i have been reading submissions for moria for the last few hours (yes, i know it's way overdue). i admit that i'm not the fastest editor, and that's my fault, but i have a few suggestions for those submitting to the e-zine (the list applies to many journals actually. for a better list, check chris hamilton-emery's classic list).
*read the journal before submitting. most of the poems i reject are in styles not published in the journal.
*don't forward submissions that have obviously been rejected many, many times. go ahead and remove the "forwarding" marks from your e-mail.
* don't rant about how good you are in the cover letter. (related: don't tell me about the five million places you have published your work.)
* don't be degrading to women.
* don't send extremely religious work.
* don't tell me about all the wonderful poets you know in poetryland. unless i know one of the poets as a friend, it doesn't make me take a second look at your work.
* don't ask for advice. i get too many submissions to do that. join a writing group for advice.
* don't write me two weeks after you submit looking for an answer.
* don't center all of you poems.
* tell me about work that you like in the journal.
here are some suggestions for what to do after you are rejected.
* don't write me to complain. that doesn't make me change my mind. plus, if i am on the edge about your work, that just makes me not want to look at future work from you.
* get over it. who the hell am i? who is any editor really? if your work is good, keep trying to get it out there.
* go read some contemporary poetry. if you, a poet, don't read contemporary poetry, who does?
* write and publish a poem on how much you hate me. (make sure to send it to me.)
to be forthcoming, i'll give you some of my poetry prejudices for moria.
* i like innovative/experimental/playful poetry for moria. that's what it's supposed to be about.
* i don't publish extremely religious poetry or poems about breasts (in praise, lust, whatever).
* i think poetry should uphold life, not denigrate it.
* i don't publish poetry written by poets named harold unless they remind me of haroldo de campos.
*read the journal before submitting. most of the poems i reject are in styles not published in the journal.
*don't forward submissions that have obviously been rejected many, many times. go ahead and remove the "forwarding" marks from your e-mail.
* don't rant about how good you are in the cover letter. (related: don't tell me about the five million places you have published your work.)
* don't be degrading to women.
* don't send extremely religious work.
* don't tell me about all the wonderful poets you know in poetryland. unless i know one of the poets as a friend, it doesn't make me take a second look at your work.
* don't ask for advice. i get too many submissions to do that. join a writing group for advice.
* don't write me two weeks after you submit looking for an answer.
* don't center all of you poems.
* tell me about work that you like in the journal.
here are some suggestions for what to do after you are rejected.
* don't write me to complain. that doesn't make me change my mind. plus, if i am on the edge about your work, that just makes me not want to look at future work from you.
* get over it. who the hell am i? who is any editor really? if your work is good, keep trying to get it out there.
* go read some contemporary poetry. if you, a poet, don't read contemporary poetry, who does?
* write and publish a poem on how much you hate me. (make sure to send it to me.)
to be forthcoming, i'll give you some of my poetry prejudices for moria.
* i like innovative/experimental/playful poetry for moria. that's what it's supposed to be about.
* i don't publish extremely religious poetry or poems about breasts (in praise, lust, whatever).
* i think poetry should uphold life, not denigrate it.
* i don't publish poetry written by poets named harold unless they remind me of haroldo de campos.
Comments