"Orphic Utterances" and Tupelo Press
Oh, and with my recent manuscript rejection, I received my "personal" note/commentary promised by Jeffrey Levine with his call for Open Submissions in July. I know he was swamped with over a 1,000 submissions, but as I compare the brief commentary on my work around with the notes received by other poets I know who were also rejected, I discover that the note about the manuscript is really less than personal. I'll probably send again because it's a great press, and I do understand, but well, I'll leave it at that.
I mean, submission is not like entering a committed relationship or anything like that now, is it?
Nothing like rejection to make one feel alive.
I mean, submission is not like entering a committed relationship or anything like that now, is it?
Nothing like rejection to make one feel alive.
posted by Anonymous at 9:15 AM
8 Comments:
I have an orphic utterance I'd like to shove up someone's utterly orifice.
I wouldn't be so sanguine about it. And I would never submit to Tupelo again. Check out foetry.com, & click on latest news. Spread the word. Vote in the poll. Post a comment.
Thanks for the input, but my sanguine attitude has gotten me pretty far in this world.
Also, I know all about foetry.
And well, Tupelo puts out good books, so I think I will submit to them again. I doubt I could have handled 1000 submissions in 4 months. Levine doesn't deserve a pat on the back, but I believe he does deserve my goodwill for trying to create a form letter that could live up to his promise.
However, I doubt I'll send him the $295. I'll have to think about that one for a few more days.
Think twice about paying the $295. Have a friend read the mss. You will probably get better advice. What is an orphic utterance, anyway? Levine obviously didn't even read the manuscripts in the open submission. If you do pay, you will be disqualified from the Dorset Prize that Levine says he will supposedly pass you by in the first round. The rules of the contest state that you cannot have gotten help or advice from any of the judges, and he is a judge. The whole thing is a scam, and there are plenty of presses out there who are not scamming poets. Good luck! I hope you get your manuscript published.
I understand your feelings, but I don't really think anyone deserves "my goodwill" for engaging in what clearly seems to be a legal issue: conflict of interest.
"Conflict of interest can be defined as any situation in which an individual or corporation (either private or governmental) is in a position to exploit a professional or official capacity in some way for personal or corporate benefit."
In my opinion, he praises your manuscript, tells you it's almost there, and although he doesn't promise to publish it if you use his private services, states he "doesn't rule out the possibility." Not only that, but if you do take him up on his offer, he promises to spend 1/2 hr on each poem. Let's see, if an average manuscript has 30-50 poems, that's 15-25 hrs. on each one. That's a lot of time, especially if a lot of people take him up on his offer. And he's going to get it back to you within 2 weeks? While running one of the leading independent presses in the country? While the Dorset Prize is going on? A prize for which he's going to "automatically pass" your manuscript on beyond the first round - violating his own published guidelines? And, if you got an email that went out from the press last Friday, gives you an extra 2 weeks beyond the extended deadline if you take him up on his offer to edit the manuscript. Which, again according the published guidelines, would immediately make you ineligible to enter since he's on the judging panel!
I agree that Tupelo puts out beautiful books (I've bought many of them) and they have many poets whose work I admire. I'm all for sanguinity, and am sure it has served you well, but this just seems a clear case of appalling behavior by someone abusing their position.
foetry certainly has its share of cranks & individuals who just seem to want to grind a personal axe, but this issue is raising a lot of interesting perspectives, and it could be worth checking their forum on this under Latest News.
But, of course, you are entitled to your own opinion. Just wanted to throw in my two cents.
Best to you in your writing. We are all part of the same community.
I don't discount what you're doing, and I do respect your opinion on this; however, I'm not naive enough to expect that paying the fee Levine is charging for a reading will get my book special consideration by Tupelo. I doubt that it'll be published anyway. I suspect/hope my next manuscript might be more up Tupelo's alley, if they weather this storm they've created.
But that next manuscript is still in the works, and I'm always interested in having an impartial reader. Levine's offer to read for money is attractive because he's a good editor, and it could be another impartial take on the book. I might learn something, something that might help to inform my next manuscript. $295 is cheaper than a couple of university credits around here. Also, well,.. well, that's the gist of it.
I guess if it became apparent to me that he really hadn't read the manuscript, then I'd withdraw my sanguine goodwill.
My friends have already read my book. And you're right; it's better because of their input.
I will admit that I'm embarrassed for Levine and Tupelo. I hope this doesn't bring down the good work they've already done.
Also, fyi, the Tupelo rejection/solicitation letters you have on pdf at foetry are almost word-for-word compared to the one I received. The only difference I recall is that there was no phrase containing the word "symbolic" in mine.
Best to you, too.
Oh, and based on what I've been reading, Beauty is truth and truth beauty would be an example of an orphic utterance, or an oprhic utterance is the equivalent of the epiphany at the end of the 1970s epiphany poem, or the equivalent of the summarizing couplet at the end of a sonnet.
I got that orphic utterances letter too.
Levine will never get my business again.
There are too many good editors and publishers around. I don't need him and his press.
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