So a bunch of presses (small, indie, & large) have clauses in their contracts that demand the poet doesn't release another book within 1 year before/after their current book.

Which is completely counter to the idea of community.

You're essentially doing that thing of the young child picking uip their ball and walking away. 'I'm not sharing'.

Problem is it affects both presses and poets. And it sets you out as a press that is adverse to collaboration, and sees itself as separate from the publishing community.

As a writer it limits your creative practice, and your opportunity to grow a readership. You get 1 book released in a 2 year period - meaning 1 shot to connect with your audience.

If you enjoy experimenting with styles or genres then someone who may really like something new you're trying won't get to read it. They gotta wait, and by that time you may have something else taking precedent.

As a publisher you're steadfastly admitting that money is of more concern to you than the practice of your poets and the growth of other presses.

Say there's a poet I love, who wants to release with BSB, but they can't cause some other press has them tied in. That work and opportunity has to suffer because somebody needs a 2 year selling window?

You can't, I dunno, find a way to collaborate with the press? To make it work for both of you?

Yeah, it's not great if a poet comes to you and tells you they're releasing 3 other books in the same month. But that's incredibly rare, and you gotta trust that the readership exists regardless of other literature.

If you don't trust that then don't take the book on. You have the choice, but with the exclusivity clause you don't allow others to have that choice.

Prynne has averaged a book a month this year. We sold all 300 copies of his Legitimate Snack.
I've released SHITSHOW (March), Melatonin Spring Collection (May), Harbour Equinox (August), PRJfNA (October), and they didn't affect each other. They helped each other.

If you're telling a poet they can't go anywhere else for a 2 year period, you're telling other publishers that you ain't willing to work together, and you ain't willing to help each other thrive.

You're demonstrating your singularity.

Even today Broken Sleep announced a new book from Ricky Ray, that will be released a month after his book with Fly on the Wall.

So @kenyon_isabelle and I spoke and collaborated to ensure we get the word out for both books.

Make your community one that empowers, collaborates, and is steeped in selflessness.

Work with each other, not against each other.