For your reading pleasure.
#31 - Rhett Iseman Trull
Enjoy.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Neglect
I've obviously not been doing a lot of blogging lately. So, while I'm up not doing work I'm supposed to be doing...
*
The second manuscript has officially been sent out for the fall. Trying to send to a lot of places this year (or, rather, fall 2010 to fall 2011, if needed).
When I first sent it out a year ago, it was short, uneven, not really a manuscript.
I probably should've waited until now to begin sending it out, but I've had a year to work on it and get it into shape. A lot of time has been spent on it. It's better. I hope it's officially ready now, but time will tell.
*
Had a few poems picked up over the last month or so from said manuscript.
Have five unpublished currently from the manuscript that are still out in the world, but mostly I've begun to send out some new ones. Finally.
*
Speaking of which, I've had a productive last few months. I have twenty new drafts I'm working on, about half of which have been sent out.
Not thinking of a direction so much as trying to write new work that I like. Had a burst after the reading tour. And had a burst last weekend in Florida, where I wrote eight drafts. I think five have potential.
*
Facebook's flooded now, if you're friends with certain folks, with MFA-related information. People "fighting" with each other. "Essays" being written and published in good journals about MFA programs.
I think everything's really gotten out of hand. I made a comment today, and I've probably said it before, that if those "books" and "essays" were around when I was applying in the fall of 2003, I'm not sure I would've wanted to do it. Confusion. Paralysis. Unrealistic goals set. Eye on the "prize." Too much pressure to succeed. Win awards. Study under certain professors.
Beyond college, the MFA should be a formative time, not one to worry about how much money they'll pay you, how much you'll teach (though if you hope to actually go into academia, which many don't choose, and that's fine, teaching should be something you make a point to do a lot), how many books you can write before you leave with your validating piece of paper in your hand.
Maybe I'm nuts, but I wish everyone luck who has to deal with all of this right now. I know I wouldn't want to. Hopefully, whoever you are out there, you won't be affected by those things that you need to ignore, and you'll survive, grow as a writer, and figure out what you want to do when you're done with those very few years in the entire span of your life.
*
Really liked Enter the Void. Have a lot to say about it, but I only saw it once. More viewings will come with the Blu-ray in the future.
*
Buy Paper Anniversary by Bobby C. Rogers.
Along with Elyse Fenton's Clamor and Gary L. McDowell's American Amen, those are my favorite first collections of poetry this year.
My hope is that they'll all want to do first book interviews...
*
Not a lot of first collections have blown me away lately.
Those above aren't the only three I've really enjoyed thus far (there have actually been many just within the last six months), but it seems like this trend is growing.
I don't like it.
But I guess we can't be blown away all the time. Truth dazzling gradually and all that...
*
Can't stop listening to Hammock. Have mentioned them too much. One of the best bands to write to, and their music never gets old to me.
*
Reading in NYC at the Bowery this Sunday, October 10th.
With Amy Holman, Diane Kirsten Martin, and Kyle McCord.
Hopefully you can make it if you're in the area.
*
A lot of good first book interviews on the way...
*
The second manuscript has officially been sent out for the fall. Trying to send to a lot of places this year (or, rather, fall 2010 to fall 2011, if needed).
When I first sent it out a year ago, it was short, uneven, not really a manuscript.
I probably should've waited until now to begin sending it out, but I've had a year to work on it and get it into shape. A lot of time has been spent on it. It's better. I hope it's officially ready now, but time will tell.
*
Had a few poems picked up over the last month or so from said manuscript.
Have five unpublished currently from the manuscript that are still out in the world, but mostly I've begun to send out some new ones. Finally.
*
Speaking of which, I've had a productive last few months. I have twenty new drafts I'm working on, about half of which have been sent out.
Not thinking of a direction so much as trying to write new work that I like. Had a burst after the reading tour. And had a burst last weekend in Florida, where I wrote eight drafts. I think five have potential.
*
Facebook's flooded now, if you're friends with certain folks, with MFA-related information. People "fighting" with each other. "Essays" being written and published in good journals about MFA programs.
I think everything's really gotten out of hand. I made a comment today, and I've probably said it before, that if those "books" and "essays" were around when I was applying in the fall of 2003, I'm not sure I would've wanted to do it. Confusion. Paralysis. Unrealistic goals set. Eye on the "prize." Too much pressure to succeed. Win awards. Study under certain professors.
Beyond college, the MFA should be a formative time, not one to worry about how much money they'll pay you, how much you'll teach (though if you hope to actually go into academia, which many don't choose, and that's fine, teaching should be something you make a point to do a lot), how many books you can write before you leave with your validating piece of paper in your hand.
Maybe I'm nuts, but I wish everyone luck who has to deal with all of this right now. I know I wouldn't want to. Hopefully, whoever you are out there, you won't be affected by those things that you need to ignore, and you'll survive, grow as a writer, and figure out what you want to do when you're done with those very few years in the entire span of your life.
*
Really liked Enter the Void. Have a lot to say about it, but I only saw it once. More viewings will come with the Blu-ray in the future.
*
Buy Paper Anniversary by Bobby C. Rogers.
Along with Elyse Fenton's Clamor and Gary L. McDowell's American Amen, those are my favorite first collections of poetry this year.
My hope is that they'll all want to do first book interviews...
*
Not a lot of first collections have blown me away lately.
Those above aren't the only three I've really enjoyed thus far (there have actually been many just within the last six months), but it seems like this trend is growing.
I don't like it.
But I guess we can't be blown away all the time. Truth dazzling gradually and all that...
*
Can't stop listening to Hammock. Have mentioned them too much. One of the best bands to write to, and their music never gets old to me.
*
Reading in NYC at the Bowery this Sunday, October 10th.
With Amy Holman, Diane Kirsten Martin, and Kyle McCord.
Hopefully you can make it if you're in the area.
*
A lot of good first book interviews on the way...
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Thursday, September 2, 2010
My First Book Interview
In the past, I've heard the question, "Now that your book's out, when are you going to do your own first book interview?"
Well, the time has come.
It's now live on HTMLGIANT.
Thanks again to Blake. Hope you enjoy.
Well, the time has come.
It's now live on HTMLGIANT.
Thanks again to Blake. Hope you enjoy.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Schooling
Binghamton starts classes today, but my first day is tomorrow.
I didn't write much the first year, which I expected, but I'm hoping this year will change that.
*
I found out near the end of the reading tour that my new manuscript, currently titled Sirens and Wildfire, was a finalist for the Akron Poetry Prize and a semi-finalist for the Cleveland State Open Competition.
Like it was when I first started sending out what finally became Ghost Lights, it's just fuel for the fire. Late nights reading poems, thinking about order, feeling out if any should be cut or if new ones should be added. All of that will continue to happen with the new manuscript, and it becomes both fun and maddening at the same time.
I have a list of contests and open reading periods for 2010 and 2011, so it's back to getting it out again soon enough.
*
And somehow, since the tour, miraculously, I've been writing a lot of new poems. Since I wasn't able to send out a lot last year, I'm hoping I can have a good September to add more poems to the ones I've already written.
My goal, then, is to send out as many that I feel are ready for a big push at the beginning of October.
Maybe there's even the kernel of a third manuscript in there somewhere...?
*
Speaking of submissions, it's interesting to hear all the hullabaloo about New England Review and Ploughshares charging writers to submit their work now.
My take on it personally is this...
I haven't submitted to NER for one simple reason: currently I don't, and have never, sent to places who don't accept simultaneous submissions. If I wrote as much as Bob Hicok and had his reputation, I'd have enough poems to wait on a response before sending those poems to other journals. The simple fact is, however, that I don't write enough. So I respect the policy for non-simultaneous submissions. I know many others that don't feel this way, but I do.
I've sent to Ploughshares many times in the past, with form rejections following every single time, and with chances already slim to get in (because of the notoriety of the journal, the amount of submissions they get, and the guest editor usually soliciting a lot), I'd rather submit work to other journals at this point. But Ploughshares will be in my sights for the future.
If many journals follow with charging for submissions, which I hope they won't, I'll either go back to sending via snail mail or not sending to them at all.
With so many journals out there, I just don't think this is a huge concern for me. I know where folks are coming from as far as being annoyed, but alas, if I get the itch to send to some of these places, I'll just send via snail mail, or I'll look at other journals who don't charge.
Simple as that.
*
Bring on PhD year number two...
I didn't write much the first year, which I expected, but I'm hoping this year will change that.
*
I found out near the end of the reading tour that my new manuscript, currently titled Sirens and Wildfire, was a finalist for the Akron Poetry Prize and a semi-finalist for the Cleveland State Open Competition.
Like it was when I first started sending out what finally became Ghost Lights, it's just fuel for the fire. Late nights reading poems, thinking about order, feeling out if any should be cut or if new ones should be added. All of that will continue to happen with the new manuscript, and it becomes both fun and maddening at the same time.
I have a list of contests and open reading periods for 2010 and 2011, so it's back to getting it out again soon enough.
*
And somehow, since the tour, miraculously, I've been writing a lot of new poems. Since I wasn't able to send out a lot last year, I'm hoping I can have a good September to add more poems to the ones I've already written.
My goal, then, is to send out as many that I feel are ready for a big push at the beginning of October.
Maybe there's even the kernel of a third manuscript in there somewhere...?
*
Speaking of submissions, it's interesting to hear all the hullabaloo about New England Review and Ploughshares charging writers to submit their work now.
My take on it personally is this...
I haven't submitted to NER for one simple reason: currently I don't, and have never, sent to places who don't accept simultaneous submissions. If I wrote as much as Bob Hicok and had his reputation, I'd have enough poems to wait on a response before sending those poems to other journals. The simple fact is, however, that I don't write enough. So I respect the policy for non-simultaneous submissions. I know many others that don't feel this way, but I do.
I've sent to Ploughshares many times in the past, with form rejections following every single time, and with chances already slim to get in (because of the notoriety of the journal, the amount of submissions they get, and the guest editor usually soliciting a lot), I'd rather submit work to other journals at this point. But Ploughshares will be in my sights for the future.
If many journals follow with charging for submissions, which I hope they won't, I'll either go back to sending via snail mail or not sending to them at all.
With so many journals out there, I just don't think this is a huge concern for me. I know where folks are coming from as far as being annoyed, but alas, if I get the itch to send to some of these places, I'll just send via snail mail, or I'll look at other journals who don't charge.
Simple as that.
*
Bring on PhD year number two...
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