LitNet Poetry Book To Be Published!!

[desiresjab]

Wouldn't it be a great idea? The thread title is just an attention getter, but it needn't be merely that.

I propose a book comprised of the best poems of LitNet members be assembled and shopped for traditional publishing.

There should be nothing democratic about it, except the freedom to submit. An editorial board, consisting of myself and a few others would make the selections.

LitNet may want to sponsor the project but might also want to recuse itself from the selection process to avoid the wrath of disappointed members. If a book of truly world class poetry could be assembled, it would be quite the promotion for the site, and might launch a few poetic careers.

As one reviews the poetry in various threads, separating diamond from river rock, it occurs that some of the better poets probably have much deeper pockets than they have shown. If this is actually the case, there might indeed be enough for a decent sized volume of world class poetry, say around a hundred poems.

All poems must meet the highest standard. It is important that the volume be stellar. A pretty good volume of poetry is of interest to no one. Only a great one is. It does not matter if forty poets or ten poets are represented. The only thing that would matter is that every poem meet the standard of "As good as anything going right now, maybe better."

Let me know what you think, moderators, members, owners, poets.

[YesNo]

I think it is a good idea. I don't know what you mean by "traditional publishing". That assumes you have a publisher. Without a publisher, a feasible project would be periodic ebooks with print on demand options. Rights would revert to the authors after publication.

[desiresjab]

I think it is a good idea. I don't know what you mean by "traditional publishing". That assumes you have a publisher. Without a publisher, a feasible project would be periodic ebooks with print on demand options. Rights would revert to the authors after publication.

Yes, another mind will handle that aspect of it. The reason I like the idea of traditional publishing, is that it really does carry more authority, and one could become accepted rather than be blacklisted from it, by publishing a traditional book instead of joining the "traitors" that no one reads poetry on anyway.

[desiresjab]

No need to be shy, folks. Look at the proposal of the thread title as an opportunity to finally get yourself registered and become a member here, instead of lurking in the shadows anonymously. I see two or three members at a time on air and a couple of hundred wall flowers, most of the time.

I will nominate Loki and Yes/No as co-editors. They are two I know of who each have at least two poems I believe meet the high standard, so I would have confidence in their opinions. A small committee is better than a large one, with a unanimous vote required for selection, rational arguments of persuasion being not only permitted but expected.

Now, for the forum administration to jump on board and find us a famous publisher, fill our pockets with investment cash, or give the project a hearty public endorsement and--we'll be off!

[DieterM]

Funny, I've already been thinking the same thing for quite a while, too, albeit not with hopes of finding a "traditional" publisher for such a volume. But I've always thought there were so many mighty poets and so many powerful poems in the poetry thread that it would be a shame not to try such a thing. Of course, each individual poet must agree to her/his poem being included, but apart from that, I don't see why this shouldn't be done. I'm saying this because I've already succeeded in "pushing" one of our most talented authors into at least launching an ebook version of her poetry quite a while ago, and at last she yielded, and I did the layout for free because I simply wanted her to be "available" in book form. As for the "traditional" publisher, however, I'm not sure whether one would be interested (their goal is to sell, and poetry doesn't sell, alas). I've always opted for the easiest POD-option with no upfront paying from my part for my own poetry up to now (don't want to name the company I'm referring to as not to make publicity for them).

As for the overall idea, I think it's a fantastic project; if anyone's willing to do all that work of selecting and finding a publisher and and and, then: go!!!

PS: you might consider contacting two or three of the mods, too. And maybe post a thread with a link to this one in the "Personal Poetry" section, if that's not against the section rules…

[Danik 2016]

It´s a very good idea, but maybe I would leave it open of how many poems should be included. "The 100 best poems of LitNet" is a good round title but maybe on should concentrate on quality and variety first.

[desiresjab]

It´s a very good idea, but maybe I would leave it open of how many poems should be included. "The 100 best poems of LitNet" is a good round title but maybe on should concentrate on quality and variety first.

Leaving the number open would be sensible. 100 is a lot of smash hits. We need poetry so good that every page is a smash it. Even many renowned poets only produce them occasionally. Robert Graves probably never made the likes of another To Juan At The Winter Solstice. Beasts like Frost and Yeats crank out 20-40 and more of them. Many people may have one or a few, some a handful. Half a dozen great poems, as long as they are not all tiny, and a sufficent body of good work for them to reside in, should qualify anyone as at least a minor poet of note, since many recognized poets have built lofty reputations on far fewer. Some people fell into the right mileu. They taught at universities or had contacts at writing conferences or got a toe in the door through a friend with a reputation. They're a hell of a guy to drink with.

The book should not be all short poems, but not any over long ones, either. Around a hundred lines is probably the upper limit, but you never know what might come in. There are a lot of approaches.

A book of themed poetry is out of the question, if we want the highest quality. It is a good idea, but asking too much. We will be fortunate to reach our number of poems, lines or pages without restricting ourselves.

The process has to be done in secret. We cannot let the poems fight it out on the open forum, or what is the use of publishing a book? Some will have appeard on the forum before, some will have authors who have posted other poems or is a member. Updates can be posted and discussions generated.

It has to have the flavor of an anthology, a lot of sweep and scope. There is almost nothing better than going through an anthology of high quality poetry and finding the ones that really pound you.

[Lokasenna]

I like the idea very much, and would certainly have no objections to some of my material being included (should any be deemed worthy enough).

While I'm flattered to have my name mentioned as a co-editor, I'm afraid I would have to decline. I've been an editor in the past, and swore never again! Editing is an enormous time-sink, and I'm not sure at the moment I've got anywhere near enough spare time to commit to it.

[YesNo]

I think DieterM would be a good editor since he has experience with producing a book. One would need to have the owners of this site agree to use the name "Literature Network" as part of the project.

My view is that this should be an ebook with a print on demand hard copy. The poems would be selected democratically by having each poet submit five and then we would vote on them with a thread for each poet. Only poems with a certain amount of votes would be in the final book. That is how it was done with the short story contest and it would make it more of a lit net project.

[desiresjab]

I strenuously object to voting and democracy. I do not want to be part of anything that contains medicocre poetry because someone's feelings would have been hurt. That is baloney. You cannot assemble a first rate book of poetry smash hits like that. It has to be the best stuff, and only the best stuff period.Why produce anything else?

Everybody send in 5 poems, and you are going to get a book of smash hits that way? If the book is full of medicore poems, who is it supposed to promote? LitNet would sure be proud to have their name on that piece of garbage, wouldn't they? The project you are proposing would not be a thing more than a book of poetry produced by one of these vanity mills for old ladies who wrote a poem about their dog. The best of a mediocre poet is still mediocre. We love everyone, but we cannot have that. Failing in the selection process does not mean a poem was mediocre, it means the poem did not mean the standards of contemporary mastership, masterhood and mastrur... You see what I mean. Those are extremely high standards. No one need feel bad.

The selection committee should not be a democracy, either. Unanimous selections only. How else can you gaurantee quality? This means that as a member of the selection committee, I could be rejected myself, and would have no out but to accept the committee's decision. If one poet has ten poems chosen and another only has one selected, that is how best judgement went.

I don't know who DieterM is.

[Danik 2016]

Dieter M(Moitzi) posted in this thread just above me.

[desiresjab]

Dieter M(Moitzi) posted in this thread just above me.

I had not seen the gentleman post before. He seems to have some savvy all right.

[DonMany]

I think it's a great idea. Would make us put our best poetry forward, or write better poems.

[desiresjab]

Yes/No has not climbed aboard as an editor. The mods have not spoken either. I can see them biting their nails, for sometimes people really do fear success, as success changes what we are used to and comfortable with.

That's all right, mods, jump on the train. We will take you some place, and we are riding too. You can accept success. There may be prestigious prizes for the best hardback book of poetry of the year--I am not familiar with any prize structures--but a major prize would be one thing to keep in mind during assembly. If we are not shooting that high we are not shooting high enough, I believe. This is not a vanity book so everyone can show their grandchildren they were a published poet. This is as serious as it gets for poetry. We are coming.

[YesNo]

Smash hits are popular.