Poll - Request for Feedback on Chapbooks

[FranktheFrank]

To anyone who has published a chapbook:

[Billy]

I’m interested in seeing the responses you get. I’ve never come close to publishing any chapbooks or anything else, so I can’t help you.

[Billy]

Actually, a long time ago I self-published 2 poetry chapbooks. I didn't know then to call them that. One I had the local paper in Thermopolis, Wyoming print 100 hundred of them. I have 2 left. That was in 1980. The other one I did on my computer in Lukachukai, Arizona in 1999. I have one copy, gave two copies away. I wouldn't show more than 4 or 5 of the poems to anyone, now. Here's a link to the covers. I did the illustrations.

IMG_2310 by howell-sinnard, on Flickr

IMG_2311 by howell-sinnard, on Flickr

[BobBradshaw]

I’ve never had anything published either. But usually chapbooks are from about 20 pages to 34 pages, one poem per page. Explanations for poems are rare. Billy Collins recommends that you place your strongest poems at the beginning.

I have the impression that almost all publishers require that you guarantee a minimum of books sold… so if you guarantee 200, but only sell 5, then you’re responsible for the other 195. I hope that I’m wrong about this.