I've been reading over this blog post by Gian Lombardo (it's been stuck on my screen all evening- I keep coming back to it, getting upset by it and taking a deep breath and walking away kinda thing- so, GL, if you have a site meter that says I've spent an age at your blog, I promise I've been doing other stuff, too. Eating dinner. Teaching a yoga class. Losing a job. [Really. It's been a long evening.]). Anyway, it's a pretty cool post and I'm glad he wrote it. I'd never heard of him before (mutual, I'm sure), so I was glad to make his blog-acquaintance.
The first half of his post has to do with a listserv incident. (I kinda missed the "listserv" boat-- they were big before I was old enough to geek out on infant-Internet. I guess (?) that people outside small press and homeschooling mothers use them, but I'll sound triply ignorant if I say any more about them.) But the back half has to do with GL thinking it is unacceptable for presses to charge reading fees in any way, shape, or form. Here's where I disagree (enough to write a hulking blog post in response).
(I was reading the post as a writer and a sometimes-editor. I know many other poets can do the same. I had thoughts in direct response and I had thoughts that play devil's advocate and I had thoughts that were more like reflections that may seem apropos nothing if you read GL's post, first. Which you should.)
As a writer, I want to say that I feel downright guilty if I submit to a press without having bought one of their titles. GL argues that it'd be impossible for writers to take out a subscription to every single publication they want to submit to-- not only are writers broke, but publications should be so irresistible that people can't help but subscribe.
It's true. Journals and presses shouldn't half-ass their shit. And, yeah, if I had unlimited funds, I'd subscribe to lots of journals, myself.
But I only subscribe to TWO publications. Poetry Magazine and Drew Kunz's SERIES. Both very different. Both about the same amount of money for a year's subscription. Both make my month, seriously. [NB: also, cellpoems! I do subscribe to this awesome poetry-in-your-text-inbox publication!]
Every other time, I have purchased a single issue of the publication before submitting my work to it (Or I've gone back and purchased post-submission, sometimes even after being rejected.) and I think that's perfectly adequate, and the very least a writer SHOULD do.
There are two reasons why I feel this is necessary. A.) My purchase supports the press and shows the editor I am serious about supporting their press, regardless of what they decide about my submission. B.) I actually get to read the publication cover to cover to determine if my work is appropriate for that publication... and I show the editor I've done this.
I honestly, honestly do not understand writers who submit to a publication without purchasing it. I just can't wrap my head around it. Maybe it's because I grew up with parents who told me the world owes me diddly-squat. Maybe it's because I actually enjoy book-objects so much that I have written them into my budget. Maybe it's because I think literary writing, if you want to get read, is just as much about reading. Even more about reading, at times. And buying to support. I'm not talking about buying blindly or buying books you know you won't like- there are plenty of presses out there that I keep waiting to purchase from because, as much as I appreciate the editors, they keep publishing throwaway schlock poetry based on poetics that infuriate me more than Nancy Grace infuriates me, etc. But I'm waiting to buy from them, and I will, and in the meantime, I'm buying from others.
All that to say that buying a copy of a journal for 7 bucks, or a chapbook for 5 bucks, is not exactly taking out a second mortgage. You don't need to subscribe to purchase. You do need to purchase. Or, in the case of online journals, hit that Paypal button in the sidebar. A single issue at 7 bucks is a heckuva lot less than a subscription at 14, or 20, or 30 bucks.
GL argues that a writer starting out might make upwards of 50 submissions. Yeah, 50 submissions would most definitely get expensive, even at 7 bucks a pop. It doesn't change the fact that that writer is a turd if s/he isn't buying from the press they're sending their work to. Me: I'm not exactly a race to publish my work. (Seriously, it's kinda likely that if you're sending your work to 50 different places all at once like that, either the market's not ready for you or you're not ready for the market.) Since my own conscience won't allow me to send my work to someone I haven't supported, I might only end up making a dozen submissions per year. (I write veeeeeeeeeery slowly, so this works out fine for me, but still. It's not an unreasonable amount of submissions, high-side or low-side.)
GL adds:
Reading or submission fees might not hurt the well-heeled writer too badly, but it can be devastating for the writer writing out of poverty. The fees come from a privileged point of view. Also, maybe if writers had more pocket change left over, they might use it to subscribe to a literary mag or two or buy more small press books.
I don't know any well-heeled writers. I think we're all technically living way beyond our means, both financially and mentally/physically. I might know some writers who are comfortable, now that they're in their 50s and 60s. But for the rest of us, just having health insurance means we're doing pretty well!
I can tell you, though- no one who charges fees is privileged. Quite the opposite. I think we're all broke and that's the reason there are fees in the first place. The fees I've seen so far for journals are 2, 3 bucks. That's less than half of the cost of an issue of a literary journal. I could see the indignation if writers WERE purchasing issues often enough, but clearly they're not. I see these editors saying, "Yo! A little help, all you something-for-nothing-writers?" If anyone is (repeatedly) taking the position of privilege, it is indeed the writer who keeps coming up surprised that there are sometimes fees involved in being published. In case anyone is still unsure: you LOSE money being a writer. You just do. You do. You Do. YOU DO. You don't want to lose money as a writer? Start writing romance novels or copy for Groupon- you might break even. Start a literary publication- you're back in the hole again.
I want to comment on one more thing GL said toward the end of his post:
To reiterate what I said in my CLMP listserv post: There is an incredible power dynamic at work in publishing. In all these discussions on this topic it’s the elephant in the room. Editors/publishers hold the power to publish. That’s the dream of every writer: to get published. History is replete with stories of what writers will do to get published. Editors/publishers can stipulate whatever they want to applicants who want to get published. The power is in their hands. What I earnestly wish is that editors/publishers gain a full realization of the power they hold and then be reasonable, sympathetic and respectful in their requests of writers.
I've honestly, totally, sincerely never seen getting published as a power struggle. I've seen it as a puzzle. To solve. Maybe it's because I work my tail off at day jobs that have nothing to do with writing or teaching writing. Maybe it's that I write something so specialized that I've come to terms with the fact that, basically, only other writers of the same will read and buy what I write, and I feel adequately rewarded/stimulated by that. Maybe it's because I've never lost sight of why I write in the first place: it's actually not to get published (it's how I have a conversation about my writing, sure, but it's not why I write): my dream is to paint with words. And I do that. And people read that. So I am totally living my dream, and I've found only reasonable, sympathetic and respectful editors on my (relatively short) journey. A godawful lot of bleeding heart editors, actually. And I might disagree with their methods, but I don't feel disrespected as a writer. As a person, I have options. The vast majority of editors still don't charge fees. People like GL say they will never charge and they'll never pay. That's awesome- good luck to 'em.
I just wanted to say, too, that if I've someone left an editor out, as in, I haven't purchased from you but you've read my submission (there was a period when I was first starting out a few years ago when I wasn't keeping up with it)- send me a note and I will make things right. Keep in mind that I might have found your journal in a bookshop in SFO, CHI or NYC. But ask. I don't want to seem like an asshole. :)
