h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Greebo, it's me, B4. [Go figure.] I wanted to link up with you and ask some dumb questions about getting poetry published, and actually getting paid for it. The reason I ask is that my wife's been after me to do something productive and substantial with my works and, having read your latest poem in , I thought you might have some insights into how to accomplish this. Any hints you could give me would be appreciated, because I'm a complete neophyte to marketing myself. I'll do additional research to reach my goal, I just need a starting point.

Thanks in advance for dropping a reply.

B4isendmyverse2Poetry'R'Us

Hi B4 tis nice that you dropped by for a chat... ~hugs~ Firstly me should say me has never had anything published... any submissions me has made to various places have all failed dismally to get off the starting block... and me is afraid that is what happens with most people who try to get published... as no doubt you know tis not easy...

Poetry is not everyone's idea of fun reading either... and the cost of books nowadays you only tend to buy something from an author you already know or something that REALLY catches your eye in the book shop...

The poem you mention was just something me played about with... it was not something from my life... sorry for misleading you ~hugs~

The best advice me can offer is to give it a try, what can you lose? Have you tried writing in various magazines or entering competitions... It may not offer payments at first but your poetry will be on show to the general public, which is where you want it to be... If you try to get published in book form... browse a local book shop and see who publishes poetry... check out the internet... it is full of advice... be wary of paying upfront for publishing... check carefully what you will be receiving as an end product...

Whatever happens please continue to enjoy writing poetry... if it makes you happy... then it's the best thing in the world for you to do... ~hugs~

Greebs..xx

Greebs,
s back to you, as well. Thanks for the sage advice and for the thyme you invested in posting to me.

I [strike that; me] thought your poem may have been done tongue-in-cheek, as it had all the ear-marks of such humor built into it. Yet, I [hmm, there's another one] considered you might still have some in-roads to the publishing world. Since you profess not to, I'll [gosh, that does sound egotistical] follow your advice and check other sources.

And--yes--I [last one, I promise] do enjoy writing poetry, for me and to bless my family.

B4another'eye'startswatchingme

Oppsss... did me distract you with my language usuage... ~grin~... people have told me that me is terrible at writing.. but me always has the excuse of being a cat and not knowing any better.. ~huggle~

Greebs..xx

Me-ow!

No, no, that's quite alright, Greebs. If you think your use of 'persona lingua' is distracting, just take a look at a couple of my 'distracting dialects' during "The Mother of All Gooses" pantomime, or my character Furr Purrfikt's conversations in "The Seige ['i' before 'e'] of Galyana".

You just go right ahead and stay in character, okay? It suits you so well. And who would believe you're a real cat iff yeou did not sspell worrds the way yeou would prronounsse them in yeourr native tongue. BTW, iss it time ffor a bath?

B4utakealickin'&keepontickin'

"The Mother of All Gooses"
[F107682?thread=233519&post=4292406#p4292406, post #271 cf.]
"The Siege of Galyana"
[F65214?thread=224325&skip=360&show=20, post #365 & #376]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh tis just purrrrrrrrrfect... ~grin~... such cattiness is overwhelming... well done... ~big huggle~

Greebs..xx