Pet Peeve
The Pushcart Prize web site explains the nomination process:
"Little magazine and small book press editors may make up to six nominations from their year’s publications by our December 1 deadline. The nominations may be any combination of poetry, short fiction, essays or literary whatnot. Editors may nominate self-contained portions of books — for instance, a chapter from a novel. We welcome translations, reprints and both traditional and experimental writing. One copy of each selection should be sent. No nominations can be returned. There is no entry fee. We also accept nominations from our staff of permanent, distinguished Contributing Editors."
Six nominations per editor! Plus nominations from contributing editors! Holy moly! That must make for thousands of nominees every year.
No wonder almost everybody who's a writer has been nominated. And while it must be fun to have an editor nominate your work, it's hardly seems worth mentioning in a bio or c.v.
"Little magazine and small book press editors may make up to six nominations from their year’s publications by our December 1 deadline. The nominations may be any combination of poetry, short fiction, essays or literary whatnot. Editors may nominate self-contained portions of books — for instance, a chapter from a novel. We welcome translations, reprints and both traditional and experimental writing. One copy of each selection should be sent. No nominations can be returned. There is no entry fee. We also accept nominations from our staff of permanent, distinguished Contributing Editors."
Six nominations per editor! Plus nominations from contributing editors! Holy moly! That must make for thousands of nominees every year.
No wonder almost everybody who's a writer has been nominated. And while it must be fun to have an editor nominate your work, it's hardly seems worth mentioning in a bio or c.v.
posted by Anonymous at 11:39 PM
6 Comments:
I've never been nominated. But then again, the whole world is against me. And they all must die! Ha! Ha! Ha! Hee! Hee! Hee!
Let the world live, and know this: You will be nominated.
Really, Don, like everybody else who writes good poems, you will be nominated.
The proof is in the resulting anthology. Have you ever read one? ... I read a few back in the 80s. And I always thought, This is the best of the small press? It comes down to the tastes of the Pushcart editors, of course. Like the BAPs and BASS, etc, a lot of it's just a marketing hook. Yes, here's your opportunity to buy the cream of the small press -- goes great in coffee! I wouldn't put a nomination in my bio. Pooh.
It's per journal not per editor. Though I do understand what you are saying. The only one I mention in my CV and bio is the one from Hogtown Creek because that's the one that matters most.
wink.
Steve, I know that really they all matter.
It's just a pet peeve of mine, one that I finally had to air.
However, in spite of the fact that I know such a nomination is quite validating, I do think each c.v., resume, and bio note would be stronger and more pleasing if all mention of Pushcart Prize nominations were stifled. I include your c.v., etc.
I'm thinking about starting a magazine. I may call it. Remove Pushcart Prize Nominations From Your Bio.
wink to you, too.
Jack
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