Friday, May 1, 2009

Poetry Tips: Support in Hard Times

Support poets and small presses!

The reasons, I think, should be obvious. If you enjoy reading poetry you should be willing to part with at least a small portion of your hard earned money to buy and read a journal or chapbook. Also, if you are a poet trying to get published you should invest in at least one subscription to a journal or small press publication of some kind. Times may be tough but the editors and presses are working harder now than ever because grants are disappearing, donations are slowing down, and new subscribers are probably growing scarce. I’m a huge advocate for poets getting paid for their work and there are presses out there who pay their poets. There are presses who have low prices and great quality combined so that even if they can’t pay their poets, the readers are sure to be proud that they spent their money on such a fine chapbook or journal while the poets are proud to be part of the press or journal.

Any of the presses on the sidebar are worth your money, and there are countless more out there not included. For those of you who would like to add a press to the sidebar, by all means, post a link or two in the comments section so I can add it for other potential readers to find it.

On a personal note, money is so tight right now that I can’t remember the last time I went to the movie theater, let alone a “nice restaurant” in comparison to fast food, but I am still willing to subscribe to a journal and buy a poetry book because I have personally connected to the press and the poets. I suggest you do the same for the ones you feel connected to. We’re all in this together, and together we’ll pull through.

Thanks for dropping in, please stop by Monday for another featured site…

6 comments:

  1. I agree- and thanks. Visiting here from One Night Stanzas...
    Much to the dismay of my husband, I will usually spend my last $20.00 or so on a book of poetry or supporting anything poetic...so, hear hear for poets and small presses!

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  2. Thanks for the comments, yes I often find myself spending my last twenty on poetry and hope that those who are able to spare even a few dollars will support the small press and the poets.

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  3. well said paula; it's important to realize that indeed we are all in this together, and if poets like to keep getting their words out there, they have to support the medium which supports them...

    and the worth of some of these books cannot be measured in dough, often...

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  4. Chris,
    Thanks for answering my earlier question about the comments, very sorry to hear about the troll. Hopefully the troll will get his/her due.
    And I agree with you that some of books cannot be measured in value, they are priceless and precious.

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  5. What did you hear about the "troll" exactly? And what horrible "due" should he get to satisfy your witch-burning heart?

    Of course, some day in the future we're going to see these books on Antiques Road Show for half a million dollars!

    Mather Schneider

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