Chicago rabblerouser CJ Laity, proprietor of ChicagoPoetry.com, is currently going crazy over National Small Press Month, which kicks off March 1. Laity has bombarded his sizable mailing list of late, questioning the month’s validity because, in his words, “some folks out in New York” decided to designate it as such. He worries about a slippery slope, arguing: “I don’t know about you, but the thought of being "independent" while at the same time recognizing an organized ‘national month’ seems like an oxymoron. What’s next? Perhaps next we will have the independent publishers’ union, or the corporation of independent publishers.”
You can read the majority of his complaints at his self-described “legendary chicago poetry news blog,” but the thrust of his argument is that National Small Press Month is “run” by corporations, necessitating a boycott. And if that wasn’t clear to you, he has some nifty circa-1992 animated gifs to drive the point home. Before I get into all of this, I’ll admit this upfront: I co-own a small press in Chicago, Featherproof Books, and one of our authors will read as part of the planned Small Press Month collaborative reading on March 28. In other words, by running a small publisher out of my apartment, I’m a pawn of the New York publishing dark overlords. Full disclosure.
Let’s take his objections one by one:
National Small Press Month has corporate sponsors: True. But if you look at who is actually serving on the committee it makes much more sense. Barnes & Noble? Huge bookselling chain, granted. The employee on the committee: Marcella Smith, Small Press and Vendor Relations Director. Publishers Group West is the nation’s largest distributor, but it’s also invested in small presses, distributing little guys like McSweeney’s, Tin House Books and Milkweed Editions. Among the regional events coordinators is Eric Lorberer, editor of the Twin Cities’ Rain Taxi, perhaps one of the most revered and unsung literary reviews in the country. There’s also Chuck Stebelton, literary program director of Woodland Pattern Book Center, which stocks more you’ve-never-heard-of-but-you-really-should poetry that anyone else. Joining them is Kevin Sampsell of Portland, who oversees the small press section at Powell’s, the coolest bookstore in the country, and runs Future Tense Books, a literary press that publishes saddle-stitched short fiction out of his basement.
The publishing organizations on the committee charge membership fees: I wasn’t clear on why this bothering Laity so, considering that these are membership fees, paid by members who, under no duress and of their own free will, evaluate the benefits of joining before spending a dime. It’s particularly strange, given Laity’s near-monthly calls for people to give him money so he can run his blog, even creating a “thank you anthology” on his site, filled with poetry by people who have sent him cash. When you’re publishing on a pay-to-play plan, it doesn’t make much sense to criticize membership fees. In fact, in one of his e-mail rants about Small Press Month, he solicited donations.
The notion of designated months is silly: Agreed. Sure. But let’s not declare an attempt to bring attention to independent publishing a national emergency. I fully agree with Laity that the committee could do a better job spreading the love. Many of their recommended titles come from the same publishers, and many promote books that don’t really seem to need it (A Confederacy of Dunces and Naked Lunch might have warranted attention decades ago, before they were canonized). But just because they’re not doing it as well as they could, doesn’t mean it’s a corporate invasion worthy of boycott and public shaming (Laity actually claims participants are “sell[ing] their souls”).
It’s not Midwest enough: On his main page, in red and blue letters runs the phrase: BEWARE THE INVASION. Somehow, Laity has a sense that this is about New York telling Chicago what to do. He completely misunderstands how things like this work. Nothing is dictated from the top down, no one is being oppressed. Some corporations have thrown some money behind promoting independent publishing, and across the country small publishers are getting together to share their work. I wouldn’t call this, as Laity does, “a tactical intrusion on Chicago’s sovereignty.” He also writes: “Unless I’m mistaken, on the official Small Press Month website, the "recommended small press titles" do not include one single title from the Midwest.” Well, yes, he is mistaken. Coffee House Press, which has a title listed on the site, is based in Minneapolis, and more than a few of the authors find their home in the middle part of the country.
But look, it started in New York. So what? The event at the end of the month will bring together some of Chicago’s finest small publishers, many of whom have never shared a stage. It’s an opportunity to come together, not a mandate from monied New Yorkers. It’s this weird sort of Midwest First knee-jerk nationalism that ghettoizes the Midwest and Chicago in particular. It’s wholly embarrassing. Chicago artists need to see themselves as an integral part of a larger culture, so it’s important to promote Chicago authors and publishers beyond the city’s borders. By hooking up with a nationwide celebration, that’s exactly what is happening.
Editor’s note: Jonathan is too modest to link to Featherproof Books, the small press he runs, but I’m not.
First, I would like to acknowledge that Jonathan Messinger and Time Out Chicago have, in the past, been very kind to ChicagoPoetry.com and have sung a few praises about my programming, so why Mr. Messinger would now take the cheap shot of saying ChicagoPoetry.com is “self-described” as “legendary” is confusing; this cheap shot seems to be motivated by the fact that Messinger’s own press, Featherproof Books, is participating in the very event that I am criticizing, as Messinger himself admits.
Yes, this year, at the top of the page, I point out that ChicagoPoetry.com is legendary, because it IS legendary. It’s at least legendary enough for Time Out Chicago to care about what it is saying, wouldn’t you agree? ChicagoPoetry.com is a Chicago tradition that evolved out of the Letter eX Poetry Newsmagazine, a legendary small publication that existed from 1985 to 1995, probably when Mr. Messinger was still in diapers. Slam founder Marc Smith first called me “legendary” back in the early nineties when he was giving out one of my little chapbooks as a prize in the FitzGerald’s poetry slam. Former Executive Director Ken Clarke called me “Mr. Chicago Poetry,” so please know that nickname is not self-proclaimed either. ChicagoPoetry.com has been called legendary by many, many people, and just because I am pointing the fact out does not mean I am “self describing” it. Once again, that is a cheap shot from someone who has a personal agenda—namely defending the program he is featured in.
National Small Press Month does NOT “kick off” March 1st. Perhaps to Mr. Messinger and to the others who recognize it, it does, but the vast majority of the emails that I have been getting in response to my criticism of Small Press Month clearly show that the vast majority of Chicago area small presses DO NOT recognize Small Press Month. I could say National ChicagoPoetry.com Month kicks off March 1st as well, but if nobody recognizes it except for a handful of people, what does that prove? Of course, I could also pump a bunch of money into National ChicagoPoetry.com Month and make up posters and buy advertisements, making it more legit, I suppose. That is all that is happening here with Small Press Month.
Screw New York. Chicago does not need some folks from New York dictating when and how Chicago should celebrate its wonderful (be it struggling) world of small presses. Just because these corporate sponsors have strategically chosen their representatives does not make them any less of corporate sponsors. Barnes and Noble representing Small Press Month? Give me a break!
I would think, as someone who is involved in the small press world, Mr. Messinger would know the difference between a struggling website asking for donations to stay online and a multi-million dollar organization asking for donations. Mr. Messinger’s attempt to discredit my fundraising drive is cheap, to say the least. His accusation that ChicagoPoetry.com is a pay-to-play operation is as cheap and dirty as Hillary accusing Obama of plagiarism. ChicagoPoetry.com is a poetry news source. It is not in the business of publishing poetry; it is in the business of reporting the poetry news. To thank the loving people who chip in a few dollars from time to time, I offer some space at my website where they can share some of their poems. Not every person who gives a gift takes advantage of this, and not every poem submitted makes it into the “thank you” anthology. So I take offense at Mr. Messinger’s slanderous comment about ChicagoPoetry.com’s operations. I challenge him to name the poets that are published at ChicagoPoetry.com whose work is sub-par or who otherwise wouldn’t deserve to be published.
I would, however, like to thank Mr. Messinger for correcting me: so there is one title from the Midwest among the fifty-seven titles recommended by Small Press Month. Wow. Point taken.
Mr. Messinger may think Chicago is ghettoized but I do not agree with that opinion. If that is the way Mr. Messinger thinks of this great city, then it is no wonder he needs New York to hold his hand.
–CJ Laity
Publisher, ChicagoPoetry.com
I am not going to get into the midst of this debate over National Small Press Month because I know far less about it than Jonathan Messinger apparently does and care far less about it than C.J. Laity does. However, I do object to the characterization of C.J.’s website, or his poetry promotional activities in general, as some sort of pay-to-play operation. That is unfair. It makes it seem as though anyone who gives him money to defray his costs is doing business with a vanity publisher or for-fee impressario, which is far from the truth. No one invited by him to participate in any of his events has to pay him for the privilege. Let’s face it. Email blasts are easy to ignore. I have known C.J. for almost two years and I see him a lot. I gave him money voluntarily to defray his costs because I have used his site a lot as an informational source. I considered it akin to a user’s fee. Other than what he posts on his site or emails for all to see, he never has directly confronted me, cornered me, asked me, begged me, pleaded with me, wheedled me, twisted my arm or threatened or cajoled me for money in any way. I gave it to him because I wanted to. And I didn’t want or need anything in return. He asked me, later, if he could post a poem of mine, asked for one in particular, which I didn’t feel comfortable posting and so I offered him another in its stead, which he was happy to post. I really don’t think of it as a publication although of course technically it is. I think of it more like a WBEZ tote bag. By which I don’t mean to disparage C.J.’s generosity toward my own efforts because those are some pretty fine tote bags.
Is C.J. a rabblerouser? Without question. But to his credit I think he is beginning to include more readings that do not contain open mikes within the information that he collects, displays and disseminates and I applaud that openness. I think that the information on his site today is more comprehensive and useful than it was when I started using it. So, good for him.
Jonathan,
your story is just wrong. I think that you know it.
1. You work for Time Out. Time Out is not a small press. Time Out accepts advertising. It doesn’t take a brilliant mind to see that Time Out’s advertising impacts who gets the props. So for you to talk about pay to play, well (I’m clearing my throat).
2. Your press is one of the vendors at the small press thing. Isn’t it conflict of interest to do what you are now doing?
3. I never saw a feather proof book at Barnes and Noble. I did learn about your press from a link at Laity’s site. Where are your priorities?
4. As a publisher of a small press magazine I am offended by your attack. I am not going to tell you who I am because you have made it clear what will happen to anyone who objects to *small press month*
5. Has Small Press Month united or divided Chicago’s small press community? Please answer honestly.
6. The problem in Chicago is not that it is nationalized, but that it is not united enough, as your attack against one of Chicago’s small press publishers clearly illustrates.
7. Woodland Pattern is not on the committee and it is not a sponsor of small press month. It is one of the venues that is hosting one of the events.
8. Why is Laity “crazy” for having an opinion?
9. You seem to be putting words into Laity’s mouth. I don’t think his point is that SPM is “not midwest enough” but that it is not midwest at all.
10. I am disappointed in you. I never heard of Small Press Month. I was not invited to be part of Small Press Month The first time I heard of Small Press Month wa through one of Laity’s emails. Shouldn’t that tell you something about Small Press Month?
CJ can get excited it’s true, but the basic point is worth keeping in mind. Corporate forces are always out there trying to get more control. Face it folks, in a capitalist society businesses exist for the purpose of making money–being wary of their motives is always a good idea.
Charlie
Charlie Rossiter takes the words right out of my mouth. There are the innovators, and there are the corporate bigwigs who ride in on their coattails. It is important to recognize, and question, if not the perceived invalidity of “Small Press Month,” or the absurdity of such an enterprise with blatant ties to its big publisher opposition, the realities of who’s involved here, and why. Shouldn’t we, as writers and small press habitués, be asking these questions? Doesn’t it, at the very least, bring some important considerations to the fore in this dialogue?
Charlie Rossiter, ladies and gentlemen. A fine poet and a man of few, wise words. I heartily agree. Be wary of corporations.
Anonymous: I mean this sincerely, please send me your magazine. We write up a lot of small press efforts in town, and I’d like to see what you’re doing. And since I have no idea who you are, you know I won’t wield my mighty corporate blade.
Chris: Thank you for your cogent, well-reasoned thoughts.
CJ: Your events are great. I have no beef with your readings, and so long as you keep putting them on, we’ll keep writing nice things about them and I’ll keep checking them out. I think you do good work. But I do think that you’re very mistaken here, and that calling for boycotts, shaming, and claiming that a place like Switchback Books is somehow in league with “New York corporations” and set to subjugate Chicago (is that even possible?) is damaging and off base. I hope you’ll at least consider that point.
This is a good discussion to have. There’s such a rich, diverse community of small publishers in Chicago, and more is happening all the time. It’s exciting, and to my mind, a few of them getting together is a good thing. Labeled months are silly, of course, but maybe that’s enough to draw the attention of people who want to support small and independent efforts, who want to sample a broad selection of what’s happening here, the way efforts like National Breast Cancer Month or National Poetry Month—both of which are corporate sponsored—help raise awareness. I didn’t—and still don’t—see why a good number of small publishers in Chicago, including Puddin’head, Answer Tag Home and March Abrazo (and yes! Featherproof!) should be publicly shamed and boycotted, as Laity has called for, simply for reading together on a night in March. It’s a poetry reading, not a hostile takeover.
Jonathan,
When did I claim that Switchback Books is “in league” with New York corporations? When did I ever say any of the presses participating in Small Press month should be boycotted? On the contrary, we should boycott Small Press Month, and then all the small presses you mention, as well as the dozens and dozens and dozens of small presses that are NOT included in this farce, should get together and establish a legitimate Small Press Month for Chicago, one that is actually sponsored by small presses, one that reflects Chicago and the Midwest. I suggest the month of July as Chicago’s Small Press Month. The truth is, I’ve been buddies with Dave Gecic of Puddin’head Press and Wayne Allen Jones of Fractal Edge Press and Carlos Cumpian of March Abrazon Press for years, before you even popped your head up into the scene. So please don’t try to play the us and them card. And it is BECAUSE I am their friend that I think it is important to tell them how shameful it is to sell out to the people who have never actually gotten any ink under their fingernails. Also, Francesco Levato simply needs to learn some diplomacy and needs to start communicating. If I was in his position I’d be on the phone with me trying to hash this out, but instead he’s suffering from a serious case of Kurt Heintz syndrome.
–CJ Laity
I have to agree that there is something to be said for both sides of the argument. This is coming from someone who supports a National Small Press Month, and who is also a recipient of Chicagopoetry.com’s e-newsletter and past participant in its programs.
In a world where the art of writing does not always receive the acclaim it deserves, who else is going to reach out to a national audience and dedicate an entire month to small presses?
Likewise, who else is going to reach out to the Chicago community and rally poets to perform at events like the Printer’s Row Book Fair and other poetry/performance related events?
Though I see both sides of the argument, I have to disagree with the harsh, attacking words used by Laity to spread his concerns in his e-mail: with regards to this issue and his recent attacks on the Poetry Center of Chicago. There are more tactful ways to spearhead problems in the Chicago poetry community. I don’t think web-based haranguing is a good one.
I also hold the perspective of someone who works in the development world, and has come to realize that it is nearly impossible for a not-for-profit organization or entity to operate a well-functioning institution without the support from corporations or civic leaders. The fact is, the little people don’t have the money anymore, and the truth is, that fact is probably only going to get worse.
I’m a fan of Featherproof, I’m a past subscriber of Time Out Chicago, I’m a current recipient of Chicagopoetry.com’s e-mails, and I’m a past participant in the events hosted by Chicagopoetry.com. I hold as little bias as I possibly can, and honestly, I think that’s what most independent writers try to do. Or I would hope.
Before you guys think I’m completely nuts instead of just a litle bit nuts, “it’s not me” used my computer to post yesterday’s comment (actually it was sent to me by email and Iasked permission to post it here), so now the time out page is recognizing the last person who logged in from my computer. I’m not schizo I swear. ;
*full disclosure* I will be representing dancing girl press at Chicago’s Small Press Month Reading. Also, I volunteer my time, sweat, and tears to Switchback Books, another Small Press Month Reading participant.
“Perhaps to Mr. Messinger and to the others who recognize it, it does, but the vast majority of the emails that I have been getting in response to my criticism of Small Press Month clearly show that the vast majority of Chicago area small presses DO NOT recognize Small Press Month.” - CJ Laity (February 28th, 2008 at 4:50 pm)
I feel that stating that “the vast majority of Chicago area small presses DO NOT recognize Small Press Month,” is intellectually dishonest. This statement implies that the majority of small presses are AGAINST Small Press Month. While it may be true that many Chicago small presses are simply not doing anything to celebrate Small Press Month, there are, as far as I know, no presses who have officially come out AGAINST Small Press Month. Mr. Laity, can you please give specific examples of Chicago area presses that have voiced opposition to Small Press Month?
Hi Daniela,
I can name one small press who has officially come out against it: ChicagoPoetry.com Press. I won’t speak for the other presses that are against Small Press Month. I’ll let them speak for themselves if they choose to do so. It is no wonder why the small presses wouldn’t officially voice their objection. I voiced my objection and in response my small press got accused by a large press of being a pay-to-play. I think that is about the dirtiest thing you can say about a struggling independent press, much dirtier than anything I’ve said about Small Press Month.
All I can tell you is that I’ve received a bunch of emails from small press people agreeing with me, and haven’t received any emails from small press people disagreeing with me.
Face it, this city is going down the tubes. Look at the Chicago Reader. Look at how it has shrunk. Look at how the movie Vantage Point is the critic’s choice even though Jonathan Rosenbaum hated it. What happened to the Reader? Didn’t it get bought out by some corporation in Florida? Do you think those big wigs in Florida care about the Chicago art scene or about how important the Chicago Reader is to the art community? Or do you think they care about money?
The place where I used to read poetry has been replaced by American Apparel.
Do you think the AAP cares about you because you are making an appearance at their little event? Guess what, in thirty-two days March will be over and the AAP and Barnes and Noble and the rest of the gang will forget you even exist.
We are living in a culture where the police raid our book fairs and then the Chicagoist sticks up for the police. Small Press Month is not bringing the small press community together. It is just a meaningless token.
It’s not too late. Chicago DOES have a strong community of independent publishers, and we don’t need New York to showcase it. You will be doing more for Chicago’s small press world by NOT participating in Small Press Month.
–CJ Laity
Its me just me (the first one.):
Actually, you can find Featherproof books at Barnes & Noble.
Just saying.
I can’t even find the poetry section at Barnes and Noble, but if you say so.
Hi everyone,
So many things to say!
First, I’d like to thank Sondra for acknowledging the reality of corporate/civic leader support for nonprofit organizations these days. We at Switchback Books are in the process of transitioning to a nonprofit, and as publisher, I can’t ignore the place that the corporate world/community leaders will have in our upcoming endeavors. The fact of the matter is that it’s not fiscally viable to operate a poetry press the way our organization chooses to without funding from sources outside ourselves. I do appreciate everyone’s concern about Corporate America, however—we’re going to have to navigate Switchback’s path carefully.
I support CJ’s endeavors in Chicago… the calendar at ChicagoPoetry.com is outstanding. However, I do think that asking for a boycott of events related to Small Press Month is disappointing. On a very fundamental level, why boycott the very people that love poetry so much they have invested their own time and resources to publish books, an endeavor that we all know is tremendously difficult and with little reward?
As a new publisher, it has been very difficult to build relationships with other publishers, not out of lack of desire, but due to basic time constraints. We’re running around like mad over here trying to get our books out into the world and then support them once they’re there, like any small press does. So when another organization (whose well-established goal is to promote poetry’s place in the world) asks us to participate in an event that is working both to promote our significant efforts and to help build community between local publishers, you bet your ass we’re in. I simply refuse to take seriously the claim that participating in an event with these intentions is “selling out.”
Finally, I think that by railing against Small Press Month, CJ has managed to achieve a goal in direct opposition to his intent—everyone knows all press is good press. Thanks for helping to raise awareness about Small Press Month. We need, truly, all the support we can get.
All best,
Brandi
Okay,
it’s me but it’s not me. This comes from small press guru Larry Winfield in Las Angeles, emailed to me and posted on larrywinfield(dot)com(slash)maproom
“In the first place, I don’t consider Houghton Mifflin, Random House, Simon and Schuster, Harlequin, Harper Collins, or McGraw-Hill “small press” or “independent” publishers. I don’t even place university presses under that label because they have an educational institution supporting them. When I hear “small, indy press” I think of writers printing their own damn books because corporate publishers won’t give ‘em the time of day, and it’s invariably not because of the quality of the work (you can read my “podcast novel” forum posts at AuthorNation for more on that end). Second, it’s a NY-based literary cliche deciding this honor for indy publishers across the country, with the usual “flyover country” contempt for the midwest literary scene, and Chicago in particular. Being in LA, that attitude is very prevalent out here. Last point: for a celebration that’s in its 12th year, I never heard of this thing until THIS year, and even this year there are less than 12 events being held across the country (and none in the South), and only 2 in the LA area, one being at the poetry nightclub Beyond Baroque in Venice.”
I’ll dig up some more small press people who officially object to Small Press Month if I can.
Big Corporations or Not, the bottom line remains the same: make money. There is no art community in Chicago. It has splintered off long before I ever made my presence felt. People do not genuinely care about other artists, only promoting themselves, and this bickering is proof of it. I’m REALLY only commenting because I want my name listed on another website. If Chicago had a community of artists then it would be evident. There would be inclusive gatherings where nobody was left off the guest list, and people would feel encouraged to present their work. Truly Indie is running off copies of your latest work and trying to sell it in the streets, but in these Chicago streets nobody is buying.
Tangential issues and snide innuendos aside…
You think big business can be trusted to help small business and artists or you don’t.
You care about that issue or you don’t.
If you don’t trust big biz and do care about the issue, spend whatever money you can on small press pubs.
If you do trust big biz and/or don’t care about the issue, knock yourself out and spend money on the month’s events.
Either way, the sun rises tomorrow.
However…CJ went waaaaay over the line, knocking my dear, put-upon NYC…
Charlie, you are a rabblerouser! Jonathan went waaaay over the line ripping on my circa-1992 gif animations.
As the publisher of dancing girl press, which is completely psyched to be participating in the event, I of course have a horse in this race. (er..this debate or whatever) I’ve also been involved with Chicago Poetry.com events in the past and agree they are a huge resource for Chicago poets. I was initially contacted by Wayne Allen Jones, who had also been contacted about possibly organizing the Small Press Month event in Chicago. It’s odd, but I remember ChicagoPoetry.com being very supportive then along with all the presses (via the e-mail discussion going back and forth between the editor) and am sad to see such a change of heart on the part once the Poetry Center stepped in to host the event. I was surprised actually to see them not included, and surprised and dismayed even moreso by ChicagoPoetry.com’s stance on the whole thing and the attacks against the Poetry Center. I don’t think this sort of quibbling and warfare benefits anyone in the community, least of all the small presses…
and seriously, if I were were a corporate sell-out I certainly wouldn’t be printing folding and stapling every single damned copy of what we publish…
Hi Kristy,
you really should keep in touch. I don’t think I’m on your email list, which makes it hard for me to include your wonderful Dancing Girl Press events in my calendar, since I’m not psychic.
Yes, you remember correctly. Let it be known that I’m not taking my stance because I feel shunned; it’s not like I wasn’t invited to be part of Small Press Month. I actually was invited to be part of Small Press Month, by the big hancho from Small Press Month himself. He asked me to be the sponsor for the Chicago area event. I told him to give me a few days and I would let him know. I thought it was weird that he expected me to do all the work and even fund an event for his organization and he didn’t offer any compensation whatsoever, but the thought of being included in a national event with some prestigious venues was a little tempting. That is probably why you are part of it, right?
Finally I decided the idea of a small press month was too silly for me, but I wanted to pass on the opportunity to someone who might care about it. So I passed the baton to Wayne Allen Jones of Fractal Edge Press. The idea was that he would take charge of the event, and I would co-sponsor by promoting the event at my site and by helping to book it through my big email list. For two weeks, Wayne did his homework and was ready to book the Chopin Theater for the small press month event. The Chopin Theater was totally psyched about it. My vision of it was that we would have thirty or forty small presses represented, as many as possible, everyone would be invited. I informed Small Press Month what the plans were and they said great.
Then I found out that while I was wasting my time and while Wayne was attempting to get it all together, Small Press Month had actually gone behind my back and already had something scheduled with the Poetry Center of Chicago. My initial reaction was what you are referring to. Stunned, I chewed Small Press Month out but conceded that the Poetry Center of Chicago had more money and that there was no way I could compete with that. I tried to be diplomatic by offering my support, even though I felt screwed. I carbon copied that email to The Poetry Center. The Poetry Center didn’t even bother to reply back to say something like “Hey, sorry for stepping on your toes.” They cut me out of the equation completely and made the entire thing about the six presses that would be featured. They didn’t “step in” as you call it; they grabbed the football and ran away with it.
Granted, this pissed me off. But before you dismiss it all and say that all of this is about that, let me just say in my defense that is usually the way these things start. You don’t call for a boycott of something because it was NICE to you–do you? These folks from New York showed total disrespect for me and exhibited utter disregard for the fragile order of things in Chicago’s poetry scene. They sat safely in New York while they pulled the strings and pitted two Chicago literary organizations against each other. So, naturally, I wanted to find out who was responsible. I started researching. And that’s when I found out that Small Press Month isn’t even run by small presses.
Boom!
If I had learned that Small Press Month is actually run by small presses, I still would have been upset, but I would have kept my mouth shut about it. But they are NOT run by Small Presses and they don’t care about Chicago. They just want a token Chicago event to make their organization look more legitimate.
–CJ
“It doesn’t take a brilliant mind to see that Time Out’s advertising impacts who gets the props.”
Um, not true. Wouldn’t you think it could go the other direction too?
How exactly would not participating help?… I don’t see Mr. Laity’s point in shaming participants of this event, or in insisting that Chicago avoids exposure in this arena… Despite his personal grudges, it’d seem more appropriate to insist on attendance, communication, and diplomacy, given the imminence of interactions necessary in operating beyond one’s living room — not complicance, per se, but ENGAGEMENT and REPRESENTATION. While I appreciate Mr. Laity’s service to the community and similarly despise instances where the privileged usurp those who labor with dignity, I don’t think that’s what this is, and I certainly don’t share Mr. Laity’s isolationist standpoint. It’s important to grab the mic when it’s passed instead of turning around and letting it drop on the floor with a thud, regardless of the venue or host.
Rob,
I am encouraging everyone NOT to participate in National Small Press Month. This will help because it will protect our independence. Being independent is not the same thing as being an isolationist. Nobody’s suggesting we isolate ourselves. But we have to wipe the crust from our eyes and see the irony of it all. In one article Jonathan Messinger is says “Chicago’s publishing scene suffers some growing pains” and points out how unfortunate it is that Chicago small presses have to look outside Chicago to find support, and in the next he defends the very power structure that is keeping it that way.
It is very easy for you to dismiss it all by claiming I have a personal grudge, because I communicate, thus I allow you to have some bits of truth to use against me. On the other hand, its hard to understand the motivations of someone like Francesco Levato of the Poetry Center because his response to the issue is silence. I’m assuming you are talking about the rift that developed with the Poetry Center when you speak of personal grudges, so allow me to say a few words about that.
The problem with the Poetry Center is you never know whom you are dealing with. In the last seven years they have had four different Executive Directors. When Ken Clarke was the Executive Director he communicated with me nearly on a daily basis. He was very mature. He didn’t hold it against me when I criticized his Billy Corgan event and he gave me the heads up about upcoming events so that I could break the story at ChicagoPoetry.com. Then suddenly it was Lisa Buscani, who, in her entire two years, never so much as said hi to me or thanked me for helping to promote her events. The reason for this is because she carried her baggage (aka, personal grudges) with her into her position. Perhaps I criticized her at some point, or I criticized her friends, there is probably not a single poet in the city of Chicago that I have not reviewed or criticized in one way or another: that’s part of my job. She didn’t “like” me so there was no networking with The Poetry Center for that entire time. It took considerable effort to keep my trap shut during that time but I did it because I wanted to give Buscani the chance she deserved to do some good things with her position. Instead, her position reeked of nepotism and all her neofuturist friends got the spotlight in all the Poetry Center events. Then suddenly it was Francesco Levato. I feel like Francesco Levato has carried his baggage into his position as well. Years back we tried to work together to set up a poetry radio station, but he wanted to call it Vox Box and I didn’t, so we went our separate ways on that and I helped to create something called Poetry World Radio instead. He got upset with me. When he took charge of the Poetry Center, my first reaction was oh no, not another poet acting like an Executive Director. The worst thing the Poetry Center can do is put a poet in charge of its operations. The poet will carry their baggage in with them and the events will undoubtedly reflect the scene that the poet belongs to rather than being universal. Someone should hold the position of Executive Director who is knowledgeable about poetry but who is not actually a poet. I crossed my fingers and hoped Levato was above that. But I can’t keep my trap shut any more, especially now that his first big act is selling out to New York.
I completely disagree with you that it is important to grab the microphone no matter where it is. That is a very desperate way of thinking. It is more important to have some standards, I would think.
Please understand that when everyone boycotts the Poetry Center’s Small Press Month farce, it is no reflection on the presses that the Poetry Center selected to be featured. We will still support all these presses in there other ventures. It is the concept of National Small Press Month itself that we object to: not the small presses.
–CJ Laity
“We will still support all these presses in there (sic) other ventures. It is the concept of National Small Press Month itself that we object to: not the small presses.” - CJ Laity (March 1st, 2008 @ 9:28 am)
Actually, when your website accuses the participants of Chicago’s Small Press Month Reading of “selling their souls” and when your mainpage features a rotating graphic with snide little comments about Kristy Bowen and Switchback Books, that’s called you objecting to the small presses involved with “National” Small Press Month. To claim otherwise marks you as a cowardly hypocrite and/or just plain crazy.
I don’t speak for Switchback, dancing girl, or any other press/group, but, as far as I am concerned, I must respectfully request that you withdrawal “your support.” I don’t want my name to be associated with your rantings and ravings.
Daniela,
Good God! Where is the poetry scene’s sense of humor? Has everyone become that anal? Snide little comments? They are called JOKES, political cartoons that compare the AAP sponsoring “small press month” to Switchback publishing Robert Bly. I can understand why you and the others are supporting small press month. Someone honored you by asking you to be part of it. But there are only EIGHT of you being honored when there are dozens if not hundreds of small presses in the Chicagoland area. I informing you that you are selling your soul not because I don’t support you but because I DO support you. I support you and that is why it pains me to see you sell your soul like this. Get a grip! Chicago has had a cohesive literary scene for twenty years since I’ve been in it and of course before that before I became part of it. Do you have any idea how tiring it is to have to put up with people who pop into the scene without any knowledge of its history and act like they invented it or that their way of thinking is going to save it, as if it needs saving. Chicago has a wonderful literary scene. And I have news for you if you haven’t already figured it out: poets are the most outspoken, radical, eccentric and “crazy” people around. So if you can’t stand people who act crazy perhaps you are in the wrong business. By the way, I heard that Haliburton is sponsoring Small Business Month this year.
–CJ Laity
I think I’ve seen this before in Chicago literary circles- synecdoche, one small part speaking for the whole.
It’s stupid. More charitably, we could say that the easy metaphor— in which iconic cities like Chicago, New York and Los Angeles define the character of the people who live and make art there— is a lot simpler than the reality. But I prefer to call it stupid.
We couch it in terms like “scene” and “community” but I don’t really know what those words mean outside of this flawed metaphor.
Sometimes I have drinks with other writers, or critique their work, or listen to them read their work out loud while I have drinks with other other writers. Many of these people are my friends.
Sometimes I write for Chicago publications and other writers from Chicago read what I write and they say “Hey man, I liked your thing.” I like it when that happens.
Sometimes we make things together, and publish each other’s work in this or that capacity because we like it ,and think it deserves whatever wider audience we can muster.
I have also watched the cats of other writer when they go out of town. I don’t know how that counts here, but I thought I’d put it out there.
This is the “scene” and “community” as I understand it. And that’s pretty much all it is. The rest, we embellish, mostly for the sake of how we’d like to talk about things. It’s all semantics and shorthands, I think.
It’s important to remember that when someone comes around looking for attention.
“Chicago literature is this! It’s that! I’m important!”
Sure, okay, I’ll play along. But we all know that all it really is is a shifting, loose-knit bunch of writers occasionally in the same rooms together and sometimes acting on each other’s behalf.
Right?
The conversation exists for its own sake and for a panoply of individual motives, self-interested and otherwise. My own included.
But if we’re being honest, and not just talking, I think it goes like this: wherever you are a writer, it is most likely going to be a frustrating and unprofitable existence. The only consistent and meaningful way location factors in is whether or not you face that existence alone. In Chicago, thankfully, you don’t.
“But we all know that what it really is is a shifting, loose-knit bunch of writers occasionally in the same room together and acting on each other’s behalf.”… Here here, Mr. Coco. And some of those writers are in Alabama these days, still singing the praises of that town 800 miles up I-65.
I don’t quite know how to approach the problem at hand — I will say that one takes the on-the-ground logistical assistance one can get, within boundaries, whether that’s a venue to sell or a distribution network. Total separation from all large-business-type interests is probably woefully myopic in nearly any arts arena. Of course, I don’t have direct experience with being particularly entangled — as my friend Jim Munroe once said, though, and I’ll paraphrase him, it’s much more interesting to contemplate the ethics of a Dave Eggers than those of a basement zinester. The way a respectable artist negotiates corporate entanglements to the benefit of causes/people outside him- or herself will tell you much about the artist.
Elucidating the view from Birmingham, Alabama, though, the simple fact that this discussion is occurring I might encourage all of you to take as evidence of Chicago’s literary importance, its particular vibrancy w/r/t the loose-knit group of occasionally fraternizing writers Mr. Coco speaks, clearly with a large local audience. A group of equal caliber and notoriety likely exists not in the new South — not in Birmingham, anyhow.
–Todd Dills
Mr. Dills and Mr. Coco are getting this discussion going in better directions. CJ, you got the ball rolling, and I like where your heart is for independent Chicago poetry, and I like that you pursue the spirit of truth. Daniela, I’ll give you the “synechdotal” title of “Chicago small-press ambassador”–surviving and walking the talk.
I’m new to the poetry scene in Chicago, although I’ve lived here my entire life. I’ve been skeptical of media since I learned about W.R. Hearst, which was a couple years ago. I didn’t pay attention in history–or lit, either (see “new to poetry scene in Chicago”). But something I have understood is the effect of power, and I am learning about the insinuative nature of power: Mr. Laity doesn’t want the independent nature of the Chicago poetry scene to lose its power to well-disguised corporate spin, if such be the case; Daniela Olszewska does not want…you know, I don’t know what Mme. O wants for Dancing Girl–exposure? Dancing Girl could certainly get that with corporate support, but is the corporate support going to support Dancing Girl, or just shore up her presses to fatten itself later?
Staying small is harder work than being assimilated by the bigger houses. As a struggling writer, the fact that poetry has become harder to “sell” is a mixed blessing. I have to take a day job. This allows me to do what poetry REQUIRES of me: to live, to be aware, and to connect with the moments and other voices around me.
When money comes into play, it is no longer about connecting for connection’s sake. It is about profit. That puts the pure moment at risk of being lost for something illusory. Sure, money is a necessary thing–the arbitrary value that helps us all come to terms with things that we want from each other.
If corporations are involved, keep ‘em out. They are middlers–introducing a motive that threatens the authenticity of the poetics of a place to take an extra cut of abritrariness for itself and make everyone involved think one thing or another. It’s a bait-and-switch, if it’s really happening, and it will continue to threaten the arts as it has.
Of course, this is where the CJs and the Dancing Girls need to keep dancing and…CJing. But it’s about the local poetry.
Don’t forget it. Go to local shows. Write poetry, good and bad, and get it out there, and listen with compassionate ears. Make your own networks of coffeehouse baristas, cutthroat attorneys, athletes, boaters, displaced newcomers…and sound engineers! We need better sound systems for the festivals.
I’ve been trying to avoid the utopian vision of my sentiment, but as much as we may need money to survive, money needs US to have its value…corporations don’t live like people. They live on money, which means THEY live on what WE value. Not the other way around.
To me, only these questions remain. What’s more important–Chicago poetry, or National Small Press month? And who is more important, the local poets who connect…actually, to me, there’s no question about that one.
So walk the talk, poets; sleeping poets in all of us, wake up and be unafraid. The world needs more of you, and fewer middlers who distract and are themselves not even paying attention to what we truly need to connect and discover the authentic Chicago.
My memory shouldn’t serve as the institutional memory of Small Press Month, but I’m fairly certain that SPM did not come from NYC. When I first started Lake Claremont Press in 1994, I was active on an 800-person listserv for several years–I think it was “Pub-List”–filled with people from all realms of publishing, but predominantly from micropresses, small presses, indie publishers, non-profit publishers, self-publishers, etc. I believe various discussions on this list led to “Small Press Month,” particularly nurtured into existence by Jan Nathan of the Publishers Marketing Association (of Manhattan Beach, California), who I think continued to be the driving force behind it for a decade or so until she died last year (http://jannathan.pma-online.org/). Could this be why there’s the impression this year that SPM is a New York thing? Anyway, back in 1996 or 1997, PMA issued a list of things a small press could do to help promote Small Press Month (I believe many if not all of these ideas sprung from the listserv). Those ideas are posted on their website: http://www.pma-online.org/custom/smallpressmonth/SmallPrsMth.aspx. In our office, we tried assorted things with various degrees of energy (mostly minimal, as it never seemed the most important thing we had to do on any given day) for the first ten years to promote Small Press Month–trying to rally other small presses (mostly other non-fiction book publishers like ourselves), trying to get group media coverage, trying to partner with local indie bookstores to do something. Basically it was all “trying.” Except for a minor blip of enthusiasm one year, almost nothing came from any camp from these efforts, and a couple years ago, our office decided to throw out our copy of that original list of “31 Things To Do For Small Press Month” that we kept refiling year after year. Just another perspective and maybe a few facts about the origins of SPM. Thanks for getting and keeping these discussions open.
Well, I have a few thoughts to add to this discussion, so I’ll just post them in a numbered list, to avoid confusion, and to make it easy for folks to respond to them, if they so choose…:
1) I am the Managing/Fiction Editor for Another Chicago Magazine. We are, and pretty much always have been, an independent publication (and since we became Left Field Press in 1988, the very definition of a Small Press). We’ve struggled mightily over the years with many things: folks learning how to do the job well and then leaving to comparable jobs that actually paid them, insufficient funds, internal chaos, running behind schedule, etc. The same problems all indie presses/pubs suffer through to get their stuff out there.
2) We in Chicago have some wonderful pieces in place right here, and some tools already at our disposal. The Printer’s Ball is an awesome showcase for local pubs. Sure last year’s P.B. was shut down by the cops (I was told by several of the cops that it was due to liquor license violations, but who knows?). Chicago will also be hosting AWP next year. Why not take this energy and channel it into some events in Chicago for AWP? Why not use it to have more readings to coincide with P.B.? Why not “prove” our importance, and then we should be a bigger part of SPM? I for one am more than happy to participate in such a venture!
3) I don’t know a whole lot about SPM. I joined the Facebook page recently. Until then, I’d never heard of it. And they certainly didn’t contact us (unless they used an E-mail addy from our crappy website (any web designers out there looking for unpaid, cool work…?) which would no doubt have bounced). I have no ego about ACM’s status, legendary or infamous or obscure, but will note that we have been around since 1977, and we were not part of the Chicago contingent asked to participate. That stings a bit, especially when I see that newcomers were asked. I am proud of them, and feel very much happiness for them, but am saddened to see a bit of a breakdown occuring somewhere along the line. Is it because our press publishes a lit mag, rather than chapbooks or book length pubs? I don’t know. Perhaps it is, and I am chasing a wild goose…
4) This does point to the fact that the “Chicago Scene” is pretty much what Coco desribes. It is ephemeral, and constantly shifting in focus. You’ve a better chance of defining the roles of those who started the fire…
5) CJ does a great job of promoting local folks with his site and readings, and he has a ton of energy. But he also seems quick to anger, or a bit too sensitive. Perhaps some of his well-documented “blow-ups” on some of the high profile local sites have soured folks a bit? I have no idea, and won’t follow this train of thought.
6) I did see Messinger here at this blog. and Gretchen at Literago and Chuck at Chicagoist take a sort of cheap shot at CJ, though, to be fair, most of these were contained within very thoughtful commentary. I myself have been guilty in the past of taking a cheap shot at CJ on one of my ill-fated “write for a not so great web-pub to pay the rent” articles that allowed me to avoid bankruptcy a few years ago, and I wasn’t necessarily all that thoughtful. So, I am not above the fray so to speak. And I don’t understand this completely (Why do we feel drawn to needle?). Many of the poets CJ features aren’t published. Is it because they aren’t good enough? Is it because they aren’t establishment enough? Who knows? I certainly don’t, as poetry isn’t my forte. But he is doing a valuable service to folks who have the passion, and lack a venue for it. Sometimes he comes across as a bit of an ass, though. I’m sure even he would admit to it. Is this why we poke? Again, I don’t know. But I do agree with CJ’s lack of trust in this venture to really be truly beneficial to the world of Small Presses. I honestly don’t think it will be. How could it, really? I certainly don’t expect any windfalls from it in the same way that a woman with breast cancer might experience windfalls from National Breast Cancer Awareness month. But I don’t think a boycott is going to do anything at all either. What money are they losing from such a boycott? If they experience no loss of income, our impact isn’t felt by enacting a boycott, and we look like backwards fools. That’s just a bad idea.
7) Personally, I think a much more pressing matter are the budget cuts right here in Illinois. The IAC couldn’t increase the budget for grants this year. This means less money for small presses (like us at ACM, as we in large part live off of those grants). Should this be a bigger topic for concern among those in the local scene? I think so. ACM is funded by IAC (as are a ton of local arts orgs, and not-for-profits). I hope that valuable source of funding doesn’t disappear. Let’s do something to raise awareness of that issue!
8) This is a great discourse! Let’s keep it clean and see it through to something!
Jacob,
the only matter that I take issue is when you say “Many of the poets CJ features aren’t published.” I guess that depends on your definition of many. Sure many aren’t published, but on the other hand many are published. In the current anthology at chicagopoetry.com (yes, the one you are asked to chip in a couple of bucks to be part of, the one that helps finance all the free stuff we offer), the featured poets include Mike Puican (published by Tia Chucha Press), Sandy Goldsmith (published by Puddin’head, one of the SMP showcased presses), Kristin LaTour (published by Pudding House, not to be confused with Puddin’head), Frank Varela (published by March Abrazo, another SPM feature), Marilyn Peretti (author of two very popular crane themed books of poetry), Susan Cherry (published by Chicago Spectrum Press, which I think is actually located in Kentucky), Larry O. Dean (published by Fractal Edge Press, another SMP feature), need I go on . . . These are some of the people Jonanthan Messinger and Kristy Bowen have accused of having to “pay-to-play”. These people deserve apologies. As for when I host live poetry events, again, not true. Every year I host a two hour event for the Printers Row Book Fair. The poets I feature are either published or well known performance poets, and I usually sneak in one or two newcomers just for fun. I think you are judging me on my poetry cram. The poetry cram is basically an open mic. Some times I book a cram in advance but that is done through an open call via an email list, When you do an open mike it is an “open” mike. You don’t ask who is published and who is not published. It’s a chance for new voices to be heard. Also, ChicagoPoetry.com serves as a stepping stone toward getting published.
As for me sometimes being an ass, that’s an opinion, and you are entitled to it.
Anyway, this discussion is going in the right direction and I’d hate to make it all about me again.
–cj
D Parker - Thanks for the title. Obviously, as a poet, I want my work to get as much exposure as possible. However, I’m sure you will agree that there are less emotionally draining ways to go about promoting one’s work. After re-reading my previous posts, I can understand how some people might be confused about my motives for posting. So, I’ll be clearer: I feel that Mr. Laity is a bully and someone should at least try to put him in his place (I don’t for a second think that I accomplished this with my posts - but, still, I felt I had to make an effort). Mr. Laity has launched vicious personal attacks on my friends and me. I don’t view my responding to his attacks as a publicity stunt; I view them as sticking up for myself (and the people I love).
Jacob - I could be wrong, but, I think that the organizers of Chicago’s Small Press Month Reading decided to distinguish between presses that publish chapbooks/”regular-sized” books and presses that publish journals. Hence, ACM’s exclusion. Despite my support for Small Press Month, I don’t for a second pretend that it is perfect. Like all readings, not everyone gets to read. I think that we can and should have discussions about who was included, who was excluded, and what that might mean.
And I totally applaud your call to civility; but, I would like to gently point out that being civil is much, much easier when it’s not your head on the chopping block.
Everyone - I have researched the backgrounds of Small Press Month and The Poetry Center. I consider myself a socially responsible citizen/poet. I wouldn’t read at an event whose ethics I didn’t agree with. I encourage all of you to do your own research and draw your own conclusions as to the “validity” of Small Press Month events.
Daniela,
why the overreaction? In order to be a bully you have to pick on someone smaller than yourself. I’m one man with a press so small it amounts to a keypad and me. I’m simultaneously taking on Small Press Month which is sponsored by the largest publishing associations in the industry, The Poetry Center of Chicago which is hands down the most funded poetry organization in Chicago besides the Poetry Foundation, Time Out Chicago which is a major periodical, and yes, a couple of the presses who are too thick to know see the difference between taking a stand and a personal attack. Which of your “friends” did I personally attack? Kristy Bowen? Didn’t Kristy Bowen write something about me at her blog first? Isn’t my so-called attack merely a response in defense of the misinformation she is spreading about me? And what personal attack have I launched against you? I’ve said nothing bad about you. You are overreacting. Chill out, March will be over in a few weeks and we’ll all have to live together in the same community.
This entire idea that if we don’t participate in Small Press Month that we will somehow isolate ourselves from the rest of the world is just hogwash. That’s like saying if we don’t support Hillary Clinton we are isolating ourselves, or if we don’t stop piling the kitchen sink on our hotdogs we will isolate ourselves. Chicago a strong small press world and, yes, we can have our own Small Press Month.
Your explanation why the majority of publishers are being excluded from Small Press Month is hogwash as well. It would be more convincing if the publisher of the Executive Director of the Poetry Center’s own book of poetry wasn’t one of the select few. This is not a personal attack against Fractal Edge Press. I have personally reviewed more Fractal Edge Press titles than anyone in the world, and that is a fact. I followed Fractal Edge from the moment it was conceived and I have a sinking suspicion that you never ever heard of it until this event. So don’t play the “love” card. You sound foolish and your twisted way of manipulating this all too real issue is transparent and will not help you get the public into the Art Institute’s Ballroom.
Do you think it’s easy taking a stand like this? Of course it would be easier to shut my mouth. Then I wouldn’t risk having a few more overly sensitive poets take what I say out of context and hold lifelong grudges against me. But sometimes you have to think of the good of the community rather than just trying to protect your friendship base.
I too have researched the backgrounds and the factual information is supplied at ChicagoPoetry.com. Everyone IS drawing their own conclusions, they don’t need your permission to do that.
–CJ Laity
Here I was going to post that this teapot seems just about tempested out, but lo!
Regardless, I don’t think Sharon Woodhouse’s comments should go unacknowledged. Thanks very much to her for providing some much-needed historical context.
And I agree with Pete and Todd that a “scene” isn’t much more than a loose association of people, mostly tethered to each other by similar interests. It’s actually what makes making art in Chicago fun, to my mind, and also what makes me wary of the idea of spokesmanship.
It seems pretty clear to me that a small press month could be whatever people want to make of it—opportunity or emergency—and never the twain shall meet. At least now no one can say they never heard of it, right? So I’d just like to say that in honor of the spirit of a month that exists in the minds of some but not others, my new favorite project that I’ve seen produced hereabouts is Paper & Carriage, the creative non-fiction journal that Green Lantern Gallery and ThreeWalls have started up. Very cool.
Please keep this tea pot whistling until April. Thanks for the info, I’ve added a link to Paper and Carriage to chicagopoetry
My goodness, how we love to see our words on the screen. We must fancy ourselves a bunch of writers or something. Therefore, one, two, three, four, I declare a cento war.
That’s right, poets and poetry fans: I invite all of you to write a cento using a line from each of the posts in this thread, and send them to me at nattychris@gmail.com. I am not promising anything, but if one looms head and shoulders above the rest, I just may give its author one bright, shiny nickel! Not that I am becoming a small press or anything…
It would be nice to see all of the small presses working together.
To Jacob, and all our fine independent Chicago publishers. When SPM contacted me about putting together a reading to support small presses my first thought was of course, any opportunity to honor the dedication, sacrifice, and hard work of these presses was a welcome one. Due to time limitations, for both the reading and its preparation, I thought the most feasible approach would be to feature literary book and chapbook publishers. This is the only reason magazines and journals were not contacted. There was absolutely no slight intended. This is our first SPM reading and I am definitely taking notes so as to improve next year’s. I value the work of our independent publishers and feel there needs to be an ongoing commitment to showcasing their work. The Poetry Center’s Small Press Showcase is just one step in that direction. I invite any of our independent literary publishers to contact me directly (312-899-7483 or flevato@poetrycenter.org) to talk about how we might better collaborate in the future.
Hi, TOC’s Web editor here.
There’s been a couple comments on both sides of this issue that have been a bit too pointed. Just want to remind everyone in this discussion that this is a moderated - albeit loosely-so - comment forum, and anything deemed to be an overly-personal attack will not be posted.
With all due respect, Scott. I appreciate that you are trying to maintain a civil discussion; however, it might be wise to note that some here have proven themselves over the years to be incapable of rational discussion, immune to logic and reason, as well as libelous and vindictive. All you can do is ignore that kind of behavior and concentrate on your work.
Well this is what they pay me for…
OK, I see the nepotistic double standard here. Messinger can libel ChicagoPoetry.com and damage it financially so that we have to cancel our annual poetry contest, but if I say something true about Messinger’s buddy I get censored. How many times does Messinger get to promote his own events at Time Out Chicago before it becomes a conflict of interest?
Fine, then. If I can’t express myself here, I’ve posted the comment at my site and it’ll go out with my next email blast as well.
I’m “the big hancho” (I think he meant “honcho”) “from Small Press Month himself” who initially contacted CJ about his interest in hosting a Small Press Month event in Chicago. I’m not directly affiliated with the Small Press Month organization, but with one of its major sponsors, which CJ has inexplicably left off his list, the New York Center for Independent Publishing, where I serve on the board. NYCIP approached me because they knew I was from Chicago originally and familiar with many of the literary people there.
Their vision was to hold marathon readings nationwide celebrating small and independent publishing. It was important that organizers in the different cities organize these events, because of their knowledge about their local scenes. Small Press Month was never intended to be directed by some New York cabal but rather by individuals in the various cities where events were to be held. Knowing CJ was experienced in organizing marathon readings, he came to my mind first.
My role was simply to make contact with CJ and put him in touch with SPM organizers if he showed interest. I’m sorry if he “thought it was weird that he expected me to do all the work and even fund an event for his organization and he didn’t offer any compensation whatsoever.” That he thought these things was highly premature, because I was in no position to offer him the gig nor promise him any funding. I was merely sounding him out regarding his interest level.
The event he envisioned (while having another party, Wayne Allen Jones, do all of the work and, it sounds, pay for it), including 30 or 40 small presses represented in a marathon reading at the Chopin Theater, was exactly what I envisioned and my understanding of what SPM also envisioned. How this plan was accepted and then rejected, I can’t say, but I intend to look into it. Six presses at the Poetry Center of Chicago doesn’t to me seem to fit the bill, either.
CJ feels insulted, understandaby, and perhaps justfiably, but he is grossly mischaracterizing Small Press Month and its participants.
First, it was important to SPM organizers that Small Press Month become a national event, and they have bent over backwards to try this year to involve presses and writers nationwide. True, it previously was largely a New York event, but in 2008 this is no longer the case. There is no Mussolini-type figure sitting in a Midtown skyscraper forcing at gunpoint how Chicago or any other city decides to take part — or not.
Second, had he agreed to organize the Chicago SPM event, CJ wouldn’t have been the only person doing unpaid work. Organizers, both in New York and in other cities holding SPM events, are working on a purely voluntary basis. They recognize the value of promoting small and independent presses and are working as part of a larger effort that transcends local geography to gain a little recognition. Indeed, the chief national organizer of SPM is a broke graduate student at Brown University, not the obscenely paid Executive Director of a fat not-for-profit.
Third, the organizations that have signed on as sponsors are advocacy organizations for publishers, large and small. All are not-for-profits working on shoestring budgets with tiny, overworked staffs. The dues they are paid don’t cover their expenses and they receive underwriting from local, state and federal arts grants. CLMP may have minimum requirements for its members regarding number of titles and copies printed, I don’t know, but PMA and NYCIP certainly do not. Both our organizations welcome members who self-publish or publish via print-on-demand technology, and we provide programming and services for these constituencies. The support that sponsor organizations have lent the SPM effort has largely gone into printing posters and postcards and mailing them to event sponsors around the country.
Fourth, while I have issues with how it hastens the demise of independent bookstores, Barnes & Noble is actually a friend of small presses. They employ a full-time small-press buyer, who serves with me on the board of NYCIP. She is a dedicated, open-minded person who lobbies hard within B&N to carry small press titles of merit. Indeed, my first two novels were carried in B&N stores well before I was ever introduced to her, and I expect my third to be, too, when it’s released next month.
Before moving to New York I used to share CJ’s conspiracy-mindedness about New York’s influence on the publishing world. Now that I live here, I see the truth of the situation. Yes, the scene is highly stratified — and racially segregated, by the way — but this describes the commercial trade publishing industry. Those in the small and independent press scene should be left out of the ignorant, stereotypical epithet “New York Publishing.” In fact, small publishers here are just like small publishers everywhere — perennially broke, lacking recognition, and busting their asses for a largely quixotic cause. CJ has no call to resent the planners of Small Press Month. If he actually met them he’d probably find they’re just like him.
Tim,
if I recall correctly it was only a sort time ago that you were screaming just as loud or louder in protest of some poetry contest that you felt snubbed by and you made it out as if it was the end of the world if people didn’t agree with you. To be honest, I can’t recall the name of the contest but it was a big deal for a while in my email list and among the publishing circuit that you had something that you were standing up against. We stood behind you.
So, pleeeease, stop already.
No, you are not the person I am referring to when I talk about a big honcho. The person I am talking about is Azareen Van der Vliet Oloomi, and for a complete list of sponsors check out http://www.smallpressmonth.org/about/
Look, this has all become a moot point. It’s already March 4 and the small presses of Chicago have still not come to a consensus about whether or not March should be the official Chicago Small Press Month. OK a person I apparently can’t name here at TimeOut has said something to the contrary but believe me, he is not respected as the voice of Chicago Poetry, period. I have more seniority in the poetry scene than both the poetry center director and Time Out combined, so I have announced that Chicago’s Small Press Month has been cancelled. There will be no more discussion about this, this is a final decision I have made. Next year, Tim, if you want to contact us earlier and give us a chance to meet as a community and discuss this matter democratically, things may go in a different direction. But as for 2008, there will be no Small Press Month in Chicago, and that is final.
CJ,
Please stop trying to speak for people you do not represent. You host some poetry slams and run a website, but that does not make you anything special nor bestow upon you any privilege to decide what the rest of the world does with its poetry or its presses.
For your information kind sir, I have never ONCE hosted a poetry “slam”. The very fact that you would say that proves you need an education about the Chicago poetry scene. Do you even know what a poetry slam is? A poetry slam is a competition. It was founded by Marc Smith who sort of took the concept from the Taos Poetry Bouts way back in the early 80s. By the way, when I speak I sign my name to it, my words don’t appear as “NotAppearing” so who should we trust on this matter? I have been a trusted voice in the Chicago Poetry Scene long before Time Out Chicago appeared, kind sir.
I urge everyone, as much as possible, to prevent turning this into individualized attacks on this person or that person. The issues that CJ initially raised are very important ones, but from my perspective they are even larger than this conversation suggests.
The larger issue involves what we collectively imagine our poetry to be, who we imagine it to be for, what we imagine we are doing as writers and publishers.
The anxiety at the heart of this controversy does not, ultimately, have to do with personalities, or even with regional identities (New York v Chicago, etc); it has to do with the relationship between poetry and capital.
The outstanding feature of poetry in the twentieth-century has been its very ambivalent relation to the mass-market commodity. A few poets, such as Chicago’s own Vachel Lindsay, sold a huge number of books (over a million copies of his Collected Poems in the 1920s) through major New York publishers, but the vast majority of great American poets had a much more difficult, even hostile, relation to the mainstream publishing industry.
In fact, most of the great American poets published their own work or got it published by friends, or eventually found a home for it in start-up presses that were part of the “local scene.” This is true, for example, of Dickinson, Whitman, Williams, Stein, Pound, Ginsberg (and the Beats), Creeley (and the Black Mountain poets), Baraka (and the Black Arts writers), O’Hara (and the NY school), and more recently the “language” writers, who originally published each other using mimeograph machines and those new-fangled photocopiers. In short, most of the best poetry of the last hundred years emerged from local scenes and was originally published by very small presses or poets on their own dime.
Coincidence? Of course not. Great poetry resists the dumbing down and cleaning up demanded by the marketplace. Indeed, much of this poetry explicitly reminds us that there are values that remain unmarketable, uncapitalized.
But in recent years, this resistance that poetry offers is ever more eroded by efforts of major presses to generate cultural capital for themselves by branding their work as “alternative.” No one really wants to buy their shit, so they have to convince us that they are us. How do they go about doing this? They find greedy young writers who are more interested in “getting published’ than in writing, reading, and distributing work that sings the truth. (I’m not implying that anyone in particular fits this bill; as I said before, pointing fingers at individuals is entirely pointless as far as I’m concerned.)
Our beef must be with the corporations, like Barnes & Nobles, that spend a few bucks on a “small press specialist” in the hopes that the appearance of a very few (tame & non-threatening to the family) “alternative” books by “new authors” will coax the public back into their super crappy bookstores.
For me this is at the heart of CJ’s complaint; and while I don’t agree with everything he’s written, I thank him for raising some of these issues. As far as I’m concerned, the point is that “Small Press Month” is an advertising event sponsored & mostly organized by a consortium of not very small publishing houses. That’s not to say that its uniformly created or organized by some cabal. Woodland Pattern is an awesome bookstore, probably the best poetry bookstore in the country right now. & I certainly don’t blame them for getting involved if it helps to boost sales at an independent store that’s doing good work.
But that money is coming from the top down, and with it comes determinations about who gets to count as small preses and who doesn’t. In this case, its a number of very large organizations that are deciding what the landscape of “small presses” looks like. And OF COURSE they are being defended in that decision by a global franchise, Time Out, which has recently arrived in town to colonize the cultural scene. It’s not at all surprising to hear such condescending phrases as “It’s wholly embarrassing. Chicago artists need to see themselves as an integral part of a larger culture, so it’s important to promote Chicago authors and publishers beyond the city’s borders.” coming from this beacon of culture. And my objection has nothing to do with hometown pride; I mean, you can hear the snide condescension drip off these phrases. “Oh grow up,” the author seems to be saying, “welcome to a world where what counts as your local culture will always be determined from outside.” Unfortunately, this is the attitude that many poets, everywhere in the country, have adopted of late. Rather than get together in schools, cliques, workshops and factions of writers who share their visions with each other, each person scrambles to improve his or her resume, sending their manuscripts off to mostly faceless editors, jockeying for the next slot in the publishing queue, praying alone in their rooms for a review, and hating their neighbors as competitors. Poetry ends up driving us apart, rather than bringing us together.
No thank you. & it doesn’t have to be this way. We, meaning the publishers of small presses in Chicago, or in New York or L.A. or anywhere else, can decide to celebrate our own small press month or day or year or hour or whatever anytime we want. We could publish each other openly and for free. We could decide, once and for all, to never, ever enter a Barnes & Nobles again. We could boycott all new “months” of any kind and collectively resist the efforts of big-name publishers and boring institutions to improve their sales by feeding off of our culture.
When Poetry magazine was founded back in 1912 or so, it was a countercultural magazine. It was not the mouthpiece of a consortium of industries hoping to capitalize on the work of young writers, but the effort of a small group of young writers who wanted to give voice to a new way of being in the world. We might decide to try that approach instead.
There is a person involved in all of this who is named Azareen Van der Vliet Oloomi? For real? This is getting even stranger than I originally had thought. By the way, I have not received a single cento yet. Very disappointed.
Poetry Slam/Poetry Cram. Funny, you think there is much of a difference. There is not. They’re both performance versions of poetry where the performance is most often more important than the poetry, itself.
And indeed, “kind sir,” you likely know more about the “Chicago poetry scene” than I, but your dearth of knowledge about poetry and publishing, in general, make your self-proclaimed status as the spokesman for our community ring a bit hollow. I respect the voices here who ask us not to make personal attacks, but the real issue here is that you are, for writers in Chicago, not much more than a mouthpiece for a website. Unfortunately, because of your website’s visibility, people on the outside are mislead into thinking you know something about poetry or are the de facto head of the community. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Listen, you bag of fresh smelling roses, of course there is a difference between a cram and a slam. A cram is non-competative and is open to a variety of writing styles. I am going to be hosting a cram for the Chicago Public Library Poetry Festival on April 26, you are invited to come watch and listen; I will be hosting poets published by the various presses that will be featured in the lobby and there will be an open mic. Instead of making assumptions like a lucky shiny new nickle, why don’t you sign up a read something. And what exactly do you mean, “performance versions”? How do you think people throughout history shared their poetry before the computer, before the typewriter, before the ballpoint pen was invented. Performance is the ORIGINAL way poetry was shared. Writing poetry down came LATER. Listen, there is no point in arguing with you about my status. I run a Chicago poetry themed website that receives about a half million visitors a year, I’ve been asked by the Chicago Tribune five years in a row to book and host the Chicago Poetry Showcase, I’ve been on six major television networks as a representative of the Chicago Poetry Scene, and you, you beautiful human being with a snazzy retro haircut, are an anonymous troll (of course by troll I mean one of those cute dollies with the hair that sticks up).
Sorry, didn’t mean to presume CJ was talking about me — he referred to “the big hancho from Small Press Month himself” and I was the one who initially made contact on SPM’s behalf. Azie Van der Vliet is a she — and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a harder working, better organized, less egotistical person in the literary world than she is. She’s hardly the ogre CJ makes her out to be.
Tim, I never said she was an ogre, and that is not fair of you. Being someone that I have known personally for about twenty years I would simply expect more from you than putting words in my mouth like that. All I did was explain what happened and explained the course of events that led up to all of this.
Tim, I know you are originally from Chicago, but what are Chicagoans to you now? Chopped liver? Put yourself in my shoes for a second. Say I sent you an email telling you “opportunity is knocking” and that my friend is going to email you with the details. A few days later, mid-February mind you, my friend emails you and tells you that we here in Chicago have decided March is Poetry Broadside Month and we want you to put together a show featuring 31 poets. First of all, that’s a big show. When I book shows that big they are usually booked two or even three months in advance. What my friend doesn’t tell you is that she’s also invited your next door neighbor, who has much more funding and who is part of the same network of poets that you are in, to do an identical show. You pal up with Bob Homan to get this show together and Bob’s about to reserve his Bowery Club when suddenly you find out the show is already booked by your next door neighbor, and not only that, but your next door neighbor has invited Bob Holman to be part of it at the Nuyorican Cafe, but you aren’t invited. This really makes you feel crappy, doesn’t it, so you go online to find out what Poetry Broadside Month is all about and you find out its committee members don’t even make broadsides, they make Hallmark Cards. I’m willing to put all the profits from my book Disco Hypnotic down on Tim Brown screaming his head off about how these Chicagoans hoodwinked him. Yeah?
If you guys need a diversion and know anything about the Chicago comedy scene, you might enjoy this slice of similarity pie:
http://www.timeout.com/chicago/blog/out-and-about/?p=2906
But you’ve all got us beat in the comment tally.
i’m always interested in what cj laity has to say and thru this medium he’s done a great job of hanging himself this time. bravo! well done! i’m more interested in all honesty for him to publish a list of who he’s pissed off in the many years he’s been a “publisher” in this market. i bet it’s a long list! but then again, he rather enjoys it and keeps changing the rules. kind of wishy-washy if you ask the average poet on the street. go timeout, go!
So Chicagoans are now chopped liver because CJ was not invited to the party. I guess now we see what this is all about. Sayonara.
I don’t really worry about who I’ve pissed off. If I’ve pissed some people off, good! This scene is running rampant with nepotism and too often the mediocre is celebrated. A lot more people ought to start pissing people off rather than just going along with the flow. Of course by all means I am not comparing myself to any of these people, but Kennedy pissed people off, Martin Luther King Jr. pissed people off, Ghandi pissed people off. So pissing people off is certainly no rule of thumb, is it. Funny, for someone who you say is hanging himself, I’m breathing through my neck just fine. Perhaps part of this is about how I wasn’t invited to the party, but you know what, I’m not the only one who wasn’t invited to this party. And since when have Poetry Center of Chicago events become exclusive parties where people aren’t invited, anyway? Exactly what is your problem, anyway, NotAppearing, are you “not appearing” at my website? Did I not invite you to my party?
Intro: I’m the editor of Bruiser Review…
hi, ummm, well, I don’t want to further aggravate anything or anyone, and I don’t know CJ at all, and therefore I have nothing personal against him, but my thoughts on this whole “Small Press Month” issue are these:
If we (the Chicago Small Presses, I assume) “failed to decide” or “failed to organize” or “failed to whatever” in our attempts to plan an independent/non-corporate Small Press Month of our own, then we can’t be too angry that someone went ahead and did it for us, can we? The point is, it’s here. And, by the way, I never knew that anybody was trying to “decide” on any month or “organize” any other method of their own. I know I haven’t been in the game for a long time, but I didn’t receive any notice. Nobody I knew was planning any events on their own. Nobody I knew ever suggested to me that I should boycott anything at all until right now, when we are, by the looks of things, already in the middle of it. My feeling is that, hell, somebody out there wants to celebrate something that I’ve always appreciated and something that has always been under valued and under funded and often ignored, and I say, shit, man, well okay then, let’s celebrate it. I can’t imagine being like “you want to celebrate what? Hold up, now. Who do you think you are? You want to spread appreciation and attention for something that I’m a part of and passion about… step off, bitch!” That seems a little foolish, doesn’t it?
I like the Chicago “lit scene” and have for quite some time. I don’t feel weird calling it a “scene” because I don’t like using a thesaurus that much and I’m not sure if there is any other one word out there that would define it quite as well. I won’t start listing all the names of all the writers I enjoy that are living here, because I’m sure I would forget some of them, but I will say that I felt fortunate to have some of them (Billy Lombardo, Brian Costello, Megan Stielstra and Elizabeth Crane) included in Bruiser Review’s first issue. I also admit that I’m a fan of Jonathan Messinger. I thought his book was a damn good one and I think his Dollar Store show is original and highly entertaining. I think all of these people have helped drive our literary scene in a positive direction.
I’ve long been a supporter of ACM and Other Voices. I think MAKE is a great journal and I’m surprised nobody has mentioned it yet. Let’s talk about some good things that Chicago writers are doing, shall we? Can we, pleeeeeease? Okay, I’ll start…
I read somewhere that some of Todd Dills’ posse from 2ndhand were tossing a release party at Quimby’s on Saturday night. I’m going to be there. I’d probably go even if it wasn’t Small Press Month, but the damn thing has me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside and by god, I’m going to support a fellow Chicago writer/artist who’s doing something cool. GASP! In the end, isn’t that all we can do? We can support each other as much as possible. Maybe I’ll see some of you there. Cheers.
Simon,
good comments and good points. I think it’s important, though, not only to know but to approve of who is sponsoring Small Press Month. If someone says come on we’re going to give you a warm shower, your first reaction might be right on, why should be argue with that; but you’d be wise to look at the symbol on the person’s armband first. Sure, in theory, Small Press Month sounds good, but in all practicality it is simply a way for larger presses to spy on us because perhaps we are drippng into their profits. Thanks for letting me know about the 2ndHand thing at Quimby’s. Quimby’s celebrates small presses all year round and I think it is a fine example of how Chicago is already celebrating small presses and doesn’t need some huge conglomorant to dictate when and how we should do it. Also, everyone keeps saying I am calling for a “boycott” and even I got suckered into using that word. A boycott suggests that Small Press Month is established in Chicago, when it has not been established; by your own admission and that of others nobody even heard about it until I started screaming. So this is not a boycott. I’m suggesting we don’t recognize it to begin with so that it doesn’t become something so large that we have to boycott it.
By the way, thanks to all those who have in the last couple of days chipped in to the ChicagoPoetry.com fundraiser. Thank you for supporting our small press with something that actually matters.
“Waaaa, Waaaa…. I was invited, didn’t want to go, then uninvited. I didn’t stop there. I then proceeded to attack the party. I launched an all-out attack against the party and wouldn’t let people make up their own minds. Granted, it’s all very hypocritical, but it’s for a just cause, right? Oh yeah, and somewhere in there, somehow, it has become a personal attack against my poetry website, even my contest. Who am I?”
I found this information at ChicagoPoetry.com. The Poetry Center of Chicago Presents A Small Press Showcase featuring Answer Tag, Switchback, Puddin’head, March Abrazo, Cracked Slab, Fractal Edge, Dancing Girl and Featherproof, including a bunch of poets reading their stuff, Friday, March 28, 7 to 10 PM, at the SAIC Ballroom, 112 S. Michigan Ave., free.
That about sums it up, Avi. Good work. They tried keep me from being a part of Small Press Month so I made small press month all about me. Isn’t that remarkable. I am testiment to the power of the small press. My voice has been heard despite my lack of funding, despite all the attempts from the powers that be to keep my voice out of Small Press Month. Just imagine if they didn’t attempt to snub me, just imagine if they were actually about small presses. If I had decided to support it, I would have pumped just as much energy into supporting it. If I had been allowed to help book it there would have been way more than eight presses featured, and they would have included fiction and non-fiction presses as well. But, oh well, someone took the ball and ran away with it. Perhaps if I had received just the slightest token of respect, like a reply to an important email, this all could have been avoided: perhaps, but who knows. True, the new director of the poetry center got off on the wrong foot and dissed me for no apparent reason. Let’s hope he doesn’t make that mistake again, for all of our sakes. Wayne Allen Jones screwing me, well, that is really amazing, considering that I’m the only one in Chicago who has even reviewed any of the books he has published. When I networked with him and passed on the Small Press Month info. my ONE condition was that I be one of the featured poets, that’s all I asked, and he said, and I quote, “That’s a given.” I’m willing to let by gones be by gones if these two want to at least admit that I didn’t deserve that treatment. And you are right about the contest. Due to the economy, my contest probably wouldn’t have happened this year anyway, but making uninformed accusations about my fundraising drive certainly didn’t help it. Now I’m getting some donations pouring in, but it’s too late for the contest this year. I’ll do it next year or I’ll do another summer contest. Thank you for your input, kind sir.
@M Regan
To characterize 20th century poetry as distinctly ambivlanent towards the marketplace and mass culture as you do is not accurate, for it ignores the fact that print media was available as a mass-cultural product only since the mid-19th century and that, since that point in time, the novel has remained the literary form most closely associated with mass production. In other words, 19th-century poets generally weren’t being hounded by New York publishers that they in turn snubbed for aesthetic or ethical reasons.
Just an FYI!
Why do I feel like there should be a pic of some woman snapping her fingers, with the other hand on her hip, curled lips… maybe cocking her head and looking over her left shoulder… hair tossed back over the other… a pic like that inserted right below Eugenia’s last comment? And maybe a word bubble saying “Oh no she di-int!” You go…
Eh, a few people are taking this way to seriously. I’ve had my say. Go ahead and have small press month if you want it. It’s not worth popping a blood vessel over. Peace out.
I find it interesting that Mr. Laity decries the nepotism of the Chicago poetry scene, that people were invited to participate in SPM because of who they knew or by whom they had been published. Yet, at the same time, in a scathing attack on Kristy Bowen, which he has since removed from his website, he complains that she does not give money to support his efforts. He states, “The majority of those who are involved with ChicagoPoetry.com consider it common courtesy to be kind to those who are kind to them, but now I see it is all a sinister plot to rule the poetry world.”
in other words, if he gives you a place to read or puts you in a book or reviews your book, you are supposed to pay him because he is such a nice guy. It calls into question the artistic merit of everything that appears on his site. Did he review it favorably because he liked it, or because he knew that later he would ask you for some money?
Se see that it is not THE nepotism that he is complaining about, but that it is not HIS nepotism.
Blah blah blah!!!!! NotAppearing, just blahblahblah already! Waaa waaa, in your own words. Bladdditty bladdditty blah!!!!
Choose an answer, any one will work.
ChicagoPoetry.com is now supporting Small Press Month because . . .
a) of Kristy Bowen’s passion for it. Why should it get in the way of a young, talented woman’s passion?
b) of Daniela’s eyes. One look at her eyes and all the energy was discharged.
c) I have a headache and can’t stand the thought of fighting for three more weeks.
d) in the version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers that I am familiar with, Donald Sutherland gets assimilated at the end, so if you didn’t see this coming, well, pay attention next time!!!!!!
Hey, here’s an idea, instead of fighting, why don’t we all make peace and attend this event:
Small Press Showcase
Sponsored by The Poetry Center of Chicago
Friday, March 28, 2008, 7-10 pm
SAIC Ballroom, 112 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago
Admission is free, though donations are welcome.
The evening will include featured readings by participating press authors as well as a book fair at which press titles will be available to purchase and press representatives will be present to answer questions and discuss their works.
Participating Presses:
Answer Tag Home Press
Cracked Slab Books
Dancing Girl Press
Featherproof Books
Fractal Edge Press
March Abrazo Press
Puddin’ Head Press
Switchback Books
A full line-up of the night’s readings will be available soon.
They haven’t announced the line up of readers yet, but it will no doubt be spectacular. Do you know how we can show New York that we have a strong Small Press community in Chicago? Show up to this event, that’s how. Everyone show up, and bring five friends along. If so many people show up that you can’t even get in the door, all the better.
I AM GOING TO BE THERE.
How about you?
How about you, NotAppearing? How about you? Do you just talk the talk or are you going to walk the walk?
There is no excuse not to make this event. If you miss it, you risk NEVER getting support from ChicagoPoetry.com again, period. Make it!
Celebrate Great Writing!!!!
C.J. Laity may have succumbed to the forces of corporate tyranny but I shall never surrender!!!! Down with all of my enemies, real or imagined!!! Down with Boeing!!! Down with the Poetry Center!!! Down with the sestina!!! Down with low-residency MFA programs!!! Down with Time Out Magazine!!!! Down with down!!! Down with Down’s syndrome!!! Down with Hugh Downs!!! Down with people who don’t shake my hand and smile at me after I’m grown bored with kicking them!!! Aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrggghhhh!
This is actually a really cool blog that you have going here; I’ve put a link to it in ChicagoPoetry’s “chicago poetry scene top 100 section” at the left side bar.
Small Press Month
Cracked Slab Books which I co-edit with William Allegrezza is participating in the Small Press Reading via the Poetry Center of Chicago. I think that promoting small presses is essential for poetry, experimental fiction and other lit forms that do not have large funding bases.
Anyone can set up a blog or website the cost of entry is quite small. But to operate a bookpress which is a 501c3 and actually publishes books is a major undertaking and small presses like Cracked Slab have published some major work.
Our City Visible: Chicago Poetry for the New Century has not only sold over 1000 copies but we are in over 100 libraries and in 9 countries. This can only be done by hard work and that is why the CLMP (Council of Literary Presses) started this month.
CJ is just pissed because he did not think of it first
RB
I’m confused, Ray. You think that running ChicagoPoetry.com is such easy work yet you tried to set up a copycat site called ChicagoPostModernPoetry and you barely ever update it, the reason being because I’m sure you discovered it is too much work for you. Promoting small presses IS essential, and that is why I have been doing it every day of the year for the last eight years straight and for twelve years before that in my other activities, and I don’t need any “month” to give me an excuse to do it. I’m glad that City Visible is doing so well, I hope the article I wrote about it at ChicagoPoetry.com has helped you in your efforts. I’m not sure what you mean when you say I didn’t “think of it first”. Think of what first? What are you talking about? The hypocritical notion of remaining “independant” while being part of a “council” or the idea of publishing Chicago poets which I have been doing for years before you came around? Maybe sometimes I bitch too much about things, but Ray, compared to you I’m a Bhuddist Monk.
Seriously: When are the editors at Time Out Chicago going to learn their ethics? Considering Mr. Messinger runs a small press on the sly (which is a conflict of interest in itself; how could he possibly fairly criticize/profile members of the small or large presses in Time Out if he is personally invested in the market?), should he really be commenting either way on these issues? You’ve got to chose: Be a member of this community, or be a critic of it. Having it both ways makes all parties look bad.
Mr. Question Mark (if that is your real name…) : As someone also concerned about the ethics of the content of this blog, I hope you’ll note Mr. Messinger’s disclosure of his involvement in the 2nd paragraph of his original post as well as my own note at the end of his post that lets readers know that he does indeed run a small press. I think these disclosures give the reader all the context they need to evaluate Mr. Messinger’s comments.
Full disclosure: I am not Mr. Question Mark, but I’ll have to agree with her / him.
Scott, you act like just because someone discloses that they have a conflict of interest then that makes the conflict of interest okay. Well, it doesn’t. When TimeOut first came to Chicago I assumed they came to HELP the community. Now I see that if anyone criticizes something that their Books Editor is featured in (which is a lot) TimeOut will be used as a tool to hurt. I’ll have you know that I am having difficulty getting people to participate in my Cram Anthology because of Messinger’s accusations about the ethics of ChicagoPoetry.com. As I pointed out in one of my emails, Messinger uses his press to publish himself, but he has a problem with a group of people pooling their money to publish themselves. I don’t really think he has any problem with what I do, I think he is simply protecting his own interest: namely, his own press is featured in the event that he is using TimeOut to defend. I find myself walking this tightrope at ChicagoPoetry.com, trying to be a member of the community while at the same time being a critic of it, and I know it is not an easy job and I take my hits like a man. But I’m just a guy, I’m not a big business, I’m not a not for profit, I’m not funded by the government or by arts grants, so for this reason I can get away with a little more than others. But the TimeOut Chicago literary listings are DIRECT COMPETITION with ChicagoPoetry.com’s listing, and vise versa, so being attacked by TimeOut simply smells like fish.
A disclosure allows the reader to draw his or her own conclusions. That’s what it’s for, and I’m guessing that’s why Messinger did it. You probably should have done the same, CJ, and disclosed immediately that you’d been written out of the program. Would have helped your argument.
Speaking of arguing, let’s let this one die, huh? If I remember right, CJ proclaimed, a few days after the original post, that he had been so hurt financially by this, that he had to shut down a poetry contest. He shouted it enough times that suddenly, a week later, he’d met his “fund-raising goal,” and became sweet and nice to everyone around. Now he has another thing going, people are hesitant to give him money, and he’s back screaming about the damage done to him by this post.
CJ, you should be thanking Messinger (who, I think, was stupid for engaging you). You’re going to be able to dine out on this for years.
Richard, don’t be thick. First of all, my “goal” was barely in the triple digits (we are talking about poetry after all), so as for dining out, yeah right. Actually, ChicagoPoetry.com’s hits and the membership sign-up have increased due to Messinger’s article, but it is true that because of Messinger’s “pay-to-play” comment I suspect people are a little hesitant to participate in the Cram Anthology. This has nothing to do with money, obviously, since any money collected for that book will go into printing up the book (or do you think $15 is going to make me rich?), but it has everything to do with being able to give away free poetry to the people at the library, which is what the idea is all about. Also, I’d like to remind everyone again that I never called for a “boycott”. What I encouraged people to do is to “skip” the event which is much different than a boycott. I never used the word “boycott”– that was all Messinger. If the TimeOut movie reviewer suggests we skip Doomsday because it sucks does that mean he’s calling for a “boycott” of it? A boycott suggests something organized against something organized, perhaps even people with picket signs. Small Press Month isn’t even organized in Chicago. As a matter of fact, if it wasn’t for me, nobody would even know about it. And I’m not even suggesting people skip it any more because despite the facts that Small Press Month is a farce and the Poetry Center is funded by Boeing, there are some good poets featured in the event and I plan on being there. You didn’t think I’d miss it after all of this, did you? The reason I backed off and started being nice wasn’t because some fundraising goal was met, but because Kristy Bowen was taking it way too seriously I thought I’d offer a little humor by allowing myself to be assimilated by the pod people. Face it, when you think Small Press Month 2008 you will think CJ Laity, and that’s what they get for cutting me out of my own gig–so no matter what I win. However. “Full disclosure” doesn’t excuse nepotism or conflicts of interest; sorry, it doesn’t work that way. And the only reason you know that I was “written out” of the show is because I told you so, so don’t accuse me of not disclosing things.
Thanks for giving me this space for filibuster. Tomorrow’s the great big ominous reading. From my experience this is what will happen. There are some 21 poets featured in the event, and eight presses, that means right off the bat there will be about thirty people there. If each of the poets does what a poet should do, and gets two friends to come, they’ll have sixty or seventy people there. We’ll add about twenty more people to that since hopefully some poets will bring three friends. That’s not the biggest of rooms so a hundred people will pack the place. My ranting and raving certainly won’t change that part of it, and I think you know by now that wasn’t the point. It’ll be a cool event but its success will be part illusion, because what I don’t think they’ll have is a large non-poet turnout. I’m not claiming that ChicagoPoetry.com does miracles, but I do believe that if the Poetry Center had not been so passive / aggressive about cutting me out of the show, my support would have brought in ten or fifteen additional people, the type of people who stumble onto my site by accident, the average, ordinary layman who perhaps never saw a poetry show before. These ten or fifteen people would have been the most important people there. The Chicago Reader recommends the event (of course, it doesn’t hurt that former Reader contributor Susannah Felts is one of the features), and you would think that would help, but we are talking about poetry after all, and it is Friday evening, downtown Chicago, so I’ll stick with my estimate of about a hundred people showing up (if the poets themselves make an effort to bring their friends). The irony of this entire episode is: if I had been asked to be featured as one of the presses, I most certainly would have said thanks but no thanks, since I don’t have any current titles anyway. But I would have gladly offered to read a poem or helped to host part of the evening or helped set up chairs or whatever, and since I was the original person the Small Press Month committee contacted to organize the show, I don’t see why my offer to cooperate with the event was not reciprocated, in fact it was ignored, other than that the event features Ray, Nina, Kristy and perhaps a few more who belong to the “I hate CJ Laity club”. What will remain after the show is over is all the irony, not the least of which is that TimeOut has criticized me, for raising a few pennies, on its page, at the bottom of which they solicit $20 for a subscription.
OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THE SMALL PRESS SHOWCASE
The SAIC ballroom was a lot bigger than I remembered it being. There was definitely room for at least another six to eight press tables. In fact, the way it was spread out, with some of the presses on one side of the room and the others waaaaay over there on the other side, it made it hard to easily browse the books. There was absolutely no excuse why more small presses weren’t invited to participate in this thing. The Poetry Center of Chicago’s excuse was that they wanted to keep it about book publishers rather than journals, but what they never explained is WHY. It seemed some presses were excluded deliberately, and this stings even worse because the Poetry Center’s Director included the publisher of his own book.
The poetry readings were not hosted by anybody. Originally, I was the one asked by the Small Press Month committee to host this event, and anyone who has ever seen one of my shows knows my ability to keep the reading flowing and within the time limit. I was cut out of the show without explanation, which prompted me to research Small Press Month and which began the legitimate criticism of it. Because there was no host, the show went on an hour longer than planned. Part of this was due to Wayne Allen Jone’s excruciatingly long introduction and to Nina Corwin’s triple set of self-indulgent dusties. Most of the people were spared the agony of YET ANOTHER Nina Corwin show because most of the people in attendance had left by then. There are so many talented female poets in the city of Chicago: can we move forward? The age of the pony accent trying to spice up dull words got locked up with JJ Jameson.
Whoever planned the order of the readers did not know what they were doing. The show was split into two acts with an intermission in between. The intermission was intended to give people an opportunity to browse and to buy poetry books, but what it really did was give everyone an opportunity to leave before the second half of the show began. About two thirds of the people left during the intermission. The first half of the show featured the experimental writers and the second half of the show featured the performance poets. So all the people who came to see the experimental writers left after the first half. If the Executive Director of the Poetry Center had an ounce of foresight he would have mixed it up: page, stage, page, stage, page, stage—giving everyone an excuse to stick around until the end of the show and making the event a lot less monotonous.
Finally, the readings took place at a podium. The atmosphere to me felt like this was a small press event happening in a large press venue. Although it was an opportunity to discover some talented new voices, the event as a whole lacked energy.
I forgot to mention the total lack of refreshments. This was a four hour event that didn’t even supply so much as a bottle of water, not even to the poets.