FAQ (drowning by numbers)

Please read the blog FAQs before sending personal email. Your questions may already be answered on this page. Thank you.

1. If your poems or vispo have been accepted to the anthology, your name is on the list to the right. I don't send out individual congratulatory emails nor do I send rejection notices.
2. Which poems, specifically, have been chosen will be listed sometime in March, when I post a full table of contents.
3. Sometime this summer you will all have access to a .pdf of the anthology where you can make corrections to your poems. Keep an eye on the blog for updates.
4. Before we go to print, sometime in Aug/Sept, you will be able to give me an updated bio.
5. Contributor's copies: not sure about these yet, because how the anthology will be funded is still an issue (if you want to help fund the anthology, donate money to Outside Voices Press). At worst, you will be able to buy a contributer copy at cost. I have absolutely no desire to rip you off-- this isn't some poetry.com scam-- but I'm also not going to go into (more) personal debt buying 300+ people books. If enough donated funds become available to pay for the book then you will each receive one free contributor copy.
6. The submissions window is CLOSED for everything but sound poetry. Do not send me normal poetry or vispo. I will not read it. The deadline was 1/1/07; this deadline was extended till 1/8. Submissions of sound poetry are due to Editor Max Middle by 3/31/07.
7. I don't know who's been advising some of you people about submitting work, but when you submit poems to any periodical you should get the name of the publisher right. It's "Outside Voices" not "Other Voices."

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.