getting published (yes i know... but no-one reads that forum)

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Wed, 2002-01-30 00:16

if poets don't get published because no-one buys poetry, why don't a few of the more accomplished poets on the site (we all know who they are) get together and approach publishers as a collective?

they have the advantage of being friends away from this hole, and the advantage of taking a potentially large book buying crowd with them.

I don't know what publishers consider to be a healthy number of sales for a poetry collection, but i'm pretty sure that a book with the work of Fish and Liana (to name only two) would attract abc people to the cash desk.

surely abc is a great big marketing tool due to that fact that people read here in large numbers, and as a potential audience, they already know that certain poets are worth reading. if abc can't get them into print individually, with all the advantages that being a good writer on this site brings, then why not push yourselves as a group?

or am i being dreadfully naive?

Thu, 2002-01-31 17:27

Emily Dubberley

Simon, I want *everyone* to like *everyone* on the forums (naive, me!) Current thing with the sponsor is as Andrew said, competition basis, with no-one who's in it having to pay for copies of the book (think it's 10 free copies each) Would include distribution via *all* mainstream bookshops. Book would be traditional paperback. And if enough people buy it, we'd do regular anthologies. It ain't signed yet so no promises but that's the basic gist.

Sat, 2002-02-02 03:18

simon66

oh god, not another competition with entry fee! that's my entry disqualified then. i may be homeless quite soon - would i still have to pay? (this is a serious point.) but this is off my original point; my suggestion was for writers to gang up and present themselves independently to publishers. i never mentioned this site having any input into it. (and andrew, forgive me for me not avidly reading the forum - perhaps the site could introduce an abridged form of the threads so people like me never make such a fundamental mistake again.)

Wed, 2002-01-30 00:38

Emily Dubberley

If you are, I am! I'm punting this idea at sponsors at the moment cos once something's in print, it's a lot easier to get published. Will keep you updated... Cheers Em

Wed, 2002-01-30 14:00

Microchrist

Ooohhh.... Publish? Did someone say publish? I'd like that. "It's so good to be found."

Wed, 2002-01-30 21:38

simon66

sorry emily... punting what idea at sponsers? publishing a selection of abc writers in book form? which sponsers? does 'once it's in print...' mean a paper/mag collection available in the body shop? or something more substantial? (personally, i think you're just trying to steal my idea so that people will like you instead of me... but i'm not paranoid ;-)

Wed, 2002-01-30 21:40

simon66

sorry emily... punting what idea at sponsers? publishing a selection of abc writers in book form? which sponsers? does 'once it's in print...' mean a paper/mag collection available in the body shop? or something more substantial? or none of these? (personally, i think you're just trying to steal my idea so that people will like you instead of me... but i'm not paranoid ;-) (hang on... no, that doesn't work... people already like you more than me...) WHAT'S YOUR GAME DUBBERLEY?

Wed, 2002-01-30 23:49

andrew pack

Simon - there was a big thread about this a couple of weeks ago. It is in this one started by me and then a formal response thread from Tony (although it all kicked off in a thread about Tom Saunders' story of the Day in Discuss Writing from abc forum. ) Quickly as I can - the idea is to publish an anthology of abc writers. Two problems - who selects the pieces and how does the book get financed (given that abc haven't got pots of cash sloshing about). The proposal is a competition, with entry fee and panel of independent judges.

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