printed, mis-colored, or otherwise faulty, that carelessness is a breach of good faith.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829168697372726752.post-31715458658483765442010-07-17T09:07:07.943-04:002010-07-17T09:07:07.943-04:00Ah, I'm so glad I found this post just as I wa...Ah, I'm so glad I found this post just as I was looking at my chapbook manuscript again. Excellent info. Thanks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829168697372726752.post-42105467466751067642010-07-16T15:38:28.484-04:002010-07-16T15:38:28.484-04:00Thank you for the very detailed advice. This is so...Thank you for the very detailed advice. This is so useful! I too will be quoting you for a workshop.Katiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01501037236127252948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829168697372726752.post-18658672177920113762010-07-16T07:58:31.768-04:002010-07-16T07:58:31.768-04:00Great post. I agree with you 100 percent, especial...Great post. I agree with you 100 percent, especially the first point. I know poets who overload their manuscripts with poems. You can’t underestimate the value of a good editor, or a trusted friend to help you make the tough choices.Januaryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13036651950996873368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829168697372726752.post-16185780999393731682010-07-15T23:07:24.144-04:002010-07-15T23:07:24.144-04:00Thanks, Diane -- I will be quoting you during my w...Thanks, Diane -- I will be quoting you during my workshop on putting together a chapbook. Excellent timing for my workshop on Monday!<br />Thank you once again!Susan Richhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11883699379179129887noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829168697372726752.post-85021057835117944372010-07-15T13:06:52.393-04:002010-07-15T13:06:52.393-04:00Thank you for an excellent post.Thank you for an excellent post.Maureenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13290283101378474845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829168697372726752.post-44054575642422815262010-07-15T12:43:24.782-04:002010-07-15T12:43:24.782-04:00Very helpful. I am just starting to attempt puttin...Very helpful. I am just starting to attempt putting together a first collection, so any advice is good advice.<br /><br />Thanks!DJ Vorreyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02166957214456197239noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829168697372726752.post-84281505056934727562010-07-15T12:34:52.174-04:002010-07-15T12:34:52.174-04:00Diane--I was referring to a title that was intende...Diane--I was referring to a title that was intended to be centered on a title page but ended up off-center. Flush left on poem pages is fine.Diane Lockwardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07614479152159652577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829168697372726752.post-27003277328693058072010-07-15T12:19:52.047-04:002010-07-15T12:19:52.047-04:00Excuse me? Do you mean a leader, between poem titl...Excuse me? Do you mean a leader, between poem title and page number in the TOC? A very useful and standard format.<br /><br />As for titles, I always flush left; I hate centered anything.<br /><br />Well, I guess you would not have liked my manuscript.Diane K. Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03204316534769002428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829168697372726752.post-72605127579174726602010-07-15T11:38:47.628-04:002010-07-15T11:38:47.628-04:00Richard Wilbur and the "big-name poets" ...Richard Wilbur and the "big-name poets" are not entering book contests.Diane Lockwardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07614479152159652577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829168697372726752.post-15121478267324027912010-07-15T11:20:27.810-04:002010-07-15T11:20:27.810-04:00Golly, can the formatting of a Contents page arous...Golly, can the formatting of a Contents page arouse so much scorn? Into the out pile!<br /><br />End Notes a problem? Then even the very readable Richard Wilbur would never have made the cut.<br /><br />I agree about variety, but is not variety lacking in the work of many of the big-name poets? Same style, same diction, page after page, book after book after book. What turns you off might very well turn another official reader on.<br /><br />The contest system seems to me the death of poetry. But I'm soured. It's been the death of me.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06057853797683696897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829168697372726752.post-52542285983247055212010-07-15T10:36:23.751-04:002010-07-15T10:36:23.751-04:00Thanks for this great and detailed advice, and I l...Thanks for this great and detailed advice, and I loved hearing about your own experience with contests (similar to my own, so it was indeed a comfort).Kathleenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06559881249054540947noreply@blogger.com