Friday, September 23, 2005

Submission Help

It's the season...I want to send out a manuscript to some contests and I want to make sure the formatting is correct. Poet's Market 2006 says to put "your name and the title of collection in the top left corner of every page." This seems strange to me. Some contest rules are very clear that your name shouldn't appear anywhere in the manuscript while others, such as the Yale Younger, don't say anything about that. They do require a title page without contact information so that seems to imply they want anonymity... I don't want to be eliminated for having my name on the top of every page, but I also want to look like I know what I'm doing. Another thing--when submitting to journals the Poets Market says you should start every page after the first of a poem with your name, the title of the poem, the page number of the poem, and either "continue stanza" or "begin new stanza." What about for a whole manuscript? In the past I would put "continue stanza" or "begin new stanza" at the bottom right of the page (if there was going to be a page after that, natch), but the damn Poets Market says nothing about doing that! I don't wanna sound like a slave to the almighty authority of the Poets Market but I don't want to come across like a rank amateur. Any advice/insight would be appreciated. But quick, please...deadlines are looking sickly!

8 Comments:

At 12:39 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

yeah, that whole "name/title" on every page sounds really strange to me... most contests request anonymity. i've never done that--but, it should be pointed out that i haven't won one of those contests, either...

i've found in the past that if you have a question on that, you can always email the publisher with questions--they've always been really friendly to me when i've had little questions. perhaps out of fear of seeing like a doofus (or like I'm "scmoozing" them), I usually use one of my "alternate email addresses" and don't sign my name.

Best of luck submitting--perhaps you can post which contests you sent to on the blog--maybe there are some others haven't heard of...

 
At 8:14 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I don't know anything about submitting poetry Pete, but I am really enjoying your site and your writing and cheering you on from the sidelines - Go get 'em

 
At 6:41 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Why not publish your own book? Then you could make up your own confusing rules.

www.lulu.com

t

PS: I'd buy a copy.

 
At 10:42 AM, Blogger pete. said...

Well, the contest thing is practically self-publishing anyway. You pay $25 to be considered and then, if you win, you have to self-promote.

 
At 11:38 PM, Blogger pete. said...

Sounds good. I have no idea how to do such a thing, but it sounds good.

 
At 5:52 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

do what each different contest
or publisher wants

nothing more

nothing less

ask no questions
unless you want answers

heh

atentamente
tijuanagringo.com

best of luck & work to you

 
At 3:40 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

If you guys start a co-op poetry press, I can help you make copies and stuff. I would be really excited about that.

 
At 3:41 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I don't mean about making copies. I mean about helping start a co-op poetry press!

 

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