Sending Work Out
On Being a Writer Chapter 6: Send
I’m reading through On Being a Writer by Ann Kroeker and Charity Singleton Craig this summer and chapter 6 is all about sending work out into the world.
In the neverending quest to clear off my desk, this week I came across the first poems I ever submitted, to the incomparable C.X. Dillhunt at Hummingbird: The Magazine of the Small Poem.
C.X. not only took one of my poems, but also wrote feedback on the stack of rejected poems. This is the only time that my poems have ever received such attention. I was so happy to come across the thick envelope this weekend. On one of the poems, C.X. had asked, More? That’s a fair question given how small most of my poems are! But no, there was no more. Just three simple lines.
Following the example of writer friends like Fritz Eifrig and Renee Emerson, I aim to become more systematic about my submissions. (This colored-coded spreadsheet to track submissions is certainly aspirational.) I’ve got a list of places open in August, but wanted to send this out quick in case you have something to submit before we close out July.
Rinky Dink Press publishes tiny zines of 5 or 6 poem from 1 poet. The submission window closes on July 31. Do you have a micro collection? 5 poems with 40 words or less that somehow speak to each other? I’m sending a collection of poems about Julian of Norwich that anchors my new manuscript.
Little Free Lit Magazine is a brand new. One of the editors is Sarah Ann Winn from Poet Camp. So you can bet the poems will be fresh and well-curated. The pdfs are meant to be printed and distributed to Little Free Libraries in your neighborhood. Direct action—poetry style! I’m sending poems from the collection of Postcard Poems that I’ve been sending out to celebrate my birthday.
What’s your relationship to sending work out? How do you deal with rejection? Are you becoming more resilient?
The Anchoress anchors my favorite poet! Hurray!
I've slowed down on my submissions lately, but once my chap mss is finished I'll be gearing up again.
The rejections haven't really bothered me all that much, although there was a long run of a few years without a single acceptance, which definitely began to pall.
I think my favorite rejection was after I submitted to my alma mater's (non-student) lit mag, and my former poetry prof sent it in less than 12 hours! I guffawed. :-)