Douglas, I think the term vanity production needs re-thinking.
You are poet of some distinction and experience, and you know what you are
doing as a publisher, even a small one. You are the only person who can say
what is your best selection of your work, though sympathetic readers may
comment, help and advise.
The phrase 'vanity publishing' properly belongs to a now outdated system
where a minor or local dignitary wrote a very bad account of their lives,
people they had met, and successes they considered themselves to have had.
These books not finding a traditional publisher were eventually taken on by
sharks who neither printed many, nor distributed any, of the books, but
charged the so-called author a huge amount for producing them, far more than
the printing cost would have been had it been done properly. The people who
got up to this were usually minor establishment, middle class figures like
retired clergymen, schoolmasters etc.
It is a far from suitable term for self-published poetry, and I can only
assume it has been brought into poetry as a way for the establishment to
look down their noses at the disestablishment.
Unless you mean it as obviously a joke (perhaps you do) you should not
encourage the use of this ridiculous term.
I look forward to buying and reading a copy of your new collection.
cheers,
Sally.
Sally Evans
http://www.poetryscotland.co.uk
http://groups.msn.com/desktopsallye
http://www.myspace.com/poetsallyevans
----- Original Message -----
From: "Douglas Clark" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2008 12:35 PM
Subject: Love Poems
> Hullo to everybody. I am back.
>
> I am in the process of publishing a vanity production:
> http://www.dgdclynx.plus.com/poetry/library/love1.html
>
> as I had one assigned ISBN allocated for my Benjamin Press and I thought I
> might as well use it. There is nothing new in the book, the latest poem is
> ten years old, as I dont write anymore. I realise that my writers block is
> caused by material in my life that I dont know enough about to analyse
> properly so it is best left alone. But I have had a good innings, being an
> Old Age Pensioner now. But I thought that with a book in the offing I
> might as well rejoin.
>
> I still have a lot of addresses from my last book Wounds for those who
> wanted copies so if you want to update or fancy a copy of the new work
> just send me a postal address. I am thinking in terms of a May publication
> but I should have copies before then. As I said this is just a vanity
> publication for friends and family and anyone else that is interested.
>
> It is great fun editing and designing a book of your own work and I get
> the urge every few years. I create PostScript files on my PC for my
> printer.
>
> Cheers and apologies for cross-posting.
>
>
>
> Douglas Clark ..................... Bath, Somerset, UK ......
> http://usergroup.plus.net .......... http://www.dgdclynx.plus.com
>
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