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So I'm still reading for the latest @newwelshreview - and just about getting my head back in the game (apart from the usual Baby Brain) after having my baby 16 months ago... Here are some of my reflections (1/?)
Firstly, let's demystify the process of #poetrysubmissions shall we? I don't know how this works in other places - I've only ever done it for New Welsh Reader - but this is how it works for me (that's my disclaimer!) (2/)
So I read 3 times a year: in March, May and September (ish). This means if you submit in October you might have to wait a while for your work to be read! We're in the process of changing the way you submit (see the new website for details) (3/)
So hopefully that will make things easier and more poet-friendly. My role is entirely voluntary (I don't get paid for it) so I squeeze it in between other things, but I take it seriously and want to do it well (4/)
My job is to go through a long list of submissions and select poems for publication. I usually have room for eight. This time I have room for six. To put that into context, the longlist this time is about 50 submissions, and if each submission is about 5 poems, well... (5/)
That's 6/250 to find. Don't be discouraged! These are not impossible odds! But also, know that I have far more poems that could go in than that can go in! (6/)
I shortlist and select over about 2 weeks. I try to do justice to the poets by considering their work carefully. I often go on instinct, initially - (7/)
But then check and double check and second guess my choices. I try to take into account both my conscious and unconscious biases (8/)
Conscious ones like my taste - what I like - and I've been selected for this role partly because they want me to use my taste, right. So that's not a bad thing. But equally I have to make sure I'm not being lazy about it. Poems have to work for their place. (9/)
What do I like? Lyrical poetry. Poetry about lived experiences. Motherhood. Animals. The natural world. Art. History. Favourite poets include @aimeenez and @KateClanchy1 and @kimmoorepoet and @HelenMort and @RoyMarshall2 for example (10/)
But I also want to be challenged, find new favourites, sometimes be unsettled or surprised or taken somewhere new. I have all the unconscious biases associated with being who I am (a white Welsh working class cisgender straight woman) and I what I have and haven't experienced (11
So I'm trying to work with and beyond that, too. In general, I've noticed we get a lot of submissions from white poets (our submissions aren't anonymised: I don't pay much conscious attention to the names and biogs until after I've read the work) (12/)
But not so many from other ethnic groups and communities (sorry, I'm being clumsy here with my language: I'd use BAME but I'm aware that is contested too). I usually don't know if we have submissions from LGBTQ+ poets, unless they write about their experiences. (13/)
I want more submissions from these groups, please! I want to do my best to improve diversity in publishing in Wales. Send me your work! I'd be honoured to read it. (14/)
I was once on a panel asking the question 'more poetry is needed?'. My answer was emphatically YES! More poetry is needed. It is always needed. (15/)
Anyway, I choose my 8 (or 6) and then we see if we can fit them in the magazine. It's A5 and a set number of pages, so sometimes - if a poem is particularly long - we can't fit them all in. Sometimes I have to choose between 8 poems of standard (ish) length (say, 40 lines) or (16
One really long one and 5 others. I tend to choose the first option as it gives more poets an opportunity. Though sometimes if I really love someone's work I will select more than 1. I will also sometimes approach poets and ask them to submit work. (17/)
This doesn't guarantee them a spot but it does mean I really want to read their newest, best unpublished work. We need exclusivity for a certain length of time, so it's worth knowing we want to include poems from your latest book months (not weeks) before it goes to press (18/)
This has been a long thread. And I'm tired so tuning out now before the baby wakes. But hope that helps in some way! If you've any questions, ask away. I might take a few days to respond (because baby) but will do my best. Thanks to everyone who has submitted this time. Nos da!
