Ongoing Thoughts on Poets of Color and Publishing

Niki Escobar has left a comment on my previous post re: publishing and writers of color. I think of publishing as strategic; we direct our work towards editors we anticipate as being open to our work. Their perceived openness can be because of ethnicity or gender, but certainly, I’ve learned that just because another writer is Filipino/a American does not mean s/he wants to support my work, or wants my work to have anything to do with him/her. Rather than waste my energy trying to cultivate bayanihan where there just isn’t and may never be, I just have to move on to other editors and writers, other Fil Am’s, API’s, folks of color, feminists, folks interested in multilingualism, allies and supporters of all ethnicities and genders, writers and editors not interested in fetishizing ethnic experience, and who are critical of fetishizing ethnic experience. Surely, as “ethnic” writers, there is much more to our work than ethnicity, and surely there are multiple ways in which to write about ethnicity, should we choose to write about it in the first place.

So, I still do believe we begin our publishing careers where our work is welcome, even sought after. I think of circles enlarging and enlarging, the places which are open to us, the places which seek us out come into existence and grow in number, as our writing continues to grow. The thing is that we as writers have to keep pushing outward, if that is indeed what we want to do. I know writers who are content with the current circles they keep, however “small” other writers think those circles are. I’m not judging anymore.

Again, proceeding into the publishing industry is strategic, but part of figuring out strategy is through hit and miss. We collect rejection letters, and rejection can be demoralizing. Rejection also helps us develop thick skins, and makes us more discerning (you know, the “good” rejections versus the “bad” rejections). I still get rejection letters, even from editors who have specifically solicited work from me. I do my “Whatever…” wondering why they even asked me for work in the first place, and then I move on and submit my work elsewhere. Promptly. I learn to fine-tune my publishing strategies. I find those editors who really do support my work, and I cultivate relationships with them.

As well, I continue to support however I can, those writers whose work I think is interesting, promising, awesome, whether it’s through my own editorial projects, or when other editors ask me for recommendations of writers from whom to solicit work. This means lots of people bum rush my inbox, and I have to also accept or alas, reject others. (Um, Cue Elton John’s Lion King song here, “The Circle of Life…”)

Yes, it’s true; we all publish one another, just as we teach one another’s work, just as we review one another’s books. This isn’t as sickening as it sounds. It’s just a fact of the industry, and especially in locating those allies, and the works which resonate most with us. I can’t speak for other writers/editors/educators, but I can say for myself that I do try my best to stretch my repertoire, ask other writers and editors whose work they admire, such that for Fil Am specific projects (for example), I try my best to find emerging writers, local writers, nationally recognized writers, experimental writers, etc.

Anyway, I am going to stop here, because I haven’t eaten breakfast yet, and my homemade banana coffee cake with chocolate chip cinnamon pecan streusel is looking at me. Thanks for reading; I’m interested in what you think.

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