Poetry/creative writing traffic?

1. 59

   karpouzianposted 15 years ago

   Has anyone had any success with poetry and/or other creative writing styles?

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   1. 64

      Drew Breezzyposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      traffic yes but money no
      
      
      does everything gotta be about money
      
      once it is in ones hands people start acting all funny
      
      Suddenly, they can't seem to see they need it to pay the rent
      
      But they use it instead to buy the newest shoes
      
      Buy the newest vanity watch, look like the people in the news
      
      Now no money what you got? An eviction notice and nice pair of nike air jordan
      
      Do what you like and life will never get boring
      
      Money needs to suffice the basic needs
      
      Everything beyond that is extra like field goal attempt
      
      And if you attempt to make money with ease
      
      it will be a failed attempt
      
      so what I am saying is do what you love
      
      hard work pays off in time have patience

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   2. 59

      dutchman1951posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I have one book published, " Poems from the Other Side of the Hot Dog Cart!" and it does fair to good at best, it is self published, and I get 2.50 a copy; so far 721 copies sold, and some good reviews. I have done book presentations with it at two local book stores and had some sales locally
      
      The real problem is the advertising to make it hit the Poetry nitche that fits your style. Picking a Nitche or target Audience is an Art form in itself. Thats why you need real help from an agent.
      
      People who love Poetry spend for the Books to read, but they are picky with strong preferances. They have their favorites and the styles they will experiment with. They are very litterate and usually excentric in style. You need to know the Market and the people you are writing to.
      
      You Can not afford the money out-lay to do it right, and Publishers will look at it, if it follows their requested format, and style and fits their audience, but very few will ever respond with an offer letter. its the Old story, takes money to make money. Most want to know what you have done, who do you know (What Writers) etc...What have you published? Do you have Reviews to submitt?
      
      You have to get your name and face out there, so go to readings, seminars, Hold an Open Book display at a Local Book Store in your City, ask a manager to set up there, make copies for the Store to sell at their profit. Get some of your books out there to be read that way, and talk to the folks. Make up a Photo resume or portfolio of your best work, to show and hand out. Some beginning writers make a brochure to hand out. make your portfolio and brochure fit a style and motif, to show your nitch of writing, and voice. It will help a lot.
      
      Attend local open mike Poetry readings, and read your work. Exchange it with other Authors at book signings, ask them to comment. if they really like it they will offer to show it to their publisher, you can ask them. I did that with an Author who writes for Llewellyn Publishing, and one of my books is now in the hands of an Editor. Maybe it will hit?
      
      Most people today are looking for a quick get rich hit. Poetry is a slow and steady trying, and it means word-crafting, and that takes a knowledge of Grammar, linguistics and the ability to word-smith. Developing a voice and a style is important.
      
      With the Internet preaching garbage and the Schools teaching only how to pass achievement tests, and not the actual craft of writing, it is becoming a lost cause, and Editors know this well, from all the crap that gets submitted.
      
      It makes it hard on a person who writes from a passion for words, and a love of Poetry, to get through the haze and garbage to get noticed.
      
      If you are writing for just money, you will not succeed. You have to write with passion and a voice. Always thinking of the money, kills the creativity and it shows to an Editor. Word count is not always your friend, and submitting mass portfolios to all editors is deadly.
      
      I would also advise to pay attention to what they are asking for, and fit that style completely. The back of University Quarterly reviews in the bookstore magazine racks and in the Writers mags, all have submission editors and adresses to write for rules of submission, etc.. read them carefully. Fit the style and submitt to them. Keep trying.
      
      It is better if you can to, first contact a publishing Agent, Pay him the 75.00 fee to read it, ask him to be honest. Do you have the talent to make it go? If he thinks it is possible, he will ask you to submit to real reviews of your work.
      
      Then edit re-read and re-edit and learn from the commentary. Once it is like He/She wants it, the agent will pimp it to major publishers, and reviews, and quarterly review mags etc... all good exposure for you, to build your name.
      
      You will find the Internet a haven for mutual admiration groups of folks who can not stand to be edited or negatively critiqued. Ego maniacs, and chat groupies that also write. There are some good sites, but few and far to find.
      
      If you want that social fun, then write on the net but do not expect money for it, but do expect your work to be stolen, because if it is good...it will be. Also expect those on the site of lesser talent to find something in your work, to ignore you and not let you in the click.
      
      If you care nothing for that, and you should care nothing for it, if you are really serious, then  submit to an agent and pay him to assist you. You will get real world experience that way.
      
      All of which you should not avoid, because it will make you a writer. If you want to publish  then do not be afraid to submit for edit and review, bad or good; and learn from the comments.
      
      It was the Best advice I ever received and the truest. And it led to my first Book. 
      
      Best wishes, hope this honestly helps you.
      Jon

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   3. 61

      mohitmisraposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I am a poet and have written a book called "Ponder Awhile
      
      
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      <all links have been removed - they are not allowed>

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   4. 0

      Poppa Bluesposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I've been posting my stuf here for a long time, 13 months and I have a little over 1000 views. I haven't set anything up with ads or the like so maybe that's why.

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2. 68

   Ladybird33posted 15 years ago

   Great question and look forward to the answer.  I just started spreading my wings with poetry, trying to do better and would love to know the answer to your question. (Thanks for me too).

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3. 67

   Silver Roseposted 15 years ago

   No-one has monetary success with poetry (and this has been the case for centuries). Even Shakespeare made all his money from the production of his plays and none from his sonnets.
   
   The particular problem monetising poetry with Adsense is that poetry uses a lot of metaphor and other writing devices. Human readers usually have to think a bit to understand what the poem is about. It's impossible for a bot.
   
   Take Wordsworth's poem "I wandered lonely as a cloud". Adsense will probably serve up gardening ads due to mention of clouds and daffodils. But would a person reading such a poem be inclined to click on a gardening ad? No, so you won't get many clicks.
   
   Write poetry for your own pleasure, and make money with commercial writing.

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4. 82

   manlypoetrymanposted 15 years ago

   Yes...or should I say I believe I will have success in my style of poetry!
   
   I think that Poetry..."as we know it"... is an old creative form that needs to re-visited once more. Too often in school...we were given a set of older poems and poets to study and analyze. This became our concept of how a poem should be. Old and stuffy-out of date- hopelessly romantic- nonsense-frilly-flowery, etc. They failed to bring in new poems-to keep them current-to keep alive current ideas in the form of celebrated-recent Poetry! The old stuff is good...but it is old. Period. Bring on the new-file the old for another day-Poetry has a huge domain in which it could tap into...in our present society! All vocal songs originate from a type of lyrical poem. Many dramas have their roots within dramatic segments that could be presented as a poem...no doubt. And were...on many a stage...in older times!
   
   Get out there..."Would-be" (future famous) Poet...and kick some Poetry behind! It is high time we brought poetry back to the world as the magnificent writing endeavor that it is!
   
   Was that too "over-the-top" for an answer? !

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   1. 68

      Ladybird33posted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Love your passion and I agree, let's change it!  Power of positive thinking Had to go there

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      1. 82

         manlypoetrymanposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         Thanks Ladybird
         
         
         
                                     "Poetry!"

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5. 0

   Crazdwriterposted 15 years ago

   So far no for me. I am still trying to find a literary agent for my writing. I have had some poems published on poetry.com but have given up on writing poems. Not my style I guess lol. But I do write stories that I hope to one day make into books.
   
   I am thinking of writing a bit of some short stories or something on here.
   
   Good luck to everyone with dreams of writing and being published.

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6. 0

   MistHavenposted 15 years ago

   I think it all depends on how you write the poem/creative writing piece. If you can somehow many to squeeze in relevant keywords that would evoke Ads that people might be interested in, then I think it could work.
   
   I think it would be better to post creative writing on websites that pay you by page view like Associated Content or Bukisa. Hubpages seems to be more article driven.
   
   But I'm still new here myself.

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7. 89

   RedElfposted 15 years ago

   I have to agree that poetry is very low rated both historically and on Hub Pages. My poetry hubs are the lowest scoring of all my hubs except for a couple of exceedingly short ones.
   I also agree that, at times, this seems to be more about making money and getting click-through than anything approaching creative writing.
   I do not, however, write the poetry to get a high score. I write poetry because, like manlypoetryman, it best expresses what is in my heart. I write songs for the same reason - because that is the best medium for what I wish to say...though it would probably be more accurate to say "for whatever is inside that needs to be expressed".
   The serialized novellas I have published here have done quite well in terms of views, but it is the comments I value most highly, for they show me if I am on the right track with my work.
   The web is crazy for information - bazillions of people are on-line every hour of every day looking for advice, for answers to questions they haven't even formulated yet.
   It is great to be a part of that, and yes, to make some money doing what we all love to do - write - but in this particular community, creativity is valued and appreciated as nowhere else I have seen so far, and I am glad to have found a home here.
   ...here endeth the epistle...

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8. 0

   pgrundyposted 15 years ago

   Nah. No money in that.
   
   But I read several writers here whenever they publish new stuff. Teresa McGurk's serial "It's Later Than You Think" is really cool:
   
   http://hubpages.com/hub/Its-Later-Than- … rt-Sixteen

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9. 0

   L. Andrew Marrposted 15 years ago

   I post tonnes of poetry online.
   
   Basically what I have learnt is that the more complex the poetry the less people want to read it.
   
   My favourite poem of mine is mega-complex and yet people don't seem to want to read it (http://hubpages.com/hub/Green-Friday)
   
   Some of my least favourite poems have proved most popular due to them being simple. My most famous of these was called "The Lamentations of the Afro Kid" and has been posted all over the place. Someone even made a fan club on facebook for it when it turned into a serial:
   
   http://hubpages.com/hub/marr-poetry

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10. 61

    XTASISposted 15 years ago

    I write nonsense poetry only for fun

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11. 61

    tantrumposted 15 years ago

    Poetry is a satisfaction that seldom brings money. But as a satisfaction is 1 of the best I can think of ... Appart from women ,that is

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12. 77

    Tadeusz598posted 15 years ago

    I publish short stories here on hub.
    
    I get a bit of traffic, but not a huge amount. My feeling is that people use Hub mainly for short, magazine style articles, and the most popular pieces are often "How To.." or advice based.
    
    Alternatively I might not be marketting my stuff enough or well, or it simply isn't the sort of thing people want.
    
    As for making money: I make none. I can't say this bothers me enormously as I have other easier ways of making a living.
    
    The internet has totally changed making money from writing: it's impossible for me to imagine what the future holds for authors in a landscape where so much is free, and where second hand books can be bought on Amazon for a penny.

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13. 60

    tiginbanposted 14 years ago

    Success at writing is subjective. For some it's only about financial reward, for more it's about seeing their creation in print and for another lot, it's knowing that their work is adding value to the lives of others. Write on, people!

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14. 0

    ralwusposted 14 years ago

    Poetry sucks.

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15. 0

    ralwusposted 14 years ago

    bump

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16. 43

    Itswrittenposted 14 years ago

    I  love to write poetry, it influences many thoughts thoughout the mind and the world !

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17. 61

    believeinhimposted 14 years ago

    Poetry is great, I love it. I self-published one book, so far.
    It takes too long to go with a traditional publisher.
    I haven't made too much money, though.
    Keep writing . . . it's great therapy.
    God bless,
    Launa

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18. 0

    poetlorraineposted 14 years ago

    i suppose it depends what the word success means, my poetry is being read, and appreciated....... i am soooo happy about that, i love reading other peoples poetry ........ money is not an issue,   one day values will change, i wait patiently for that day....... and by then if i ever make money with my writing skills it will be passed on to my children.... i have no real need of money except to eat ....... a lot less than i do at the moment and to be clothed, i have too many clothes.  To be creative, and have this spring board for me is just the best thing that could have happened,,,,,,,,,  i love hub pages

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