Hi all
Like always the truth here too is in between.
While it is certainly wrong on the part of a publisher to ask for money from the author to get his work published, even publishers like macmillan are doing this.
Here are a few facts
I have received an anthology of poems from poetry.com and I consider myself lucky on getting it. They are undoubtedly playing with emotions of the poets. However one argument is - why do poets need to see their name engraved in so called anthologies- why can’t they just write and keep writing - the way I and many others do
I also agree that never should a poet pay for getting his work published. In the worst scenario - he may not get anything apart from a few sample copies
Poetry is not read much in a nation like India where many people don’t get enough to survive or exist
Very few of the educated lot understand poetry or rather have the time to go through it and appreciate it. Everyone is tied up in daily affairs, buying home, building career etc.
Publishing poetry becomes a risky proposition for publishers
to all poets out there - pls keep writing and dont bother about others’ perception about your work - the purpose of poetry is to unleash your emotions and give a vent to your feelings
So Chill!
Regs
Saurabh