I am quite often asked for advice by people just starting out, so here are some thoughts, hints and tips from my own experience including directions to sites better qualified. There aren't many hard and fast rules, nor one route to poetic fame, but I hope these pages give a useful overview of the different aspects of starting out as a 'serious' poet - or indeed a silly one - who wants to develop, make a name and, occasionally, get paid.
Keep records - where you performed, what you have read where, how it went. What you have had published where, what you have submitted for publication. Build up a CV of you as a writer and don't forget to include projects you have taken part in.
I began performing in 2003 and have totted up more than 100 appearances since then. This doesn't make me an expert, but I am happy to impart anything I have learned so far.
Tips:
1. Breathe. It really, really helps. Especially consciously breathing deeply for a few minutes before you get up to read.
2. Slow down. Most people start out reading their poems too quickly... okay you want to impress with your fluid tongue, and get away again quickly, but speak too fast and people can't take in what you're saying.
3. Time yourself - practice at home so you're used to reading your poetry out loud, make a note of how long each piece takes and keep to time.
4. Make sure the material suits the venue. Try to suss out the audience and the vibe before you choose what to perform. Some poems are better read and some better heard - a good rule of thumb is not to read anything too heavy to inexperienced audiences - instead, delight them with something funny or quirky and not too long. Save more 'poetic' material for poetry lovers.
5. Smile! If you enjoy yourself, other people will enjoy it more.
6. Make eye contact with your audience as much as you can - it helps them connect with you, and if you're looking up, you will project your voice better.
Using a mic
- If there is a mic, watch how the more experienced people use it and emulate the best ones.
- Usually this means keeping 4 - 6 inches away from the mic.
- Try not to turn your head away from it - unless you're planning to shout!
If you are serious about honing your craft, it's important to never quite be satisfied with your work - always look for ways to improve it and don't just write a first draft and say 'that will do!' Here are some ways that can help:
1. Get together with another poet or two who's work you enjoy and workshop each other's poetry. There is an investment of time involved here, so don't be too demanding. It may involved coffee.
2. Feedback - listen to feedback about your work, solicit it if necessary (but casually, and ask different people). People are unlikely to be negative so listen to what they don't say as much as what they do. If I don't get positive comments about a piece, I assume it hasn't made an impact or is disliked. If lots of people are positive about particular poems, make a note to yourself and read these ones when you want to be seen at your best.
3. Courses - there are lots of creative writing courses around and some will be better than others - ask around amongst other writers who have been on courses to see which ones sound good to you before committing.
4. Read! Actually, this should be number 1. Learn from other poets - read their work, think about what you like and what works.
There are a lot of misconception around 'being published' amongst the uninitiated, and unscrupulous organizations or individuals that bank on that, so it is well worth doing some research before you submit work for publication.
Magazines Around the UK and the English-speaking world, there are literally (quite literarily) thousands of literary magazines which publish poetry. They vary widely in quality, etcetcetec and there will be different reasons for submitting to different publications.
Local Magazines Although they tend not to pay or reach the literary cogniscenti, are useful in that they raise awareness about you locally and help form bonds with other local poets. You may be invited to read at a launch event, or someone who has noticed your work may invite you to perform at a local gig - which is good on your CV if nothing else.
Web-based zines They are often more likely to pay for contributions because they have lower overheads, and they add to your web presence. But here again it is important to send only your best work as the internet is a showcase and when someone Googles your name you want them to see your best!
Publishers Be wary of organisations that offer to publish your collection. There are several credible publishers nationally, more locally - often linked to local literary magazines - but you must do some research before committing. Local poetry organisations like DGPS can advise on whether a particular poetry publisher is known to them. A web search should give some clues, but the biggest clue is - do they want you to pay for the privilege? Because there are so few poetry publishers and because most poetry books are sold by the poet at their gigs, self-publishing is not as frowned upon in the poetry world as it is in fiction, but if you are going paying to get a book out, you need to be clear about this and it is almost certainly going to be a better deal for you if you do it yourself through a friendly local printer.
NEVER
NEVER
...pay someone to publish your work, unless you are self-publishing and have done all your research.
If it is good they should be paying you.
If it is not good, being published in Vanity Press may impress friends and relatives but doesn't get you any further.
I'm not saying that your work is no good if it is accepted by one of these organisations, that's the sad part - good work is accepted along side the crap, tainting your efforts and preventing your poem being accepted by more prestigious publications.
(One exception - most competitions require a small entry fee - see below)
I am fortunate enough to have won or been placed in several reasonably-respectable competitions. Winning competitions is simultaneously random good fortune and the product of a great deal of behind-the-scenes effort. For every win there will be dozens of losses.
Very few competitions are free to enter and again I would recommend checking the credentials of the organisers. All you can do is decide how much you can afford to throw away on the chance of success, select you best poems and choose competitions which (a) you think you have a good chance of winning and (b) ones that would be very prestigious to win. (a) because any win is good. I look at the following when deciding: Prestigious? Winning an important prize would give you real kudos and publicity, adding to your poetic CV. Local? These tend to attract fewer entrants, reducing the odds against you, and a win would build your local reputation Prizes? The more prizes, the better the chance of winning one! This is my theory. Lures me into the National every year. Themed? Again, a theme may reduce the number of entrants and if you have specifically relevant poem that is great! Charitable? Sometimes charities hold competitions to raise funds - so the fee is a charitable contribution rather than a loss! Other considerations - I always enter free ones as you're not losing anything. In fact, my most prestigious win was free to enter, and the winnings paid for everything else I've ever entered!!
Reasons not to enter particular competitions: high fee but low value prize, dodgy clauses where the organisers get to publish entrants' work later for nothing,
The biggest dilemma can be if you have been 'shortlisted' or commended and, although you haven't won anything, they want to print your entry in the winners anthology or online. It's up to you, but I would base my decision on (a) was it one of my best poems - and could therefore win something else if sent elsewhere, (b) is the publication or website is prestigious enough for this poem, (c) are they trying to charge me for a copy? (In which case they're making money from mugs - see above). The least you should expect is a contributor's copy.
Historically, I was flattered enough to agree on one occasion, but they did try and charge me for the book and I refused to buy one. Later, I was sorry I'd allowed it to be published as I think I could have done something else with it and they're kept the title on the website forever which stops this happening. On another occasion, I submitted to an anthology and the same thing happened, but this time i said no... but later I was sorry because there is a limited market for comedy poetry and being in an anthology goes on the CV.
- National Poetry Competition
- Women's Poetry Competition
- Bridport Prize
- Ledbury Poetry Competition
- Poetry London Competition
- Feile Fioliochta International Poetry Competition
Where to find lists of competitions:
Kudos - newsletter & website with details of writing competitions and other opportunities etc
Prizemagic - free website with entertaining listings of poetry comps
MsLexia - women's writing magazine, also has listings on website, but not as thorough
Writing is a lonely life, especially for poets (poetry being sometimes perceived as pretentious, humourless and too intellectual) and although there are now many very good online networks, I don't think anything can match getting out and about and meeting other poets.
The big revelation for me when I first went to an open floor, was that there were other people like me, enjoying what I enjoyed, enjoying the words. I loved finding myself part of a community I hadn't been aware of. Over the years, being part of this community has led to great friendships, lots of advice and support and many opportunities.
Getting known out and about can lead to collaborations, the opportunity to take part indifferent projects and, if you're good enough, gigs!!
If you don't have a track record, start by having a presence locally. Thanks to the internet, it's easy enough to find out where local poetry nights are. Get a reputation for being reliable - it's fun to wrong-foot an audience, it's fun to experiment with styles and characters, but a paid gig is not the time or the place unless (a) you're completely confident you can pull it off or will be forgiven if you don't or (b) you'll never be there again and they won't tell anyone.
It is a good plan to get involved in local networks, become part of local poetry organisations and let it be known that you are keen to get more involved.
If you are invited to perform anywhere, whether you're being paid or not, treat it professionally. Turn up when you're supposed to, do what you're asked, keep to time, be as good a you can be - you never know where it may lead. You don't know who is in the audience, you don't know what other events the organisers are planning or who else they know who might ask for recommendations. I have been involved in organising various events and I've seen good poets missing out on paid gigs because they are perceived as unreliable because they didn't turn up on one or two occasions, overran at a previous event or are not self-censoring enough to risk before a family audience!
When you're famous none of this will matter.
My first gig
This is one of my favourite (true) tales, something that happened when I hadn't been performing very long: I was planning a holiday to USA and thought it would be interesting to attend an open floor there.
I checked the web for local groups and poetry nights where I was going. That's how I got in touch with Dana who ran an open floor night in Las Vegas. She asked to see some poems and offered me a longer, 'guest' slot because I had come all that way!!
It wasn't on the Strip and there was no payment, but I can genuinely claim to have had a gig in Vegas!! Another friend did this in San Francisco, and there have been poets from New Zealand, Canada and the States who have performed here in Liverpool in the same sort of way - so, the world is your lobster!