Calling All Writers
Join For Free, Promote Your Book,
Meet Other Writers, Share Your Writing!
Tell a friend Print this page Bookmark this page
Book Publishing
What's Going On:
- Needing Book Reviewers Our free book review program is expanding to the point where we need new book reviewers. Sign up today and don't miss out on a chance to review one of our fabulous Independent books.
- CNN.com Mentions Nothing Binding Our community was mentioned recently in an aritcle on CNN.com, check out the link at the NBlog.
- New Writers Forums We have launched our new Writers Groups Forums, thank you to everyone who provided feedback and continue to give us ideas on how to improve.
How to make poetry a commercial succes
Posted on: Sat, 12/29/2007 - 23:59
How to make poetry a commercial succes
As a sometime poet myself, I appreciate poetry written with style and an ease of reading that's also meaningful. As a publisher, I expect poetry to touch me in some way, to have commercial potential, and to be written by authors/poets willing to market themselves.
One reason poetry is not a commercial success is that it's often too obscure for the ordinary person to read and understand. Regardless of how poets wrote in the past, today's verse must say something readers can relate to. It must have meaning. It must be able to stir emotion.
This is not to say it should not have meter and even rhyme occasionally. It should follow poetic structure of some kind. But today's poets need to know their readers; they must make their words tell a story, or paint a picture that anyone can appreciate. Using the paint and brush of words to soothe, stir, comfort, inflame -- whatever the goal of the piece is -- that's what today's poetry is all about. That's what poetry has always been about.
Janet Musick, Publisher
Tigress Press, LLC
__________________
Janet Musick
Publisher, Tigress Press, LLC
Senior Editor, B4Deadline
HERE IS A REVIEW I RECIEVED 2 DAYS A GO THAT SUPPORTS YOUR IDEA!
Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for ReviewYourBook.com
Many facets of love…
5 Stars!
In the introduction to Lemonade Street, Bernice Angoh describes the myth of fairytale love with a happy every after ending. Love, like all of life has its ups and down; too many people cling to the make-believe form of love. They do not know or ignore the fact that love brings exhilaration, pain, satisfaction, and sadly disenchantment. Prince Charming and his white horse does not come riding to the rescue, to sweep us off our feet and carry us into never-never-land. There is only one unconditional love, the love a parent has for a child, as demonstrated through the love the Father has for His children. Much of this charming work seems to revolve around a stunning little girl, whose photos add sentiment to the prose. "Now I Lay Me Down" speaks of a love that lasts through eternity. "Follow Me" spoke to me of the delight of holding my lover in my arms and reaching new heights with him. "Secrets" sorrowfully spoke of an adulterous affair. "23rd Psalm Revisited" is a beautiful interpretation of the beloved scripture. This book ends with a few quotes, my favorite is ‘Success is putting your prayers and dreams in action, with no excuses and no room for quitting,’ Bernice Angoh.
I must be honest; poetry is not my favorite form of literature. Too many times the meaning is so obscure that only the author truly knows the deep meaning of the verse, not so in Lemonade Street by Bernice Angoh. The prose is simple, original, and easy to understand, the emotions are genuine and heartfelt. Lemonade Street is a beautiful interpretation and celebration of the many facets of love. The love a parent has for a child, the love of a man and a woman, and the love that God has for us. It would be hard to chose a favorite, so many of these touched my soul. Some of these brought tears and some laughter ("Your Fly Is Open"). Well done MS Angoh! I highly recommend Lemonade Street to fans of poetry and to women everywhere. There is a message in this book that will touch the hearts of women.
Writer, Entreprenuer and Editor-in-chief, Ladies' Success Magaizne.
www.langoh.com
www.freewebs.com/berniceangoh
I agree with you completely. As a poet in an academic situation I find myself split between the experimental poetry advocated by many of the MFA programs and the strong narrative that my work has. Luckily, I am in a program that allows for individual expressions. My adviser even encourages the narrative streak of my work. I have written several papers advocating that poetry should speak to the "people" and not the Academy.
Poetry needs to speak to the reader in words and images s/he can understand and appreciate. I also believe that a poem by itself should tell a story and a collection taken as a whole needs to tell a story. This does not mean there cannot be many layers to the poem. Elizabeth Bishop has been able to do that. So has Elizabeth Alexander and Marilyn Nelson.
If you want the poetry to be commercially viable, it has to speak to a wide audience.