# All around the world



## Northerner (Feb 21, 2011)

People have been reading my poetry blog! I was rather surprised as I have only added one poem since November last year. It seems more people from more places visit my blog when I'm NOT writing new poems!


----------



## FM001 (Feb 21, 2011)

Great news Northerner and so pleased for you.


----------



## AlisonM (Feb 21, 2011)

That's quite a spread of places there, some quite far flung, especially that one in Krasnoyarsk.


----------



## Caroline (Feb 21, 2011)

You're a global phenomenon


----------



## Steff (Feb 21, 2011)

Wow your world renowned Alan you clever man x


----------



## bigpurpleduck (Feb 21, 2011)

Nice one, Northe!


----------



## Andy HB (Feb 21, 2011)

Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to get one in Greenland or Iceland before the end of the year!

There may be a prize in it for you!


----------



## Northerner (Feb 21, 2011)

Andy HB said:


> Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to get one in Greenland or Iceland before the end of the year!
> 
> There may be a prize in it for you!



Oh come on, I've got someone in Kazan (capital of Tatarstan) - isn't that good enough?


----------



## lyndasw (Feb 21, 2011)

That is just brilliant  Think how pleased they would be if you brought out a book of poetry  We all keep telling you to do it!


----------



## Sheilagh1958 (Feb 21, 2011)

Excellent Northerner.............Well done


----------



## Northerner (Feb 21, 2011)

Thanks, I don't do anything - people obviously just find it through search engines. Apparently, these are the top 5 poems that people read:

http://diabetespoetry.blogspot.com/2010/06/more-byetta-limericks.html 

http://diabetespoetry.blogspot.com/2010/10/doctor-will-see-you-now.html 

http://diabetespoetry.blogspot.com/2010/04/ode-to-oily-fish.html 

http://diabetespoetry.blogspot.com/2010/08/diabetic-tamagotchis.html

http://diabetespoetry.blogspot.com/2010/07/supermarkets-of-future.html 

and these are the top 5 search keywords:

44% viennetta 
7.54% old doctor 
4.76% worm 
3.57% writers block 
3.17% tamagotchis 

Goodness knows why Viennetta is such a popular search term!


----------



## Northerner (Feb 26, 2011)

Andy HB said:


> Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to get one in Greenland or Iceland before the end of the year!
> 
> There may be a prize in it for you!



Prize, please!


----------



## Alan S (Feb 27, 2011)

Northerner said:


> People have been reading my poetry blog! I was rather surprised as I have only added one poem since November last year. It seems more people from more places visit my blog when I'm NOT writing new poems!


I'm the one second from the extreme bottom right corner


----------



## Northerner (Feb 27, 2011)

{waves at Alan! }


----------



## HelenM (Feb 27, 2011)

Northerner said:


> People have been reading my poetry blog! I was rather surprised as I have only added one poem since November last year. It seems more people from more places visit my blog when I'm NOT writing new poems!



well I seem to have moved to Spain! (at least that's the nearest)


----------



## Liz! (Feb 27, 2011)

Oooh, then you should put some more on and keep up your fan base! Can't slack now.


----------



## Northerner (Feb 27, 2011)

Liz! said:


> Oooh, then you should put some more on and keep up your fan base! Can't slack now.



The map changes all the time as some visits 'expire' and new ones appear. Helen, it might depend on when you last visited.  I think you are on this latest map:






I notice Andy has gone quiet about my prize for getting a visitor from Iceland!


----------



## Barb (Feb 27, 2011)

*Worldwide renown*

But did you know you have fans in Sparrow Pit and Dove Holes? 

Have you thought of contacting Diabetes Uk regarding a conventional book (though the ebook route might be more profitable). There would be a ready market.

My personal favs include Oily fish and the Halloween poem.




Northerner said:


> People have been reading my poetry blog! I was rather surprised as I have only added one poem since November last year. It seems more people from more places visit my blog when I'm NOT writing new poems!


----------



## Northerner (Feb 27, 2011)

Barb said:


> But did you know you have fans in Sparrow Pit and Dove Holes?
> 
> Have you thought of contacting Diabetes Uk regarding a conventional book (though the ebook route might be more profitable). There would be a ready market.
> 
> My personal favs include Oily fish and the Halloween poem.



I did ask DUK but they said that they are approached by publishers for accreditation (for which they pay) rather than publishing stuff themselves. I would like to publish a proper book because I think it would be a fun gift for people to give to their diabetic relatives instead of diabetic chocolate etc.!, as well as people with diabetes themselves. I think a lot of people are put off the idea of a peotry book because they expect it to be all heart-rending, soul-searching 'woe is me' stuff, but none of my poems are like that! 

I thought that an ebook would be easy to get off the ground and a cheap way of assessing if there was any market for my poems. Glad you like Oily fish and tha Halloween poem - they are two of my faves too! I also like Rude Receptionists and Low GI Bread. Some of them are rubbish though, I freely admit!


----------



## Liz! (Feb 27, 2011)

Don't put them all on the internet if you want them to be published ina book as the publisher might see them as 'already published'. 

Contact some non-fiction publishers and see if anyone is interested - you can do this in one of two ways, go in to Waterstone's or somewhere and look at the books about diabetes etc - this isn't really a poetry book, it's more a book of fun for diabetics - see who publishes books which look as if they ahve a bi tof humour or 'lightness'. 

Take the address or name of the publisher, Google them, see what their submisssion guidelines are. Some non-fiction publishers only take proposlas from writers through agents, some don't. But non-fiction isn't the same as fiction, you don't finish the manuscript first, you send in a proposal, with examples, a synopsis covering what the book is about, and a letter showing your experience and where you see the need for your book. 

You could also either buy or get from the library a copy of The Writers' and Artists' Yearbook - pub A&C Black, as it will have all the markets and publisers in there.

I think you might get interest as your poems are good. And funny. And with information in there.


----------



## Northerner (Feb 27, 2011)

Thanks you Liz  I am thinking of taking them off the website and just maybe putting new ones up for a short period to keep interest up. Your suggestions are very good - hadn't considered going down the non-fiction route, although I have always thought that the ideal book would be a collaboration with a medical professional who could give the clinician's explanation of the various topics raised, ad illustrated with a poem (things like the 3 am club, the Liver Dump etc.)


----------



## Barb (Feb 27, 2011)

*Poetry book*

A proper book would be great. 

Don't give up on self-pubs like Lulu as they do produce a very decent-looking book at low cost. However, I think they mail books from America which will add to postage costs and delivery times (best to check the site as I haven't looked lately). They also leave all the marketing to you, unlike a regular publisher, but you already have a blog and lots of fans so the market is clearly there. They also print on demand so you won't have a mountain of books to shift. 

Haven't read all your on-line poems but I don't think you're capable of writing a bad one. 

Maybe opt for an e-book AND a normal version, then perhaps I can get a signed copy. A useful book to check out in addition to The Writers and Artists Yearbook is the Writers Handbook by Barry Turner.




QUOTE=Northerner;229427]I did ask DUK but they said that they are approached by publishers for accreditation (for which they pay) rather than publishing stuff themselves. I would like to publish a proper book because I think it would be a fun gift for people to give to their diabetic relatives instead of diabetic chocolate etc.!, as well as people with diabetes themselves. I think a lot of people are put off the idea of a peotry book because they expect it to be all heart-rending, soul-searching 'woe is me' stuff, but none of my poems are like that! 

I thought that an ebook would be easy to get off the ground and a cheap way of assessing if there was any market for my poems. Glad you like Oily fish and tha Halloween poem - they are two of my faves too! I also like Rude Receptionists and Low GI Bread. Some of them are rubbish though, I freely admit! [/QUOTE]


----------



## Liz! (Feb 27, 2011)

A clinician would be a good idea as that gives you standing, if that's the type you decide on. 

Lulu and self publishing is all very well (and Lulu covers curl) but as Barb says the marketing is all up to you, and it never looks as professional as a publishers production - BUT the profit all goes to you. For poetry, if you are sure you have an easy to reach and  big market, this can be profitable, (most poetry is sold by poets themselves going weekly into schools (children's stuff) or to literary festivals and readings etc BUT you won't sell that many via your blog. If one hundred people read you might sell 10... and that is a very generous estimate, it is is in a way a limited market in that your regular readers are likely to buy it but then it might only sells in dribs and drabs. With a publisher you have books in every bookshop across the land and they could advertise in Diabetes Uk etc. and you might get it in the Christmas booklet etc. 

But you can't go wrong enquiring!


----------



## Northerner (Feb 27, 2011)

Liz! said:


> A clinician would be a good idea as that gives you standing, if that's the type you decide on.
> 
> Lulu and self publishing is all very well (and Lulu covers curl) but as Barb says the marketing is all up to you, and it never looks as professional as a publishers production - BUT the profit all goes to you. For poetry, if you are sure you have an easy to reach and  big market, this can be profitable, (most poetry is sold by poets themselves going weekly into schools (children's stuff) or to literary festivals and readings etc BUT you won't sell that many via your blog. If one hundred people read you might sell 10... and that is a very generous estimate, it is is in a way a limited market in that your regular readers are likely to buy it but then it might only sells in dribs and drabs. With a publisher you have books in every bookshop across the land and they could advertise in Diabetes Uk etc. and you might get it in the Christmas booklet etc.
> 
> But you can't go wrong enquiring!



Yes, thanks Liz and Barb - I remember reading up about Lulu and self publishing etc a while ago. I was surprised to learn that the seller e.g. amazon, Waterstones etc. take 40% of the cover price


----------



## bev (Feb 27, 2011)

Hi Northerner,

It looks like you are popular - well done.Bev


----------



## Barb (Feb 28, 2011)

*Books*

Would love to know more about the titles you've had published. Am I right in thinking they were fiction for children?




Liz! said:


> Don't put them all on the internet if you want them to be published ina book as the publisher might see them as 'already published'.
> 
> Contact some non-fiction publishers and see if anyone is interested - you can do this in one of two ways, go in to Waterstone's or somewhere and look at the books about diabetes etc - this isn't really a poetry book, it's more a book of fun for diabetics - see who publishes books which look as if they ahve a bi tof humour or 'lightness'.
> 
> ...


----------



## Liz! (Feb 28, 2011)

I don't have my own book yet - I'm in about 60 children's poetry anthologies which you can buy in any bookshop, and one children's short story anthology. Hopefully (nothing is ever sure in publishing!) I have my own book coming out at the end of the year, but that will be marketed for adults.

i write a lot about wildlife and those poems are not written specifically for children, although they are usually suitable. Obviously if I'm asked to write for an anthology about teachers/dragons/fairytales, I write in a more child-oriented way!

What about you?


----------



## Barb (Feb 28, 2011)

*Message for Liz*

Sounds like the ideal job. All the very best with your book, hope you'll keep us posted. I'd be fascinated to see your poems, could you provide a full ref?

I've only had non-fiction published but have delusions of writing for children. Apart from a series of children's stories in Balance many moons ago, it's yet to happen!



Liz! said:


> I don't have my own book yet - I'm in about 60 children's poetry anthologies which you can buy in any bookshop, and one children's short story anthology. Hopefully (nothing is ever sure in publishing!) I have my own book coming out at the end of the year, but that will be marketed for adults.
> 
> i write a lot about wildlife and those poems are not written specifically for children, although they are usually suitable. Obviously if I'm asked to write for an anthology about teachers/dragons/fairytales, I write in a more child-oriented way!
> 
> What about you?


----------



## Liz! (Feb 28, 2011)

No need to have delusions, just do some! 

www.poetlizbrownlee.co.uk

There should be a few on there... mainly children's.


----------



## Barb (Mar 1, 2011)

*Forum poets*

There are some VERY talented poets and illustrators on this forum.

Thanks for the link to your website Liz, especially loved the Orang-utan, Ghoul Inspectre and Panda.



Liz! said:


> No need to have delusions, just do some!
> 
> www.poetlizbrownlee.co.uk
> 
> There should be a few on there... mainly children's.


----------



## Liz! (Mar 1, 2011)

Thank you! I forgot to mention I illustrate them sometimes...


----------



## margie (Mar 1, 2011)

Northerner said:


> Prize, please!



Andy or El Presidente - you seem to have missed this (or I have missed your response)


----------



## Flutterby (Mar 1, 2011)

Well done Alan!  You are very well read, now don't let it go to your head or someone might just write a poem on the subject lol!!  Your poems are fab, I read one to my mum and dad the other day, they loved it!


----------



## Northerner (Mar 1, 2011)

Flutterby said:


> Well done Alan!  You are very well read, now don't let it go to your head or someone might just write a poem on the subject lol!!  Your poems are fab, I read one to my mum and dad the other day, they loved it!



Thank you  I'm guessing you didn't choose 'Farts versus Injections'...


----------



## katie (Mar 1, 2011)

We need to get bjork to read so that you have one in Iceland.


(Ok, pretty sure she's living in America )


----------



## Northerner (Mar 1, 2011)

katie said:


> We need to get bjork to read so that you have one in Iceland.
> ...)



Ah! Never thought about that, this must be her!


----------



## katie (Mar 1, 2011)

Haha, glad you managed to get in contact with her. Let her know I'm waiting for the next album too - thanks!


----------

