There is, actually, a very important issue within all this. The
changes in the dynamic (or lack of) of poetry publishing resulting
from the internet are many, and they are going to affect both the
possible ways in which print anthologies are produced and how those
selections are perceived, like it or not. I know that if I were
trawling for an anthology called 'An Anthology of Poems that I think
are Bloody Good' (any takers you publishers out there?) there would be
some names in there of people I have only read on the internet,
weather they have got books out there somewhere or not - and I am not
even a good example for this because I'd much prefer to read things in
books. The internet has complicated things no end. While I am a lot
more skeptical of it than Jeffrey with regard to 'quality' I have to
agree with him that as things are now there are an increasing number
of poets who look to the internet mags as their initial outlet.
Tim A.
On 27 Mar 2010, at 18:52, Jamie McKendrick wrote:
> Jeffrey,
> I don't want to argue about this anthology which so far I've not
> properly read, but I'm not convinced by your statement:
> "Ideally, poets should be drawn from the Internet, also. Not to do
> so seems remiss."
> I wouldn't discount the possibility that the editor is aware of the
> internet (as many of the poets in the anthology can be found there)
> but at least if I were assembling an anthology of contemporary
> poets, it's probably the last place I'd look. Just consider the work
> load! You could spend years navigating from one site to another and
> find little reward. Bad enough having to read all those books, but
> at least in those cases someone other than the author has considered
> it worth the risk of publishing it.
> Jamie
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jeffrey Side"
> <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Saturday, March 27, 2010 6:05 PM
> Subject: Re: Northern Irish Poets?
>
>
> "Which would seem a very reasonable way of assembling an anthology,
> or do you disagree?"
>
> Jamie, it is reasonable, though exclusive given the options
> available. Ideally, poets should be drawn from the Internet, also.
> Not to do so seems remiss. Roddy did, though, include poets who had
> not published books. He says:
>
> "The book was open to unpublished poets too, and indeed, seven
> unsigned poets were included in the line-up. Since making my list
> (drafted in 2007, please note), those poets have all been signed up
> by either Bloodaxe, Salt or Seren."
>
> He doesn’t mention, though, how he heard of these poets. I presume
> from seeing their poems in printed little magazines, or from
> personal contact (and by the latter I am not inferring nepotism, by
> the way). I doubt from the Internet.
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