Sitting down with Annmarie Lockhart, editor of vox poetica (an avid reader and writer of poetry), readers learn all about literary journal submissions, what makes a good poet and what an editor does.
Lisa Marie Basile: Describe vox poetica and what you do as Editor. (Mention any important sites, facts or promotional items here).
Annmarie Lockhart: vox poetica is an online literary salon dedicated to bringing poetry into the everyday, and my job as editor primarily entails hosting that salon. I like to think of it as an ongoing conversation with writers and readers who circle the room, come and go, chat with old friends, acquaint themselves with new ones, all in the name of exploring the poetry of their lives.
Specifically, vox poetica posts an original poem every single day of the year, longer poems on a biweekly basis, and image-inspired prompt poetry on a rolling basis. I also carry the column Ted Kooser produces for American Life in Poetry.
About 6 times a year I run contributor series on different themes. Submissions for these series are by invitation only and they will be anthologized. Currently I have one prompts poems anthology available in print and PDF formats and I expect the first contributor series anthology to be available in the next few weeks. The next steps: iBooks, apps, and events.
Lisa Marie Basile: What kind of work goes into being an Editor?
Annmarie Lockhart: Being an editor for me involves making decisions about what to publish, but more importantly the work centers around building relationships with my readers and writers. Since vox poetica is a community, much of what I do relates to how that community responds and how segments of that community intersect.
An example would be the prompts on the vox poetica Facebook page. This idea just took shape one day and has grown to be a vital part of the community dialogue. I will post a prompt and others will expand the story. Important note: these prompts have not been poetry related, more like creative response exercises. But they have opened up communication in creative, inspiring, and entertaining ways.
The engagement of the audience is key to the success of vox poetica. A big part of my job is finding ways to expand that engagement.
Lisa Marie Basile: What do you suggest for first-time poets who want to submit their work?
Annmarie Lockhart: I have published a number of first-time poets as well as very, very part-time poets (people who only write poetry rarely). My advice would be to read your work, proofread your work, submit your work. Banish self-consciousness and hit send.
When I reject a submission I always explain why and I often ask to see more of a writer's work (if I get the sense that a writer might have simply sent the wrong piece but probably has something more fitting for vox poetica). I have published second or third (or fourth!) submissions from writers whose work I had initially rejected. So submit again. Do not be shy. There is no room for vanity in this work! Write and rewrite and submit.
Lisa Marie Basile: What are your favorite literary resources online?
Annmarie Lockhart: I discover new literary resources online all the time! Aside from the staples of Google, Merriam-Webster, and Wikipedia, I highly recommend Duotrope's Digest, poetryfoundation.org, and poetry.org.
In terms of the rest, I really find new things all the time and I think everyone should spend at least one lost day a month roaming around the literary ether of the internet. There is so much to find when you go exploring!
Lisa Marie Basile: What is your favorite element in a poet?
Annmarie Lockhart: My favorite element in a poet, hands down, bar none, is voice. I adore writers whose voices are distinct, engaging, and natural. There is a chemistry that happens when a reader can hear a writer's voice by reading the words on a page.
A natural poetic voice is an open hand reaching to pull the reader into a new world, be it a jungle, a desert, a living room, a bedroom, a schoolhouse, an inner monologue, a shopping trip, an illness, a dream ... there are no limits. This is what makes the poetic experience intimate and affecting for me. It renders the content itself secondary and transcends the boundaries of language.
Lisa Marie Basile - L. Basile is a professional writer and the author of three books. She is a Masters of Writing candidate and the editor of Patasola ...
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