Hi, I have just joined WW and am trying to get to know the field of writing for publication. Having recently decided to enter this world, I am stil learning the ropes and am gradually growing that proverbial rhinocerus skin that will shield me from my interaction with agents, publishers, and the like.

Specifically, I have written a fantasy story in the form of a freestyle poem. It is almost 60K words long and involves warrior poets, agents of darkness and ignorance, mirror spheres, and haunting spectres. I have gotten some encouraging feedback from friends and writers about the content but am being told that there is no future in the field of saga poetry itself and that I should rewrite it in the form of prose. I might take up the challenge, but even if I do so I would still like to publish the poem as is, for it contains a certain kind of element that I believe should not be sacrificed.

What do you think about I could do with this poem? Is there any place I could take it or any channel I could follow of which I am not aware of?

Here is an excerpt from the manuscript to help you get a feel for it.

A cast of shells are protruding in the blue and white
Expansive pool
Of ancient dreams and interwoven
Cultures and beliefs,
In the sea of middle earth,
Where Atlantis was given birth before
She perished into myth
And vanished from the known horizon,
Becoming a lithography imprinted
On the minds of the romantics...

Hi Victor, I like the idea of your fantasy story, the mirror spheres and haunting spectres! Couldn't get much of a feel for it from the extract you've quoted - but I think I share your friends' doubts re. whether it would work as a long poem.

Why not try rewriting part of it as prose, then post both the poetry and prose versions up for comment on WriteWords?

Frances

Thanks Frances.

Would you read a long poem if it were presented like prose?

I think that would depend on how well it had been translated into prose - which I suppose would involve some 'bulking out'!

Frances

hi victor

i have to say that i agree with your friends. you don't say how long you've been writing and what if any experience you've had with the small presses and lit mags; i mention this because they are your first hunting grounds in the poetry world. you need to buy, suscribe and borrow them from wherever and research the poetry market. only then will you see how hard the trek will be for normal-sized poems. i'm a poet and even i balk at long stuff...i usually won't read anything longer than a page, and if i see loads of abstract nouns and adjectives i don't read...i'm afraid.

i also agree with the other idea of working the story into prose. it sounds as if it would be a great tale. you don't have to do anything with your poem right now, just put it away...it will always be there.

good luck with it.

irene

please forgive me for butting in, and feel free to ignore anything i say. i'd like to hear how you get on. will look forward to reading.

I have no exposure to what is out there. I just take the pen and draw away.

What kind of mags or press would you suggest I look into?

hi victor

get hole of a copy of 'writer and artists' year book'. there is a whole section in there about poetry presses and literary magazines...advice on sending work out. most of these mags are subscription only, so you would have to fill in a little form and subscribe. ask around writer's groups and friends in case they have any. each mag will give you names of others...and so it goes on. but what you need now is to look around and see what is being published...or even what is being written here, for example. don't be in too much of a hurry to publish. join the poetry group and have fun. also fiction...just see what other people are doing.

irene

<Added>

'get HOLD of a copy'

Will do. Having fun seems a bit hard when trying to get things out there but I guess this is part of what writing can teach: to pace yourself and have fun. If only I weren't such an A type personality. Sometimes I wonder why I left the world of business and exchange in the first place, but hey... life is paradoxical.

Thanks for the advice Irene

Welcome to the site, Victor.

Your story sounds interesting and I liked the excerpt but I'd also agree with your friends. Knowing how difficult it is to either have a novel published and/or have poetry published by mainstream publishers I'd be tempted to rewrite your story in prose.

Poetry anthologies don't sell well unless you're 'a name' - something to bear in mind. I also think that if it's poetry it should be written as poetry. Writing it as prose won't convince anyone it is actually prose.

That said Vikram Seth wrote a novel in verse, The Golden Gates' (and I've a feeling Simon Armitage did too - you'd have to check that though) so it can be done. But those two did have a history, a reputation and a following; not essential but they help.

Hope I've not sounded too negative.

Best of luck with it.

Nik.

PS Why not join one of the poetry or the Fantasy groups here on WW. you'd be most welcome.