Let’s show a bit of formatting today. Here is the excerpt of today’s poem, like I would typically post:IMG_2274

and here is the full page, with words blurred out:

IMG_2275Prompt: This poem came entirely from the title.

It is really fun, whether working experimentally or not, to write a poem from a title. You might choose a line from a beloved poem, or even a beloved line from a poem you aren’t head over heels for.

For a more experimental take on this: Remember the container of words you already created? If not, scroll to the bottom of this post and take a look.

Pull three or more words out of your container and arrange them into a title. Write that poem in the ransom-style. Or just write it, with a pen, the regular way poets do. After the leap we discuss copyright. Blah.

Two simple words, repeated, about why I do not post full images:
1. Future 2. Publication.
I want to be able to share blog-bits of this project without surrendering first publication rights to myself. That might sound silly to non-writers.

How can I surrender rights to myself?
Again, simple: if I post a full poem on this blog, many journals and presses will not publish the same. When you sell first rights, you are selling a publication the right to be the first (in North America, depending on the contract) to publish the material once. Then, unless you’ve granted other rights or licenses as well, all copyright to that material reverts back to you. See Writing World for more.

Why not?
Actually, it makes a lot of sense. Why would The Method Review (not a real journal, as far as I know) choose to devote page space to something that is already available on the web, when they could use that space for truly unpublished works?

It is more common to reprint work on the web, which previously appeared in print, than the other way around. Sometimes you will hear the term “accepts reprints.” That means a second publication. That journal is not purchasing “first rights.” You can’t sell first rights twice. Duh.

Images
The above holds less true for images. Many presses regularly purchase images, regardless of where they are housed and/or whether they’ve previously been sold. Images typically sell with what is called “one time rights.”

In fact, if you would like to submit your artwork to a journal for publication, they often ask specifically for a link to the images on your website for consideration. *Artists, take note… and a look at the guidelines at Nashville Review.* (I’ll compile a … longer… list of journals that accept images in a later post.)

Now, I’ll be honest: I am not entirely clear on these rights regarding collages and experimental writing, such as are on this blog. So, I am just using that wonderful resource that we all have access to.

Nope, not talking about google.
I am referring to common sense with two sprinkles of the golden rule.