A lot of folks come up to me after readings, seminars, and such asking about how to send their poetry in to contests or journals. I hear people saying that they don't know which contests are legit and which are money traps. They want to know some good, credible contests and journals and e-zines that are on the up and up.
One of the first things I tell them is to join a writers' or poets' group. It doesn't matter how much praise is heaped on your poetry by Grandma or your husband or your starry-eyed girlfriend if you don't get your work out there among some honest, subjective readers. Extra sets of eyes and ears are vital to the process of honing your work to a fine edge before you send it out with a check for $15 to the Pulitzer Prize Poetry Contest.
Once you have settled in with a group(brick and mortar or online), listen, read, comment, and learn from the dialogue. Develop a thick skin so you don't get hurt feelings or become discouraged and destroy your portfolio of verse. Read as much contemporary poetry as you can get your hands on. The library is a great place to start, as well as the internet. Write every day, even if only a line or two or a phrase that sticks in your mind. Carry a notepad and pen wherever you go to record ideas or details.
Being a poet is not a part-time job. If you are truly a poet, you are a poet 24 hours a day, every day. A poet is someone who sees things with a different eye.
Now, ask me about contests and journals, and we'll talk.
If you have comments, I have ears.
Write on!
