Sunday, February 06, 2005

Q & A

Why do so many poets think submissions are a lot of work? I have several friends, brilliant poets no less, who don't submit to journals very often because 'they don't have the time' or 'it just so much work.' Now, I'm the last person in the world with a lot of free time on her hands, but I have to admit that I just don't think putting a batch of poems together and sending them to a journal is a whole lot of work. I wonder if it's my journalism background that makes it easier for me. Hmmmmmmm.

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I really need to lose this 'hmmm,' habit. I didn't realize how much I actually made that sound until J (who's not even two yet) was looking for a toy and said, 'hmmm.' To make matters worse when he found the toy he said, " AHa!" but that's entirely my husband's fault. I can just see him in nursery school next year acting the sleuth. The poor kid. What a couple of wacko's for parents.

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The high school stereotype quiz was fun and eerily accurate. It made me nostalgic for that punk/rebel kid. I watched Wolfe's "The Colored Museum," yesterday and there's an 'exhibit' / scene in that play where a man is trying to rid himself of his younger, idealistic self (I'm simplifying), but it's sort of sad to remember all that idealism (although, I like to think I still have a healthy dose of it left) and wonder if somewhere along the line it's been repressed, or if I discarded parts of myself along the way. I hope not. I hope that rebellious streak was just a version of my creative streak.

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The fabulous Judy is coming over this afternoon and we're going to be discussing the MS by spreading it out, page by page, all over the living room floor. I was so nervous after mailing it to her, serious dragonflies in the stomach nervous, but after talking to her a little on the phone yesterday I'm excited. She's brilliant, she's a damn fine poet and she's gorgeous. I'm still stunned that we met, up here, in the middle of nowhere. I'm also stunned that she didn't find any major problems with the MS and just has a few notes on things like section titles. Whew. I'm telling you this MS has been driving me nuts and what I really need is someone who thinks it's working---and will convince me that it's working---thank you, thank you, thank you, Fabulous Judy.


7 comments:

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Jennifer said...

Suzanne, I think the prospect of a toddler who says "hmmmmmm" and "A-ha!" is charming. Maybe you should surrender to the inevitable and shop for a tiny deerstalker now...

The idealism ... the levels go down over the years, as you bang your head against solid objects while watching or reading the news (this from someone who still yells at the TV on occasion). But once you have it, you never really lose it (I hope).

Jen

Suzanne said...

Hi Jenn,
Thanks for stopping by, and J *is* very charming if I do say so myself. You know, now that you mention it...I do bang my head against a lot of walls. ;-)

Chaty said...

The fact is that you do make it sound as so easy to do. I know you just do it and that’s it. The energy lady.

Alberto

P. S. Good luck with your manuscript.

Suzanne said...

Thanks, Alberto, I'm going to need it. :-)

Common Sense said...

The work of sending out work finds its ties in waiting for the work to reach acceptance or rejection. It is a very unnatural process to wait 6 months to hear what someone thought about what you did 6 months earlier. It must be a similar feeling to those employed at NASA, wondering if their satellite landed on the red planet or blew up on impact.

Suzanne said...

Now that's one way of looking at it, thanks for stopping by Jordan.