Poetry publishers tell all
© paul a skec
Poets keen on having a book-length credit were crammed into the seminar space, along with students from a certain writing course (based up the road from the event) who managed to slink along a wall during a transition in speaker, for a lotus-like vantage of the venerable realisers-of-dream. We were gathered here at the Victorian Writers' Centre (Melbourne, Australia) to hear Stephen Matthews, Gig Ryan, Ron Pretty and Kevin Pearson tell of their approach to the publishing of poetry.
Stephen Matthews said that he works "less on ideas and more on gut feelings" when choosing for publication. It's "pot luck" sending him a manuscript; a MS has to convince him that it's worth printing. He believes in "giving new poets opportunity", and that "access to publication (is) important to culture, for writers and for creating new readers and book buyers".
Gig Ryan (does she eat properly and regularly?) says she tries to get the best stuff for The Age newspaper, not just publish "names". In answer to Steve Grimwade (is it closed shop?), she said she tries to get more women in, tries to be open, sometimes chooses because of density and because it’s interesting, and sometimes because it’s funny; gets letters of complaint that her selections are too complex... and gets huge variety of poems "from thumbnail dipped in tar to Chris Wallace-Crabbe". Max lines: 25-35, absolute max 35 lines. She's trying to get The Age to print longer poems, but... given the space she’s allowed... likes to see a few poems by the same writer, especially if she doesn’t know the writer.
Ron Pretty is a name well known to readers of poetry. Who doesn’t have a Five Islands title or three hundred nestled on groaning shelves? (And if you don’t, why not?) Among other things, he believes that poetry tours or convoys that roam the nation are viable. His presentation covered Blue Dog, the New Poets Publishing Program, the Mainstream Program and the Taronga Foundation Poetry Prize.
Blue Dog was established to give serious page space to poetry. This is one reason that submitted poems must have no identifying details on them (aside from on the cover letter/sheet). They also seek substantial (1000 plus word) reviews of books of poetry and articles/essays on the nature of poetry. For faster response, Ron recommends sending submissions closer to deadline (closing end of August for Issue 4).
Recognising that there are "a number of different poetries with different ground rules and audiences", Five Islands Press’s Mainstream Program publishes 15-18 books of poetry a year. From 2004 this will be dropping to ten 60-90 page books. The New Poets Program is open to emerging poets who have had at least eight poems published (at a national level), who have not published a first book (a book with an ISBN is considered a first book, there may be extra provisions). Series 10 brochures will be ready around the end of April.
Stephen Matthews said that he works "less on ideas and more on gut feelings" when choosing for publication. It's "pot luck" sending him a manuscript; a MS has to convince him that it's worth printing. He believes in "giving new poets opportunity", and that "access to publication (is) important to culture, for writers and for creating new readers and book buyers".
Gig Ryan (does she eat properly and regularly?) says she tries to get the best stuff for The Age newspaper, not just publish "names". In answer to Steve Grimwade (is it closed shop?), she said she tries to get more women in, tries to be open, sometimes chooses because of density and because it’s interesting, and sometimes because it’s funny; gets letters of complaint that her selections are too complex... and gets huge variety of poems "from thumbnail dipped in tar to Chris Wallace-Crabbe". Max lines: 25-35, absolute max 35 lines. She's trying to get The Age to print longer poems, but... given the space she’s allowed... likes to see a few poems by the same writer, especially if she doesn’t know the writer.
Ron Pretty is a name well known to readers of poetry. Who doesn’t have a Five Islands title or three hundred nestled on groaning shelves? (And if you don’t, why not?) Among other things, he believes that poetry tours or convoys that roam the nation are viable. His presentation covered Blue Dog, the New Poets Publishing Program, the Mainstream Program and the Taronga Foundation Poetry Prize.
Blue Dog was established to give serious page space to poetry. This is one reason that submitted poems must have no identifying details on them (aside from on the cover letter/sheet). They also seek substantial (1000 plus word) reviews of books of poetry and articles/essays on the nature of poetry. For faster response, Ron recommends sending submissions closer to deadline (closing end of August for Issue 4).
Recognising that there are "a number of different poetries with different ground rules and audiences", Five Islands Press’s Mainstream Program publishes 15-18 books of poetry a year. From 2004 this will be dropping to ten 60-90 page books. The New Poets Program is open to emerging poets who have had at least eight poems published (at a national level), who have not published a first book (a book with an ISBN is considered a first book, there may be extra provisions). Series 10 brochures will be ready around the end of April.
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