March authors

The following authors' works have been accepted for publication as of 31 March 2006. Final due date is 1 Jan 2007.

Andrea Baker, NY
derek beaulieu, AB
Brandon Brown, CA
Sabrina Calle, CO
Joseph Cooper, CO
Michelle Cross, ON
kevin mcpherson eckhoff, AB
Jon-Patrick Fadely, GA
Jim Goar, KR
jUStin!katKO, OH
Jim Kober, AZ
Matthew Langley, PA
Tao Lin, NY
Emily Lloyd, DE
François Luong, TX
Tom O'Connor, NY
Craig Perez, CA
PR Primeau, RI
Marcus Slease, KR
Jessica Smith, VA
Logan Ryan Smith, CA
Justin Sirois, MD
John Stiles, UK
Andrew Topel, IL
Amish Trivedi, IA
Dana Ward, OH
Mike Young, CA
(27/27)

The Project

The scene of young/emerging poets has reached critical mass. Thus, we (John Sakkis and Jessica Smith) are editing an anthology of young poets who are working within a certain artistic sphere. Although, as you will see, the variety of aesthetic viewpoints is wide-ranging, the authors are loosely held together by social, academic, geographic, and historic commonalities. They influence each other without necessarily sharing specific formal traits. This plurality may result from the availability of the internet to these authors from an early age--geographical proximity is not as essential as it was for the SF Renaissance or New York School poets, for instance. The "politically correct" mantra of the 1990s almost certainly encourages the aesthetic diversity as well; poets can respect and be inspired by other poets who may seem to have nothing in common with them aesthetically. This scene is so diverse, geographically and aesthetically, that it requires rethinking the "anthology" as a genre. Our anthology will be a massive collection containing critical introductions, a sample poem from each author, and author biographies. It is not intended to familiarize a reader with the depth and breadth of any single author's work, but it is rather intended to provide a detailed record of the sheer magnitude, energy, and plurality of experimental poetry at the turn of the millennium.

The anthology will be released at the turn of the New Year, 2008, by Outside Voices. Click here to email the editors and/or submit work.

Update: John Sakkis has retired as co-editor.

Print Ads

You're welcome to download these and paste them wherever you want. More designs will be up soon, and depending on permissions & legibility they may change slightly. For a text ad, write: Outside Voices 2008 Anthology of Younger Poets, edited by John Sakkis & Jessica Smith. Submit work to poetry2008@gmail.com or visit outsidevoices.org for more info

Editorial Board

Main Editors
Jessica Smith

I will be responsible for final selection, formatting, grant-writing, pre-press/press/distribution, and all those other nice editorial duties that make life worth living.

Editorial Board
Michael Carr, Boston
Jason Christie, Canada
CAConrad, Philadelphia
Corrine Fitzpatrick, New York
Eric Gelsinger, New York
K. Lorraine Graham, LA/San Diego
Aaron Lowinger, Buffalo


These folks are the touchpoints for their respective geographical locations. If your geographical location doesnt have its own editor, that doesn't mean you can't submit. We assigned editors to major scenes so as not to overlook minor/unpublished young poets on those scenes. We assume that smaller cities' scenes are more compact and people there will be gracious enough to spread the word on their own.

FAQs

Q: Who should submit poetry for this anthology?
A: People who are loosely associated with one or more of the following magazines: name, BOTHBOTH, Plantarchy, small town, Drill, lungfull, anomaly, filling Station, dandelion, ixnay, Tinfish,; presses: CyGist, Palm, Handwritten, House Press, Ugly Duckling, Tougher Disguises, Effing, Slack Buddha, Atticus/Finch, Katalanche, CyPress, Narrowhouse. This is a rough guide--but if none of these names are familiar to you, we're unlikely to accept your work, as we are working to establish/reinforce a particular (if very large & loosely associated) community of young poets.

Q: What size will it be?
A: 6x9; leave .75" margins just to be safe

Q: I'm 18/41, and you said 20-40. Can I still submit?
A: It really depends on where you place yourself as a poet. Do you think you should have been included in a 1998 anthology of young poets? Would you like to be included in a 2018 anthology of young poets? Do you think of the poets involved as significantly younger or older than you, or are you their peer? I want you to choose yourselves. Identify yourselves, associate yourselves as you see fit. The anthology will strive to be an archive of zine, website, and book publishers in "our" generation, as well as a map of people who organize reading series. It is intended to establish, environ, and enhance our burgeoning community.

Q: I hate anthologies. Isn't this a stupid project?
A: Perhaps, but it is BIG. Size matters.

Q: What if i've published more than 1 book?
A: Email either Jessica or John, decisions will be made on an individual basis.

Q: I'm from Canada/Holland/China/Sweden/etc.. Can I submit?
A: Go for it, but make sure your poems can be appreciated by English speakers (even if they aren't in English)

Q: How are you going to pull this off? (Funding, editing, distribution, etc.)
A: It surprises me that I get this question--that I also got it when beginning Outside Voices. Just know this, we will get it done.

Q: I sent you stuff, but I haven't received a response
A: A list of authors whose work has been accepted will be posted to this blog at the beginning of each month.

Q: Who will be deciding what poems go in?
A: I (Jessica Smith) and John Sakkis will be in charge of the East and West, respectively. The Editorial Board will help us gather and weed out poems too.

Q: What if I've done something stupid or mean to piss either you or John off?
A: It doesn't matter. This is not a personal project. If you are mad at one or the other of us, you can send your submission to the other one.

Q: I only write really long poems. I would need at least 5 pages in the book.
A: You are restricted to one page. Please consolidate or excerpt.

Q: Can I submit previously published poems?
A: Yes, as long as you own the copyright. At this point we're not sure whether we can (or would want to) pay other presses royalties for using your poem. Unless the poem you're talking about was published in a Book (ie not a chapbook or zine), this restriction probably doesn't apply to you.

initial thoughts

Yes, I think I have a good distinction. One of many attempted over the last week. we are not In the American Tree. We are rhizomatic. (endless postmodernism! yes, but, it's true, growing up in the postmodern moment has made a difference.) Diasporic, influencing not in the way that I described the feeling of being influenced by Howe & Spahr, but influencing each other at a "grassroots" level.

I think I'll make an anthology. It will be a Big Anthology, as big as the Sarabande. One or two poems per poet. You may submit stuff. If you're reading this, I assume you consider yourself part of this young community of poets.

"restrictions" (very roughly)
- young, relatively unestablished, and working within/around the Group, even if a few degrees removed from the Buffalo group I have presented, and even if working from a different aesthetic.
- what you send, you should consider a "poem" or something like a poem. how you define that is up to you. "I know it when I see it."
- you can be from whatever country you want, but the poems should be in English or understandable without translation.
- you don't have to be my friend or even know me.
- send only your best work
- consider that you will have about one page. choose your poem(s) based on this space distribution.
- send a few pieces so i can judge what your best work is and in case we're able to publish more than 1 poem per person.
- provide a short bio (under 100 words) with yr birthdate.
- format will probably be around 6x9" with margins around .5" (make sure it fits)

who cannot submit
- people in the "Zoo" anthology, unless you are half-animal
- If you are in the 1998 Talisman/Jarnot anthology
- it should go without saying, but, people in the Sarabande anthology.
- If you're in Shift & Switch, make sure you meet the age & publication requirements.

I'm thinking, get me poems by Jan. 1, 2007 for a 2008 release, 10 yrs after Lisa Jarnot's An Anthology of New (American) Poets. VisPo is encouraged but must be b&w. SoundPo is encouraged and there will be a CD. Edtorial help from other communities (NY, SF, etc.) would be great--so I can make sure I'm getting the best sample of what's going on. My primary objective is to leave out as few people as possible. 500 pages-- to me that means, 475 poets. Let's go.

If you are a press and are interested in publishing this anthology, let's talk.

if you don't submit and i like your work, i might just take it and publish it anyway. guerilla anthologizing.

it'll be two years before the thing comes out, so it doesn't have to be your most recent work, just a piece that you feel represents you as an artist.

send stuff here so i don't lose it in my normal account. i won't send a confirmation, but at the end of the year i'll post to the blog whose work will be in the anthology.

when you send me submissions, format it:
10 pt garamond
..jpg or .tiff
include a short bio w/your birthdate