 Somebody asked me the other day if I thought there was really any point to trying to get your poems published. This is a good question, particularly nowadays when you can just upload anything you want to social media. I think there's a point to trying to publish your poems. In fact, several points. Here's some of them:
There are other reasons, but this should do for now. My advice is: submit your poems for publication! But be prepared for long response times and and unavoidable rejections. The best way to avoid rejection is to send your best, fully polished work to journals you want to publish in with a simple, short cover letter (or email). If you'd like some feedback on your poems, or want to get an edge in submitting to publications or contests, consider getting feedback, or a quick polish (or both) through one of the buttons below. Or simply send an inquiry to pitchblackpoet@yahoo.com I've also posted a lot of poetry tips, ideas, and exclusive access to my own poems over at my Patreon page. There's also unique pictures and access to my flash-fiction and occult writings. Please help me out by supporting me at Patreon!!! Thanks so much!! Categories All
0 Comments
 Your poems need to do more than survive out there in the harsh harsh world. You're not writing them just to get them done. You're making art and aiming to touch people deeply, possibly forever, with your work. Unfortunately many poets shoot themselves in the foot. They walk way out into the wilderness of publication and social media without taking along so much as a bottled water. And you need much more than that to simply survive, let alone become an influencer, a true artist of words. Here's three simple things you can do to prepare a survival kit for every poem: Get the rest of the tip by clicking the button below!!!! If you're not getting the kind of response you'd hoped for with your poems, or you want an edge in submitting to publications or contests, consider getting a quick polish through the button below or simply send an inquiry to pitchblackpoet@yahoo.com I've also posted a lot of poetry tips, ideas, and exclusive access to my own poems over at my Patreon page. There's also unique pictures and access to my flash-fiction and occult writings. Categories All  Think of the farthest place you've ever been...
Now try to express that place in a single sentence or image. Think of who might be there right now, think of who might be there later. What's the essence of this farthest place? Get the rest of the tip by clicking the button below!!!! If you're not getting the kind of response you'd hoped for with your poems, or you want an edge in submitting to publications or contests, consider getting a quick polish through the button below or simply send an inquiry to pitchblackpoet@yahoo.com I've also posted a lot of poetry tips, ideas, and exclusive access to my own poems over at my Patreon page. There's also unique pictures and access to my flash-fiction and occult writings.  Poets nowadays have a new objective: stop the scroll. It's not as easy as you might think. If you're using sexy pictures, crazy gifs, or exploding anythings to get attention for your poems, I've got news for you: it's not your poems people are looking at! Here's what you'll hear if people are truly reading your poems:
You'll also get a lot of shares, not just likes. You'll know in your bones when you've really touched people. You'll also know when you haven't. But here's the real problem: you might be capable of getting people's attention with your poems, but you've yet to master the art of stopping the scroll. This art is slightly different than the art of writing poetry. It's based on simple elements, but these elements are really hard to see and smooth out in your own poems because you're too close to them. Just like you often need another person's opinion about your outfit, hair, or overall look, it can really help to get outside insight into your poetry. If you're not getting the kind of response you'd hoped for with your poems, or you want an edge in submitting to publications or contests, consider getting a quick polish through the button below or simply send an inquiry to pitchblackpoet@yahoo.com I've also posted a lot of poetry tips, ideas, and exclusive access to my own poems over at my Patreon page. There's also unique pictures and access to my flash-fiction and occult writings. Categories All  Whether you're planning to submit your poems for publication, share them on social media, self-publish them, or enter them in a contest, you need to make sure you've taken care of three basic elements: 1) Grammar. A poem with even a single grammar mistake looks weak. People expect a lot from poems. One of the things they expect is that the poetry has a solid grip on basic grammar and spelling. If your poems even have minor mistakes in punctuation or spelling, the content and meaning of your poem may be wasted. 2) Attention Grabbing Title. You only have about 6 to 8 seconds to grab the reader's attention and keep it. Everything starts with your poem's title. Most unpublished poems I've read could use a title tweak. 3) Strong verbs. If you use dull action words in your poem, you'll bore the reader. On the other hand, if you're inventive, they'll keep reading to the last line. These are three of the most critical elements of your poems, but they're far from the only elements. There are dozens of other ways to polish your poems and make them stand out from the crowd. If you'd like some help with making sure your poems are on point before your post, publish, or submit them, use my Poem Polisher service. I can help you with fast, expert service! I've been averaging a less than 24 hour turnaround time for polishes. Your order includes a full polish for your poem plus a full work order detailing exactly what was done with your poem and evaluating specific areas. You'll also receive a personalized tip with every polish!! Send an inquiry to pitchblackpoet@yahoo.com OR use one of the buttons below! You can also support me over at Patreon and get a lot of poetry tips and personal services.... Categories All  I've been meaning to blog about silence and nothingness. These are two elements that every serious artist needs to master. Silence is the backdrop to every poem. You need to know how to make that endless emptiness work for you when you write. And sometimes it's not easy. Nothingness is where every poem begins. Perhaps, according to modern physics, where everything begins. If you can't fish the nothingness for art, then you probably should give up being a poet. It can be tough going to teach the silence and nothingness of poetry. Luckily for us, Dong Li's recent poem, "when it is time" from Plume: Issue #130 June 2022 is an ideal example for discussion. Read the poem by clicking on the picture above. So far as silence goes, the poem is masterful. In fact, you might say the poem rides on silence the same way a ship sails on the sea. This is interesting because it leaves the reader room to think and it also defies "weight." You feel a sense of freedom in reading the poem because it asks so little for you and gives back so much. So what's it giving? Other than the obvious moment of reflection and peace, the poem is actually a "confession" of the creative process. It tells you where art is born. These two lines are the heart of the poem: and you look back to the sky whose blue recalls all blues and what they do is cause the eye to sweep up and out of one's self. You become one of the "bridges" you've left behind. Art is the movement up and out of old blue into new blue. In the end, by diving deep into the sky, the artist becomes a magician: you wave your hand and it is becoming light who creates light out of nothing. Your job as an artist is to pull poetry "out of thin air." But to do so, you have to leave yourself behind. So read the poem very carefully and listen to its silence and recognize that silence as your forever collaborator in poetry, and one whose contributions are frequently overlooked. Please consider supporting the blog by sending a donation through PayPal to rainlight@husmail OR use the button below to make a unique contribution. @BlackstonDan Categories All  Did you know that every poem has a secret sentence? Furthermore, it's usually the case that even the poet doesn't know what it is... And to make matters even stranger, most poets hear or feel the secret sentence of a poem, like most readers hear or feel it, but promptly forget it like a dream. Here's what I mean. Get the rest of the tip by clicking the button below!!!! Categories All  @BlackstonDan Here's sneaky tip you can use to unstick yourself when you're trying to write a poem. It's very simple and extremely powerful, but you have to be careful not to overdo it. If you fall back on this spicy tactic too often it loses its sting. Get the full tip by clicking the button below!!! Categories All  @BlackstonDan When was the last time your wrote a poem with a pen and paper? Or a pencil and paper? If you said "Never" -- shame on you. There's nothing wrong with typing poems on your devices, but when you write by hand something specials happens. Get the full tip by clicking the button below!!! Categories All  Consider this post a double-tip, because what I'm about to tell you will not only improve your writing, it will get you writing and keep you writing. But be forewarned, this isn't a tip for the timid! You'll need some creative backbone to follow along. Ready? Get the full tip by clicking the button below!!! Categories All |
