It's really time to make some more submissions. Angie suggested I submit Mimosa Skirt somewhere, and it made me realize how few poems I have waiting around for a response. So I've been considering just where to make my submissions. I'm really leaning more toward print journals than ezines right now. I won't get into the conversation about whether online publication holds the same prestige as hard-copy publication. That's a discussion for another day now isn't it? What I will say is that I've been published online, several times in several zines, some more noteworthy than others, but aside from the chapbook (which as far as I can tell has been a miserable failure, and quite possibly a rip-off to boot) I have never been published in print.
I am, at times, embarrassed by my lack of credits when writing up a bio, particularly when submitting to a more reputable journal or zine, which is where I want to start focusing my efforts. In other words, I'm having a hard time deciding where to send submissions to. What journals are worth embarrassing myself for? If I'm going to lay myself out there all naked and vulnerable, I want it to be worth the humiliation, so that if and when I start receiving acceptances from print journals, they will be substantial credits, not fly-by-night, useless names on a list that no one of import would recognize (or worse yet, a list they'd laugh at.)
I had seriously considered Ploughshares. Crazy, I know, an absolute guaranteed rejection, but I really wanted to do it. Somewhere along the way I chickened out on that. I can't explain why, I'm not afraid of being turned down by them exactly, because I would expect to be rejected but, well, it seems like an effort in futility - a misdirected pointless submission that I can't really financially afford.
The Modern Review is a definite, I was really, for some reason, impressed with the tone of their rejection. I should have done what Vickie did and go for the free issue, but that felt like I wasn't willing to invest in a magazine I want to be included in, so I didn't, because I do want in The Modern Review, and the least I can do is support their magazine. The ironic thing is, I can't afford the damned subscription.
Other than those two, I'm really unsure of where to submit.
I'm tossing around the names of a few local/regional publications, like The Greensboro Review. They've been printing for nearly 4 decades, during which time they've published poets such as Ezra Pound. They seem well rounded, well organized and well respected, and are at the top of my list. Unfortunately, I discovered them on September 17th, and they're reading for the next issue closed on the 15th. (Yes, more irony.)
Another North Carolina journal I'm looking at is the Oyster Boy Review, and again, submissions closed in September. They open again in January, and assuming my newborn-baby-depleted mind can retain the idea, I intend to submit there as well.
Of course there are others that aren't so local, some that aren't so traditional - some university based presses to look into, etc...
We shall see!
Tagged:
Literature, Poetry, Publication, Ramblings, Writing
Wouldn't you know that getting into a print magazine doesn't change much of anything? I've been in two non-moontown print magazines and I get rejected everywhere I go.
ReplyDeleteYou, on the otherhand, will get there. I know this.
You have so much more faith in me than I do, but I figure if I start submitting to bigger names, when I do luck out and get published, it'll be a more impressive name on my credits list. Mostly a pride thing I think, but in the long run, maybe it will help get me where I want to be?
ReplyDeleteFunny thing, I was looking at my incredibly low stats. However, someone found my blog by looking for Modern Review. They found my not so lovely comments about the free magazine and have returned twice more since.
ReplyDelete