I agree Tony, and both you and I know examples of the two extremes. Of
course it is better for everyone concerned if the poet can do what he/
she can do to promote and sell copies - goes without saying - but I,
for example, can see circumstances and times when this just is not
going to happen. If someone was too ill, and/or lived far from
everyone else (relatively) and/or never had the internet, etc, it
would be very difficult for them, if not impossible. And what about...
- somebody asked you this (sorry, can't remember who it was) about new
poets etc.
I know how difficult it is in time and money to be any type of poetry
publisher (books or mags) - I have a huge respect and admiration for
those who do it, whatever type of poetry it is, especially for the
long haul players such as yourself. I suppose I also accept the
realities of the situation, I have to, WE have to, but those realities
are more pressing for some than others aren't they? I don't think I've
ever finished a post on a rhetorical question before...
Cheers
Tim
On 5 Jul 2011, at 17:19, Tony Frazer wrote:
> Tim,
>
> This is fair, up to a point, but Jess also described two situations
> where the authors actually undermined the books, which I think we
> might all agree is a Bad Thing. We're not talking here about
> appearances on the Richard and Judy show, or travelling the country
> in a beat-up van doing supporting gigs for Simon Armitage, are we? I
> know some poets who do not belong to a defined community, but it
> seems to me that the great majority do. There are also cases of
> poets who should be physically restrained from ever giving another
> reading, but not too many, I'm pleased to say.
>
> I find most of my authors understand the basics -- they have friends
> (well, most do ....), they have mailing lists, they tell people
> about their book, and, yes, they do readings, hopefully more than
> usual when the book is out. It's usually easier to get a gig when
> you've a book to promote, as it gives the reading organisers
> something to hang their own promotion on. We make a point of it here
> in Exeter, as you know. I've not had anyone conspire against a book
> yet, but I have had maybe 4 or 5 books which simply died for lack of
> support. As I explained, in one case, it was unavoidable and I knew
> in advance, but I still published the book as I believed in it, and
> still do. But, I have to say that in the few cases where the books
> died, I am unlikely to take on a follow-up volume. Like other small-
> press publishers, I put in a lot of work for no personal reward,
> apart from the satisfaction of a job well done (plus, the writer has
> put in all that work writing the thing), and it seems stupid to let
> the published book wither on the vine. (Crap metaphor, but you know
> what I mean.)
>
> Best,
> Tony
>
>
> On 5 Jul 2011, at 12:30, Tim Allen wrote:
>
>> Hi Jess,
>>
>> Yes, but it isn't always possible. If alternative press publishers
>> only published the work of those they knew could, or would, help go
>> out there and sell the stuff, then it would seriously limit the
>> poets they took on. A lot of alternative poets are already isolated
>> from the usual channels etc, so are disadvantaged on this issue
>> right from the start - it's the reason they have actually sought
>> out a publisher in the first place. Some poets have access to a
>> circle of people, either local or around the country (however
>> limited), who might be interested in buying their books (my own
>> situation I suppose), but others for whatever reason, do not have
>> this. It might be down to the author's character or their physical
>> circumstances or whatever. If publishers only put out books by the
>> first group it would not only be unfair, it would actually skew the
>> profile of that particular publisher. Perhaps such a publisher
>> should rename his business, Extravert Press, or Socializes Easily
>> Press or Stops Anyone He Meets And Asks Them If they Want To Buy
>> His Poetry Book Press.
>>
>> Cheers
>>
>> Tim A.
>>
>> On 5 Jul 2011, at 07:07, [log in to unmask] wrote:
>>
>>> I agree with Tony--especially on this point. Authors need to
>>> actively
>>> promote their work. It's crucial at the level of alternative press.
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