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Think
of a famous poet. Do the names Frost, Dickinson, or Poe ring
a bell? Now, think of a poet that dreams of being famous.
This list probably consists of friends, family, or even yourself.
Surely, the dreams of Robert
Frost, Emily Dickinson, and Edgar Allan Poe did not involve
the sort of prestige they acquired. But their dreams did commit
them to a lifetime of hard work, struggle, and often disappointment.
The path poets choose may not
necessarily drive them down the road toward publication, yet
being aware of where the path is headed can be a detour from
roadblocks.
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Mark Vinz |
Kevin
Zepper |
Many
aspiring poets see a quick path to fame in what is known as the
vanity press.
Mark Vinz, an experienced poet and
English professor at Minnesota State University Moorhead, sees a
lot of poets following this path.
“The vanity press will publish
anything,” said Vinz. “They are just out to make money.”
The vanity press holds continuous
contests. These contests usually claim to have a large grand prize,
along with a trip to a convention. A poet may enter innumerable
poems in hopes of collecting this prize. The poet will most likely
hear back from the contest right away. The response is a letter
that states acceptance for publication in the contest anthology.
The judges will ask for a proofread copy of the work and for the
poet to purchase the publication. If the poet wants to attend the
winners’ convention, he will have to pay for plane tickets,
hotel rooms and the banquet. This is where the money scam begins.
“It just depends on how badly
you want to see your name in print,” said Vinz. “If you’re
willing to pay $50 to see your poem, along with hundreds of others,
crammed in an anthology, go for it.”
Kevin Zepper, adjunct English professor
at MSUM, said a couple of his friends have entered these contests.
“Their poetry was printed, not
published in book form—an anthology of all of the winners,”
said Zepper. “The downside was they had to purchase the book.”
For many poets, this option is not
the route to take. If a book or magazine sounds more appealing,
being printed takes time and a lot of effort.
“Vanity press is comparable to
a diet pill that promises immediate weight loss,” said Vinz.
“No rejection and no pain.”
Vinz and Zepper both suggest publishing
in literary magazines and college publications. A couple of good
sources for legitimate publishing are Poets and Writers Magazine
and “The Writers Market.” Both of these sources list several
contests and publishers to try.
“Poets should take the time to
learn about publishing,” said Vinz. “A lot of aspiring
poets want instant fame.”
By taking the time to learn about
publishing, aspiring poets can be aware of what to look out for
when entering a contest. If the publisher wants you to sign over
all rights to your poem, be leery.
“To protect your poem be sure
to read any contracts you sign,” said Vinz. “Be sure you
are only signing first rights.”
Publishers purchase first North American
serial rights. This gives the publisher the right to print a poem
for the first time in North America. All other rights revert back
to the poet.
“Submitting poetry to a publication
or contest is always a leap of faith,” said Zepper. “There
is a pretty strong rule of honesty with poets regarding their work.”
Every poet should realize that if
a poem is published in a magazine or a book, the poet should be
paid with cash or a free copy of the publication.
The path to every poet’s destination
of being published is a result of hard work, investigation, and,
of course, time. Robert Frost only published one poem in almost
15 years. Emily Dickinson was advised not to publish her poetry
and did not see fame in her life. Edgar Allan Poe did not attract
the interest he has today in his lifetime.
Vinz and Zepper both encourage poets
to strengthen their writing by reading and not to be stunned by
rejection.
“Worry about capturing the idea
on paper before publishing,” said Zepper.
“Take the time and the rejection,
if you’re serious,” said Vinz.
Staff
photos by Nick Cushing
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