Richard H Fay - Artist/Illustrator/Poet/Polymath/Bibliophile

Who says I'm not the next Lord Byron?😜(Not really.)

Yeah, so?

The last publisher I tried literally ghosted me after he initially voiced enthusiasm with getting on with the project. I sent him all the material, and then heard nothing whatsoever after that.

After 3 different small-press publishers failed to publish a poetry collection of mine after each initially accepted the collection-in-question, I figured self-publishing had become my only option. I wasn't going to attempt to look for a 4th potential publisher, not after my previous experiences.

I've written a bit of fiction, and have seen some of it published in small-press venues.

I've even written over a dozen nonfiction articles for publication in various venues.

Honestly, though, when it comes to writing, I'm mostly as poet.

I should have said "three different small-press publishers", ones who concentrated on publishing genre works.

Yeah, those publishing houses don't publish my kind of poetry.

I ALMOST had three different publishers publish a collection of my poetry. In all cases it seemed like the project was going ahead, but in each case, in the end, the publisher failed to follow through with it.

Is it? I've no objective metric with which to measure such sales history. Compared to my sales history of selling print-on-demand merchandise featuring my artworks, nine copies is pathetic.
Maybe I'm comparing apples to kumquats here.

I tried other locations, but it just wasn't the same.
In many cases, it was obvious the local poetry groups didn't think much of my particular brand of often-dark speculative poetry. This was especially true of one local poetry group with a star poet who wrote vulgarity-laced adolescent diatribes.

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Oh, no, I wasn't offended. I just thought the idea of "overnight success" rather funny.

It's #WomensHistoryMonth!
All month, I'm doing a #31DaysPoemsByWomen #PoetryChallenge. Each day this month, I'm posting links to works by #womenpoets.
9/31 "By The Lake" by Helen Hoyt
www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazi...
Love the allusions to washing and the healing nature of bodies of water.

I've already ceased writing for publication to concentrate on doing visual art for items in my print-on-demand stores, although I'm still writing poetry for sharing on social media.

I've already ceased writing for publication to concentrate on doing visual art for items in my print-on-demand stores, although I'm still writing poetry for sharing on social media.

Except, when it comes to sales, numbers do matter somewhat.

Overnight? Ha ha!
I was a poet published in various small-press zines long before I self-published my collection. I've already put years into it.

You mean go out where the PEOPLE are? No way!

I'm happiest being a reclusive artist/poet (especailly since Covid).

I used to do poetry readings, many many moons ago, at a local cafe, but it closed down long ago.

You mean go out where the PEOPLE are? No way!

I'm happiest being a reclusive artist/poet (especailly since Covid).

I used to do poetry readings, many many moons ago, at a local cafe, but it closed down long ago.

Thank you! Greatly appreciated! Hope you enjoy it!

I know my poetry is of publishable quality because the majority of works in said collection have seen publication in various edited small-press publications, in many cases more than once.

I know that.

Oh, I used to have my list of publication credits online, but it simply got too unwieldy and I gave up on it. The images below only cover part of my overall list.

I tried, but it didn't get me anywhere. I'd rather spend my time doing art and managing my print-on-demand stores than promoting my poetry collection.

Oh, I know it's not me or my works. The majority of the works in said collection have been published separately, in various small-press publications, in many instances more than once.

I wouldn't call a 129 page (in the print version) collection of poetry a "small volume. As a matter of fact, I call it a "double-length collection", since it's about double the average size for poetry collections.
a.co/d/0isJY6oT

I wouldn't call a 129 page (in the print version) collection of poetry a "small volume. As a matter of fact, I call it a "double-length collection", since it's about double the average size for poetry collections.
a.co/d/0isJY6oT

"you need to integrate AI into your workflow"
No, as a freelance artist and small businessman selling PoD merch featuring my art, I do not need to integrate AI into my workflow! The entire point of my business is selling items featuring art made by ME, a human artist, art made in MY unique style.

Amazon reviews of Cosmic Journeys and Gothic Visions

That's pretty much what happened. Well, I sold next-to-nothing. I did see a couple of rave reviews, so there was that.

I think I can tell you exactly where I failed as a self-published poet, and that's in the promotion department.

I just couldn't come up with a way to get folks to BUY my collection. When it comes to print-on-demand merchandise featuring my art, it's a different story.

Of course, the harshly-critical troll hates my visual art just as much if not more than my literary works, but that's his problem, not mine. Customers across the globe will buy merchandise featuring my art, and as long as that's the case, I'm going to keep creating art!