[stylist] The Poet Biz

[William L Houts]

Thanks for the counsel, and for the kudos, Linda.  I always lookforward 
to your posts.



--Bill







On 11/5/2014 8:20 AM, Lynda Lambert wrote:
> Kudos to you for writing over 100 poems this year! That is one 
> ambitious undertaking.
>
> There are a number of others here who get published regularly and I am 
> certain each of them can give you good information in whatever 
> direction you choose to go.
>
> My suggestions are:
>     Plan out where you want to go with your writing. Ask a few 
> questions and then you can get a better idea of what will fit for your 
> intentions.
>    Once you know where you want to be in you publishing life, then you 
> can develop a realistic plan for getting to the goal you have set.
>    You threw out a number of ideas and they are all different. Look 
> over your list and choose what stands out to you at the place to begin.
>
> Publishing a body of work is not a "wild idea" but a manageable 
> project once you decide to begin and outline your steps to get it done.
>
> Do you want to develop and maintain a blog site? Do you want to put 
> together a cohesive body of work for a poetry chapbook?
> Do you want to develop a full length poetry book that would be about 
> 80 - 100 pages?
> Regardless of size, it has to hold together with a theme you choose 
> for the book/chapbook.
>
> I would say to go for whatever path is comfortable for you - you know 
> your own personality and what fits with your personality.
> For instance, doing an "open mike" would be something completely 
> foreign to my personality.  My work is introspective and meditative, 
> reflecting a personality who looks at an object and lifts it to the 
> light to examine its core.  My audience would be quite different than 
> the audience of
> the performer at a coffee shop or poetry slam.  For another person who 
> might be a theatrical, dramatic and flamboyant person, that might be 
> something he would relish.
>
> My writing grows out from my academic roots in higher education so my 
> publishing opportunities are different than writers from different roots.
> Determine your strengths and opportunities -then develop them.
> You will find your niche and that will be located in what interests 
> you most and what you choose to write about.
> Ask, "What do I love?" The important thing is that you are writing 
> about what you love enough to spend your creative life working on. 
> Mine is found in the visual arts, nature, mythology and philosophy 0 
> so that is where my work centers and the people who read it and enjoy 
> it are people well versed in those things I embrace. I know who my 
> audience is and who it is not and that is what we all need to be aware 
> of when pursuing opportunities.
>
> You sure did ask a great question and I imagine you will get a variety 
> of responses to sift through in helping you find your own path. Lynda
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-- 


"Oh, Sophie!  Whyfore have you eated all de cheeldren?"