WHY TEENS WRITE POETRY

Teenagers write poetry for self expression, sharing feelings, thoughts and ideas and for all the same reasons that anyone else does. How is it different? Maybe it isn’t.
Teenagers may not have as many miles on them as adults, but their vision is sharper and their reflexes are faster. Sure, some people say their judgment is not as broadly based, but teens aren’t afraid to experiment. And in most cases they have a lot of things to experiment with that their parents didn’t have. Where their parents had dictionaries and encyclopedias, teenagers have the whole internet as well.

TEENS ARE READY TO WRITE VERY WELL

Teens have learned to read and have had a lot to read. They have lived at least 13 years in a very technological world with no memory of any other. They write about, and in, that technological world. They are comfortable with computers. They write a lot about relationships and a lot about fantasy. When teenagers write exercises for writing class, they often surprise themselves and their teachers with their insights and inventiveness. They also often surprise with their grasp of traditional forms of poetry. Teens have absorbed a great amount of the history and traditions of their communities. They help preserve and improve the world’s ideas and values. They have begun this process, and will continue as they quickly assume the full responsibilities of the adult world.

WRITE IT- SAVE IT. IN FUTURE YEARS YOU WILL BE AMAZED AT WHAT IT TELLS YOU BACK.

A common topic with many teens is the conflict between their world and the adult world. The teen poet helps define this often abrasive interface. In later years he also gets to see how well he predicted his own mature self. Hold onto anything you wrote when you were a preteen and you will have an even more valuable document of your maturation. What would a scribbled poem by a ten or fifteen-year-old Shakespeare be worth today?

WRITING IS NO MORE LIMITED THAN THINKING

When a teen sits down to write, he can of course write anything he thinks, but writing it makes it much more accessible to others. Reality is possibly the same for everybody, but imagination can be dangerous material. When you write it, anyone who sees the paper can see your thoughts. You may know, but others may not realize which thoughts are fantasy and which are real experiences or intentions. A teen who journals his thoughts in poetry or any form of writing should be aware that those written thoughts can be misinterpreted.

WRITING CLARIFIES YOUR THOUGHTS

On the other hand, putting thoughts on paper may make them clearer to the writer. Thoughts which come from the unconscious mind continue to grow even for the writer after they are put on paper or on the computer screen. When a poem is read to others, the poet may get responses that allow him to develop the thought much deeper and more extensively. Write another version if you are hesitant to change the original. If it is worth writing once it is worth writing several different ways and at different times in your life.

OTHERS TEACH YOU WHAT YOU MEAN

When you hear other people’s responses to your poems, you start to realize more about what you had written. Others may understand in a different way that expands on your assumed meanings. It may mean a different thing to each reader.

WRITING IS LESS PRIVATE THAN THINKING

Thoughts in your head are private, although some people may be able to see evidence of them in your eyes. If you write them on paper, they are only as private as the drawer or bulletin board they wind up on. Even poems posted on the internet may be fairly private; but can also unexpectedly explode into a very public form. If fame ever comes your way, every dumb thing you ever published or posted online may get dragged out. Don’t worry about it: write it!

CREATIVITY IS THE ABILITY TO BE NEW

It is very common for a teen to have a blindingly powerful idea and to feel it is completely new, only to find later that many other people had a similar idea. After a number of such experiences a teen writer may be afraid to publish certain poems and to suspect that a really new idea may be one that is probably common.

EXPERIENCE TEACHES WHEN THE IDEA IS REALLY NEW

Even when you write an idea that others have used, you are not likely to write it in exactly the same way. Ideas held in common by many people may be universal ideas worth preserving in many forms, or they may be untruths. Examine them and don’t be afraid to affirm or disagree with famous ideas. Creativity is a word often used but seldom understood well. There is a great book, now about fifty years old, but still fresh in its ideas. It explains a lot about creativity that is of use to any new or experienced poet. It is a valuable book to read in any phase of life.
The book is The Art of Clear Thinking by Rudolph Flesch ***.
*** Note: Amazon.com showed “The Art of Clear Thinking” as ‘out of print’.
HOWEVER, new and used copies of it can be found at: The BookFinder.com

DON’T BE INTIMIDATED: FOLLOW YOUR TEEN WRITING INSTINCTS

Although many teens write poetry, there are few hard copy publishers or contests which solicit specifically teen poetry. Teens must generally compete with adult poets, many of whom are college trained and educated. This may not be as much problem as it seems. A fresh approach may be plagued by cliches but also have stunningly brilliant insights. The intuitive mind of a teenager can be as much or more in tune with the subconscious source of creativity than any trained poet. Unsorted ideas may contain wealth just as river or ocean sand may contain gold.
Inexperience often contains the free thought of uninhibited creativity. Don’t be intimidated by adults who can find flaws in your poems. A serious critic can also find flaws in all the old masters. Take your strengths and weaknesses in stride, and write enthusiastically. Save it all and reread your lifetime output. If you give it a chance, it could grow in your lifetime to match any of the greats of poetic history. They were all teenagers once.

© 1999 Don J. Carlson

It is wise to spend a lot of time researching the background of each contest before handing over your entry fee or reading fee. Sales pitches come in many guises; and contests are certainly a favorite of marketers.

WHY IS THERE A READING FEE?

Poetry contests often charge what is called a reading fee. A reading fee, should go to the poet selected to read and evaluate the entries. It is possible to estimate the total paid to the reader if you multiply the fee by the probable number of entrants. A hundred entrants at twenty-five dollars per poet would provide twenty-five-hundred dollars for the reader. The reader in such a contest should be of sufficient stature to rate that kind of reading fee.

WHO BUYS THE PRIZE?

Some contests may offer enticements like a one thousand-dollar prize as well as publication to the winners. The cost of prizes may be included in the entry fee. Figure how many entrants it would take to make up a thousand dollars and you may get a clue to how long the contest will run or how much competition there will be. If you enter and then hear that the deadline for entries has been extended, you may guess that the contest really has no deadline and just extends it over and over to entice more ‘donations’ to the reader’s fee. Some contest awards are paid out of a foundation and some are paid by the entrants.

If you want to know about contests and their sponsors you may have to do a lot of research. You can check with The Poet’s Market and see what publisher sponsors each contest. You can expect a contest sponsored by a vanity publisher to be less prestigious than one sponsored by a university press or a mainstream publisher. The contest is likely to have characteristics similar to its sponsor. A vanity press which exists by the money it makes from poets directly will be less desirable than a contest sponsored by a foundation that collects nothing but poetry and does not charge a fee but does deliver a publication award to winners.

DON’T BE ENTICED BY BIG FEES OR PRIZES ALONE
Some contests list big fees because big fees may make the contest seem more important. It is not necessarily so. An award from a significant contest is much more lasting than an award from a vanity publisher’s contest. Some of the most prestigious contests may be entered by invitation only, and have no fee. Vanity publishers also may ‘invite’ you to enter. Remember to check out the sponsor’s credentials.
Submitting to uninvestigated contests is expensive and very chancey. There are some contests, like some publishers, who will not like what you have to offer. It is important to learn to identify these. You can learn much more quickly through publishing than you can by starting with contests. Editors are more likely to give feedback. Constructive feedback is a clue that your poems have actually been read and considered. Even hostile feedback means you have connected with the editor. If a contest is offerd by a publisher who has published a lot of your work, you may have a much better chance of winning.

KNOW THE JUDGES!

Chances of winning are not based on excellence as much as on the preferences of the judges. You should not unnecessarily berate yourself if you do not win. If your favorite ten poets entered a contest, only one of them would win. Somehow, Shakespeare, Poe and Bly might lose to an unknown. In entering contests it is usually a good idea to present your best work rather than trying to entertain the judges. Knowing the judges can help understand what poems have a chance in their contests. If you know the names of the judges you should read some of their recent poetry. Don’t think you know a judge from reading a single poem or book. The book may be an earlier work or one the judge has outgrown. It may be a very small and nonrepresentative example of his or her writing. If you can read a magazine interview with the judge, you may learn some cues as to which poems to submit. When you know a little about the judge, you may decide it is better not to waste your time and postage; or you might be greatly encouraged to try. Remember that poetry is a very complex art, and each judge will have preferences for certain devices and techniques. Measuring an art form is always subjective to a large degree.

ADD UP THE FEES

For most writers the fee for a contest is an important consideration. It is easy to find a lot of poetry contests on the internet or in writer’s magazines.

It is wise to evaluate the contests by reading their affiliated sponsoring publications. Also, learn about their judges before counting out your money for fees. Many of the best contests have no fees at all.

If you intend to submit poems to contests with fees, you may need to budget your money for a few of the most likely prospects. The likely prospects are the contests with the best benefits for the winners at the lowest fee and most likely to want your poems.

FOLLOW THE SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Always read the submission guidelines carefully before entering a contest. You may find that there is a condition you cannot meet. It is better to find this out before you submit than to discover it after waiting two to six months for a response. You will have wasted postage as well as valuable time. Try to read between the guidelines. Every word often contains useful clues. When I enter contests I read a number of contest guidelines over and over and cull out the ones that don’t appeal to me or that I can’t meet. A few extra minutes at this stage can be very helpful in your search for the right contest.

SOME CONTESTS COME WITH A FAST PITCH

Some contests are just attempts by marketers to get names for their mailing list or marketing pitches. Advertising and promotions can be useful, but they can also side track you from more productive approaches to promoting your writing. After you have been approached by such a marketing expert, you will learn to distinguish them from serious promoters of poetry.

REMEMBER THE GOOD GUYS AND THE BAD GUYS

Be aware that some contests are not intended as opportunities for the writer but opportunities for the sponsor to sell services or products to the writers. There are, however, contests that are a service to writers, provided by people who really do care about poetry and excellence. Start to develop awareness of the earmarks of each of these approaches and learn from other writers as well as from your own experience. If you attend writers’ workshops or classes, ask the instructors questions about how to identify serious or bogus publishers and their contests.

READ BOOKS AND E-PAGES

Don’t hesitate to read what has been written about contests by experienced knowledgeable people. Your library and bookstores are full of useful material. Use your search engines and bookmarked pages on the Internet. Bring up the topic on your favorite writer’s chatrooms or newsgroups. Just don’t jump into contests without preparing yourself for the scams that can turn you off and interfere in your attempt to gain recognition. There are a multitude of good reputable sponsors and contests. If you seriously pursue your craft you will find them and benefit from them as well as all your other poetic enterprises.

© 1999 Don J. Carlson

AREN’T THERE UNHAPPY POETS?
There certainly have been some unhappy poets, but even the unhappy ones were richer because of their poetry.
Don’t despair that your poetry is all of a type. Poets, like artists, have periods or phases in their lives and work.
It is important to save all your writing so you can learn to see these phases in yourself.
1999 Poet’s Market
Click For Book Info.

EXPECT CUTTING CRITICS AND SUPPORTIVE FRIENDS
People write, asking whether they should publish their poetry. They often write about the cutting comments by some critics and the encouragement by friends. But critics are known for their cutting and friends for their their support. Poets write what is in them to write, and it almost always has a readership.
If I ask people whether they like Mexican food I will get many responses, but if I ask Mexicans if they like Mexican food, they will look at me as if I am nuts. They know that each Mexican family has preferences that do not allow for the stereotyping generalization. If I look at the real world I will find many kinds of restaurants; and people choose them all.

DO YOU WANT TO EXPRESS YOUR FEELINGS OR IDEAS,
OR DO YOU JUST WANT APPLAUSE?
If I intend to start a restaurant in my town, or publish my poems in my local newspaper, I need to know the town and the newspaper, or to know myself and take my chances. But the restaurant that would fail in my home town might do very well in another town.
If I just want to cook for people, I am more likely to find acceptance from my children. There are few people who wouldn’t eat Mom’s or Dad’s cooking. There are few relatives who won’t at least read a poet’s poems.
1999 Guide to Literary Agents
Click For Book Info.

YOU DON’T HAVE TO SATISFY THE WHOLE MARKET, JUST FIND A HOME FOR YOUR POEMS
If you want to express yourself in poetry, it does not matter as much how it fits into the market. It is your honest expression for anybody who cares for the same things.
If on the other hand you want to sell fifty-thousand copies of your book, you may have to learn more about marketing strategies or just strike it lucky, randomly writing what some publisher wants to promote at the moment. Succeeding with such a random approach is about as likely as getting struck by lightning. But if you want to be struck by lightning, it helps to get out in the rain. If you have a book manuscript you will need to have knowledge of how to seek out the appropriate publisher and sell your idea.

DID I SAY SKILL IS NOT IMPORTANT?
You will have a much greater chance of selling books if you have skills in the established techniques of writing poems. Don’t let the lack stop you. Everyone starts with many deficiencies. Everyone has a chance of developing skills. You have to start with your own reasons and motivation and pick up other elements along the way. You don’t need all the skills. Like the restaurant analogy, everybody serves a different part of the market.

DON’T LET SOMEBODY ELSE
MAKE ALL THE RULES FOR YOUR WRITING
You are out to enrich your own life through poetry; and it will work if you write what is important to you and then work to improve it your way. After you have written, you need to find people who value the same things you do. They will publish your work. If you find them, they will provide further guidance and encouragement far beyond the criticism you may fear. Identifying the publishers who hate your work will teach you how to avoid them in the future. You may also pick up some tips from them.
Writing Poetry : And Getting Published
Click For Book Info.

EXPECT FRIENDS IN PUBLISHING: THERE ARE PEOPLE LIKE YOU, JUST WAITING FOR YOU TO COME ALONG
You should be aware of the difference between an editorial response that is generally discouraging and one that is generally encouraging. The encouraging one although it rejects this batch of poems may be an invitation to submit more. The discouraging one may be a sign you should not waste your time pursuing that particular publisher. Both of these are helping you zero in on publishers who will like what you write.
Remember that most poets and editors are interested in good poetry and in helping writers improve. They are all delighted by a well-written poem that says something they would have liked to say.

READ WIDELY: KNOW THE TERRITORY
Remember that some ideas are almost universal. These ideas intrigue many writers. Some people think they have an original idea when they are just remembering the words of a song they have heard recently. Read poets who have interests in common with you. Get familiar with their writing; and discover how to say something that is very individual to you. If you are saying a well-known truth, try to say it in a new way. The golden rule has been restated by thousands of poets in their own words as has the saying, ‘seize the day.’ There is a vast storehouse of ‘seize the day’ poetry. Feel free to add yours, but don’t think you invented the words, ‘wake up and smell the roses.’ You will probably find that there are many parodies of such phrases.
A great poet is first a voracious reader. If you intend to get serious about writing poetry, start collecting and reading books of poems. Nobody else will tell you about the territory, you must explore it yourself.
The Self-Publishing Manual : How to Write, Print and Sell Your Own Book
Click For Book Info.

DON’T WAIT: POETS OFTEN WAIT TOO LONG BEFORE PUBLISHING
Publishing should not be considered an end, or only for the accomplished poet. It should be seen as an integral part of every poet’s development. Publish as soon as you can. Editors will provide valuable insights into subtle problems with the writing, and tips on where to go next. Following the exercises in a college textbook is a valuable pursuit for a developing poet. A class is even better. If you see yourself as an experienced poet, you can still take a class. In poetry, the experienced poet is always a new learner; and every new learner can learn more by teaching his ideas to others.

COME ON IN: THE WATER’S FINE
The line of demarcation is not only between good and bad poets but between active growing ones and static frozen ones. Someone perceived as a great poet one year can be seen as badly dated in just a few years if he does not grow in his work. A really great poet is timeless. It is not necessary to be able to read the future; just to say something that is important to you. You do not need to worry about whether the future will agree. Limericks are as popular as Shakespeare. Who really knows whether Green Eggs and Ham will last as long as Jabberwocky or longer? Every classic poem was once new and untested just like all your unwritten and unpublished poems.

RECOMMENDED READING:
The Directory of Poetry Publishers : 1998-1999 (14th Ed)
by Len Fulton (Editor)

How to Publish Your Poetry : A Practical Guide
by Peter Finch

Publishing Poetry
by Judson Jerome, Flee Kenn

© 1999 Don J. Carlson

REMEMBER IT IS A WORLD WIDE WEB:
IT IS TO AND FROM THE WHOLE WORLD
Publishing on the World Wide Web is as varied as print publication and growing rapidly. To write about it, is to run the risk of being made obsolete as you write, but here goes:

BEWARE THE INTERNET
Publishing on the internet is a lot like posting your poems at the laundromat. People who are not familiar with copyright law are there in abundance, along with people who know and care about such intellectual property rights. It is not really as bad as it seems, however, because it is also possible to copy anything down at the public library. The difference is that it is already in print and protected by a dated copyright if it is at the Public library.

If you post a poem on the internet and you have not previously had it published in a book with a registered copyright, you might have trouble proving that it was originally yours. One solution to practice is to include notice of your name and copyright claim, and immediately print it out from the net as soon as you post it there, whether at a chatroom, email or posting board. Your printout will have the date on it. If it does not also have the time, it might be wise to write that down on the page as soon as you have printed it out. Such printouts can be kept in a looseleaf book as a future reference.
EZINES
Many poetry ezines require poets to follow submission guidelines, as do print magazines. An electronic magazine is easier to change and can often be changed to correct mistakes while the current month’s edition is still online. It could conceivably be changed and updated like a webcam on a constant basis. Most ezines are published once a month and edited before they go online. Such a magazine is a large undertaking; and the producers go through the process only once each month.

Poems submitted to an ezine are usually studied by the editorial staff and screened for adherence to the requirements of the publication. Like literary magazines, some publish many kinds of articles and others publish only poems. Some stay online for a long period of time with few or no changes and others die and disappear from the net, never to be heard of again. A web ezine may be as varied as a home page; and the web shows vast evidence how varied a home page can be.

BULLETIN BOARDS
Bulletin boards are web pages where poems may be posted by web surfers. Some are open to anybody, and some require a password and/or permission from a moderator, in order to post poems or comments. Some are very active, and others very slow. They may have regular patrons, or newcomers constantly coming and going. Bulletin boards or Poetry Boards or Posting Boards are a very good way to get to know some of the poets on the net and get feedback on your own poems. Some are friendly and some are not. You can read posting boards for a few days before trying to post your own writing. This gives you a feel for the action before you jump in.

NEWSGROUPS
A newsgroup is very similar to a bulletin board with the exception that you always need to subscribe in order to post notices. Sometimes the subscription is simply a matter of telling your computer to list the newsgroup as active on your computer. Other newsgroups require you to write an email to a given address to be able to read or post. You can be a lurker on newsgroups and respond to individual posters by email privately or you can post your own notices on the board. There are poetry newsgroups where you can learn what is being discussed on the internet about poetry. Read the rules (FAQ) of the newsgroup before attempting to post your own notices.

HOME PAGES CAN DISPLAY YOUR WORK BEAUTIFULLY
Many poets have home pages; and they often publish poems by like-minded poets on these pages. Some home pages have sound files that play when you load. If your computer is not compatible with these midi files you may find your internet connection will crash when you encounter such files.

TIPS ON TROUBLESOME COLOR PROBLEMS
Graphics can enhance the appearance of a web page, but may also make it so slow loading that potential viewers will lose patience and go away. Background textures can also be distracting and destroy the readability of the text. Colors must contrast from light to dark to be easily readable. There is a problem called color vibration that can be very annoying. It happens when opposite colors of similar intensity are next to each other. Blue next to orange for example makes the line where the two colors meet seem to vibrate; and the words become nearly impossible to read.
Also, a color like yellow against white can become invisible. You must be careful to not change your colors to white against white or blue against blue, as you can lose a file. The computer will know where everything is but you won’t. Always have your foreground color contrast strongly with your background color. If you don’t understand this, but intend to experiment, be sure to keep a backup file of everything in black and white.

Order your copy of
“The 10 Minute Guide To HTML” Today!
Some poetry pages are anthologies provided by the people who created the pages. Some are long files of poems that can be read straight through like a print poetry volume. Others are menu driven only; and you have to go back and forth from the menu page to one poem and then back to the menu page to access another poem. This can be very complicated and slow if you just want to read a lot of poetry. The third option is a page which can be accessed from a menu of titles that lead you to any given poem, but in which you are also allowed to scroll up or down from any point through the whole file of poems.

CHATROOMS LET YOU DISCUSS YOUR POETRY
There are several kinds of chatrooms where you can type comments or speak into a microphone to converse with other poets. Some chatrooms update every few seconds and others have to be updated by clicking one link to post and another to read. Chatrooms are changing rapidly; and all levels of the technology are scattered around the net. To learn more about a chatroom, link one and read its instructions or contact a chatroom connected to your favorite poetry ezine or bulletin board.

EMAIL OTHER POETS ON THE WEB
You can contact almost anyone you find on the net by email. There are email links on web pages and ezines. Newsgroups list email addresses routinely so you can contact participants. Poets exchange comments and poems with other poets this way and often develop great friendships with other web poets.

NEWSPAPERS
If you want to promote your writing, you must try to become known at home as well as nationally or internationally. Until you try you won’t know whether your natural readership is the home crowd or a distant one. If you have time to spend promoting your work, definitely examine the local options. Newspapers look for poetry as filler. They have to fill every column every day. They must have a great amount of material that is flexible enough to fit any given blank spot in the page as it is being made up. Read the poems published in your local paper to see what the editor seems to prefer. Don’t assume that he has no wider latitude than what you have seen in print, but be careful about going too far afield.

NEWSLETTERS
There are many businesses who have small newsletters in your town. If you have a lot of writing that you think could have popular appeal to their readers, go to such businesses and meet their newsletter editors. Take some samples of your work with you. If you get accepted by one of these newsletters, learn more about their business and try to write a few poems specifically for them. Don’t be too disappointed if they don’t see the value in all of them. Always think a little about the rejections you receive and reexamine your first assumptions about the publisher.

READINGS
To get yourself prepared to do readings, first try to find a group of poets who meet to read their poems to each other. There may be a poetry club at a local school or college. Check to see if guests are welcome at their meetings. Start by reading one or two poems at a meeting and listening to the readings and comments by the other participants. If you can become accepted at such an organization, you may find that reading opportunities will come along with your participation.

Offer to do readings locally at schools, colleges, senior centers, civic clubs and churches. When you think you are ready to start doing readings, select a group of poems you think is appropriate for each type of audience and read in front of a mirror. When you are ready, go to a school for example and take a sample of ten poems along. Talk to the principal about what teachers he/she thinks might be interested, or ask to visit with teachers of communications skills or English, then meet the teachers one at a time.

READING FOR SENIOR ADULTS IS A VALUABLE OPPORTUNITY
At the senior center, talk with the activity director about your interest and willingness to provide a presentation of poetry. Pay is likely to be low or none for such an event; but the experience of seeing the response of mature people to your poetry is of great value. Nursing homes are another option that may be even more demanding as there is a wider range of responses. Some people may seem completely unresponsive until you have finished and then surprise you with a favorable response. Residents may not waste their energy applauding, but will willingly tell you their impressions later. After you have finished, go around and talk with each of the residents who attended.

COLLEGES HAVE BUDGETS
If your poetry is ready for readings at colleges or junior colleges you may find a varied response from the students, but better pay, as colleges have budgets for such activities. You may read in a noisy lunchroom or an assembly hall. The pay may be the same for both.

ARTS CENTERS AND ARTS COMMISSIONS
If you want to do poetry reading and writing workshops, check your state arts commission. They may subsidize your presentations by matching funds so you can charge the school or city arts center less, and still earn the same amount for your presentation. If your city has an arts center or an adult education center you may be able to affiliate with it.

© 1999 Don J. Carlson