I'm always fascinated when writers speak out *against* publicity! I
occasionally have it regarding the books I publish through Stride -
although I've learnt to avoid those writers who crawl out of their holes to
take the free copies and are then never heard of again Likewise, the
authors who want readings, but cannot be bothered to project their voice,
speak up, or even acknowledge, let alone talk to, an audience, I no longer
book for LITMUS events [as an aside: NJ worked very hard to drum up an
audience when we booked one of his reading tours].
The days of any underground network has gone. I may be part of the small
press and exchange review copies, freebies, favours,infomation and advice;
I may promote [wrongly/unjustly] obscure/ignored writers; but to rely on
the likes of the British Poets List and their kind hardly pays the print
bill or the venue hire and writers' fees!
Like it or not we are up against 90s advertising culture and all that
entails. I, for one, want my work, along with the work of authors I publish
through Stride, read. Read on the radio, the television, the stage.
Reviewed in literary journals, newspapers, and on arts programmes. Talked
about in the street, *noticed*! Marketing is a means to an end a game with
obvious rules, formats and ways of processing information. To object to NJ
wanting an audience for Tom Raworth is ridiculous! It's like moaning about
spines and glossy covers on books Poetry doesn't work by osmosis, and
seepage is no way to explore language.
Like Andy Brown, I'm constantly amazed by the tone and content of this
group. I don't know whether to laugh, go down the pub or hire a poetry
assassin.
Rupert
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