On Submitting the Poetry Manscript

Well, having time to go over my submissions notes, I discovered that I have submitted my current manuscript, under the same name, many more times that I'd realised. That was quite a shock, let me tell you. I could have bought a decent camera with what I've shelled out so far, what with reading fees, paper, gas and mailing costs. Will this deter me from submitting further? No. There are still deadlines coming, and I'm right there with them this year. And, I've even missed a couple deadlines I wanted to make!

How many have I submitted this year? Thirty two. For 2009. I started in 2006. . . but, I've submitted to more places this year than in any other year, by a bit. I'm trying also not to submit to everything out there, but am being selective about the presses I choose.

Deep breath.

Even though the title hasn't changed, the order and content of the manuscript has. Right now I feel better about it than I ever have. I spent two afternoons with friends, sharing our work and giving suggestions. I received some great ideas and comments, and this helped a lot to shape the collection as it is now. Even though I feel the poems fit into the collection well enough, the collection is now ordered in four parts, and feels like it has more flow, more sense.

Slow exhale.

Now I hope, and wait!

Artist's Way Journal - Week Two, Day One

The beginning of a new week, and I need to read Chapter Two.  It's still sunny here, and I should go outside.  This isn't going to last.  I can see little glimpses of it through the windows, but no big vista.  That might be a good thing--promote better writing.  Here in my laundry room/computer room it feels more like a cave, and gets cold in winter.  It's not winter yet, though!  Not with this great sun.

*   *   *   *   *

Evening now.  Just got back from poetry workshop, which was very good.  Great poems, great conversation, great energy.  Just sad that one of our members is moving--I'm going to miss her regular presence, though I know we'll see each other again, her energy, and quirky sense of humor, and strong and growing stronger poetry.  All the best!!!

Today's entry will be short, I think, in favor of going up to read my chapter, which I still haven't done.  It does feel good to type right now.  Very liberating.  I want to make time this week, or in the next day or so, to do some submissions before September is over.  There are some deadlines on or around 1 October that I shouldn't let pass.  I've done a lot of letting things pass this year, and I'd like to turn that around--back to my more aggressive charge last year.  I guess getting the GAP Grant did help matters, and now I've used that money...  so I need to really watch where I send things.  

It felt good to share a poem from a journal entry from several years ago.  I started the poem when I was working at the other gym, so it's been a few years, even for making a poem out of the journal entry.  Earlier today I completely changed the shape of the piece, favoring a long column, single stanza, spaced at 1.5.  The line lengths vary from one to three words.  It looks like my edits will be few, and I now have a better title.  Always nice to have something else to add to my "Usable Poems for Submitting" list.  Tomorrow--find time to submit work!!!

Something else I need to do, and I've probably already mentioned this more than once (remember, I'm not rereading my journal!!) is to re-order and re-evaluate my full-length manuscript.  Cull out the weaker pieces, and add newer poems I feel are stronger.  Shake things up a bit.  I just got the book "Ordering the Storm--How to Put Together a Book of Poems," by Susan Grimm, published by Cleveland State University Poetry Center.  I'm looking forward to reading it, and putting it to work.

So, it's late, and I'm off to bed.  Time to consult Chapter Two of the Artist's Way... and do a little writing in the leather journal.

The Artist's Way
Originally uploaded by wingedeyes

--R