So you've decided to crown yourself with a title that a million other people (just like you (yes, just like you!)) give themselves every day. Some people believe giving yourself such a title is equivalent to, and just as beneficial monetarily, as naming yourself Queen of England. But, there is no grace, rarely enough publicity, and only the title of Court Jester seems to be becoming for you because you are a fool among others.
What is this sacred title? Poet.
Why does titling yourself a "poet" make you a Fool? Well, it doesn't, not in and of itself. But if you've only been published online, never in print-that could be a sign of your well-earned Fool status. To be blunt-that is a sign that you write bad poetry.
Why would these sites accept your work if it sucked, you ask? Maybe to raise their quota, maybe to get more submissions of the site's particular interest, but mainly to actually HAVE something to post-most (but not all) sites are desperate for submissions. Or maybe they're out for a profit. Come on, who among us HASN'T had something accepted by the National Library of Poetry, and then gotten all the brochures for expensive products featuring our work?
The Webmaster vs. Editor Problem: Go to any website, check it out. Can you find someone with the title of Webmaster? How about editor? Or, still yet, Webmaster AND Editor? A Webmaster does not, by any means, mean Editor. Simply because someone is a webmaster (someone who controls the site, updates the postings, etc. . . ) does not mean that the person is an EDITOR (someone who corrects the work, proofreads, re-writes, re-words, etc?) of the work posted on the site. In many cases, webmasters who are disguising themselves as editors are giving real editors a bad name. A webmaster, will too often post submissions "as is" and not give a damn about the content or presentation. However, if a site has someone who can both edit and be a webmaster then the site is moving in the right direction.
This is the main problem source. Building a website, and getting work "published" on a website is so easily done by anyone whether they have talent or not that it de-values the word "published" and lessens the role of an Editor.
Granted, the internet IS a great marketing tool for promoting your work, getting your name in the public's eye, and getting writing experience, but have you ever asked yourself why your work is ONLY published online? Perhaps it is because no discerning EDITOR has ever seen your dribbly poems, except in browsing the web for bad poems to laugh at.
Here are a few tips that will help you to get your work published online. Hey, I figured if you're going to be a fool about getting your unpolished work published on the internet for the world to see, I'd give a few tips to help your bad poetry stay that way, since you seem to like that way best:
14.Poems don't progress, that's the difference between a story and a poem. Poems aren't suppose to take you on a journey to learn.
If you follow these guidelines, and start writing, you will be a "poet" in no time. Remember that poetry HAS to rhyme, and remember that the less you practice the better you are.
Joking aside-you might want to try doing exactly opposite of the "tips" in the list. And, since many webmasters (who are titling themselves Editor) aren't doing their job, it's up to you to learn to edit your work before you embarrass yourself.
(This article is not commenting that ALL online poetry is not well-crafted. But the poorly crafted poetry far outweighs the well-written by a landslide.)
About The Author
Stephen Jordan, a Medical Editor in Greenwich, Connecticut, currently lives in New York City, has five years experience within the educational publishing industry. Stephen was a freelance editor with such educational foundations as Princeton Review, The College Board, New York University, and Columbia University. Away from the office, Stephen promotes his creative writing, painting, and his home-based freelance business OutStretch Publications. Stephen holds two Bachelor of Arts degrees in writing and literature from Alderson-Broaddus College of Philippi, West Virginia.
cheap limo service Lombard .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareQuite a few years ago, I enrolled in a Degree... Read More
Typically when falling asleep in bed at night great thoughts... Read More
I'm a writing fool! 2 book proposals, 1 user's guide,... Read More
No matter what you are writing, the first priority is... Read More
Or do you?Writers write. You shouldn't wait around for inspiration... Read More
People want information, they want it quick, frequently in short... Read More
1) Convince yourself you want to do something else. If... Read More
Have you been guilty of procrastinating on your book project,... Read More
If you are a serious writer who wants to publish... Read More
The dash--that curious mark of punctuation people use in their... Read More
Writing is a muscle that needs exercise to stay in... Read More
Maybe you should write a book! This is not as... Read More
Communication is effective when we follow certain rules. These rules... Read More
Taming the Book Proposal: The BasicsOh, that most maddening of... Read More
Sometimes there is confusion about the exact meaning of the... Read More
When most people consider writing a book, they don't think... Read More
During my 25-year career in a variety of professional positions... Read More
Beyond three and four act story structure, lies the Hero's... Read More
Working on my first humorous novel, I started with a... Read More
Is there a book inside of you? Yes? Then why... Read More
All writers should use a plan whether written or reflected.... Read More
Why is it that so many people don't take writing-as-a-job... Read More
As a freelance writer, it is important to present yourself... Read More
BAITED, BATEDBaited usually refers to traps or snares. When the... Read More
Writing can be more difficult that just compiling your thoughts... Read More
limo O'Hare Glen Ellyn ..Paulo Coelho was born on August 24th 1947 in Rio... Read More
Complaint letters aren't always fun, but sometimes they need to... Read More
|| Graphology & Graphotherapy ||Everybody wants to know more about... Read More
Nike's ad has taken on new meaning for me of... Read More
Having problems writing? I don't know why. San Francisco Chronicle... Read More
Open any book on 'how to write,' and somewhere you... Read More
Mindmapping is better than linear outlining because authors can use... Read More
You have just completed a draft of an article. It... Read More
What is a freelance grant writer? These individuals have a... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?Your theme has to be something you... Read More
Dr. Phil's Life Strategies, #1 New York Times Bestseller catches... Read More
Being a great writer is no longer enough if you... Read More
Les Edgerton writes in his book, Finding Your Voice, that... Read More
Human beings seem to be born with a gene for... Read More
Do you consider yourself a storyteller? Do you consider yourself... Read More
Using a ghostwriter to craft your free reprint articles and... Read More
Short Story Writing Tips ?We all have different tastes in... Read More
Be careful when you write.Words you use, sentences you phrase... Read More
When we write stories, with the purpose of sharing them... Read More
For those looking at the jobs listings for writers, they... Read More
All the famous writers I heard of could paper the... Read More
There is no doubt that a staff writer enjoys advantages... Read More
Kallu was a tenant of Santosh Kumar Nayak. Santosh Kumar... Read More
May I tell you about a writing technique shared by... Read More
There are many ways you can generate ideas you can... Read More
Writing |