Writing the Infosphere Poetry, the Web, and You

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Writing the InfospherePoetry, the Web, and You

• Online Poetry Survey Summary

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Online Poetry Survey Results Discussion

• Survey posted through Terrain.org, promoted
  through Ron Sillimans blog
• 20-question survey with 130 responses
• Online from May through December 2005
• Survey results

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Online Poetry Survey Results
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Online Poetry Survey Results

• Daily Poetry SiteDaily or a Few Times Per
  WeekVery to Somewhat Important
• Online Journal (Printed)A Few Times Per
  WeekVery Important
• Online Journal (Interactive)Less Than Once Per
  MonthSomewhat Important
• BlogDaily or a Few Times Per WeekVery Important
• General Poetry Site/MagazineA Few Times Per Week
  or a Few Times Per MonthVery to Somewhat
  Important
• Poets WebsiteA Few Times Per MonthVery to
  Somewhat Important

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Online Poetry Survey Results

• Ron Sillimans Blog
• Poetry Daily
• Electronic Poetry Center
• Poets Writers Magazine
• Academy of American Poets
• Jacket Magazine
• U B U W E B
• Poetry Free-For-All
• Third Factory
• The Page
• Terrain.org
• Verse Daily
• Thunder Sandwich

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Online Poetry Survey Results

• Jacket Magazine
• Terrain.org A Journal of the Built Natural
  Environments
• Can We Have Our Ball Back
• Shampoo
• How 2
• MiPOesias Magazine
• Typo
• The Hold
• Slope
• No Tell Motel
• GutCult
• DIAGRAM
• Born Magazine

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Online Poetry Survey Results

• Difference in quality of poetry appearing in
  online journals and print journals?
• Yes 53, No 65
• How?
• Online poetry is more experimental, more avant
  garde, more engaging, more innovative and fresher
• Quality of poetry in print journals is higher
• Print journals look and feel better presented
  better
• Online journals tend to feature younger poets
  whose work may be less well-crafted or may be
  really good just no quid pro quo
• There is a broader spectrum in the quality of
  poetry online some of the poetry in online
  journals is quite good, some is awful

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Online Poetry Survey Results

• Does poetry you submit to online journals differ
  from poetry you submit to print journals?
• Yes 31, No 67
• How?
• I submit more experimental work to online
  journals
• I send my best work to print journals
• I can send shorter and/or longer poems to online
  journals
• I do not submit to online journals
• I do not submit to print journals
• I submit more formatted poems to print
  journals, which can space text better
• I submit to print jouranls first, and if rejected
  I then submit to online journals

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Online Poetry Survey Results
I like the borderless community that online
poetry resources have created.
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Online Poetry Survey Results

• What do you like least about online poetry
  resources?
• Reading online not as appealing or comfortable as
  reading a print journal miss the feeling of
  holding book/journal
• There is a lower standard of work
• Quality of verse doesnt always mean quality of
  page aesthetic many web pages are ugly and/or
  poorly designed
• Online poetry, because of computer equipment, not
  as portable or mobile
• Theres so much it can be overwhelming hard to
  find what you like
• Work online appears to be impermanent or
  ephemeral
• Technical gadgets, popups, autostart audio, and
  annoying online features
• Information can be outdated

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Online Poetry Survey Results

• What is the biggest misconception about poetry
  appearing online?
• That its not as high quality as print poetry
• Poor quality overall
• Online journals are not as prestigious as print
  journals (including publication credits) that
  its not as valid or not proper publishing
• Vanity publication
• That anything being published is therefore good
  work
• That it can be stolen more easily
• That it is easier to get published online than in
  print
• That its easy that anyone can do it
• That publishing online hurts sales of print
  materials
• The unevenness of its quality

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Online Poetry Survey Results

• What is the biggest truth about poetry appearing
  online?
• Reaches a wide audience (wider than print)
  easily accessible
• Greater exposure to multiple genres, commentary,
  and writers
• Quality varies widely
• Quality is as good as print
• Builds community, quickly
• Quality is better, more exciting, more alive than
  print poetry
• Its good exposure for the poet
• It is
• Free
• There is a lot from novices it is a young
  persons medium also makes it a place for new
  trends in poetry

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Online Poetry Survey Results

• What are your overall recommendations for poets
  hoping to publish in online venues?
• Find the zine that suits your poems best, has the
  best context for your work read and research
  publications first
• Be polite, be patient, follow guidelines, be
  prepared for rejection
• Submit
• Keep writing and write the best poems you can
• Submit your best work
• Read a lot read widely
• Keep trying
• Be careful dont jump to publish just anywhere
• Carefully proofread your work before submitting
• Communicate with other poets

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Terrain.org

• Learn more about Terrain.org A Journal of the
  Buile Natural Environments at
  http//www.terrain.org