Agonies of a Young Author

I think I accidentally stole a poetry journal.

Actually, scratch that-- I am 90% sure I did.

See, most campus publications are free. Student run, student published, student authors; ergo, quality is mid-range and overhead covered by student activities grants.  There are several different publications on campus, so seeing one in the coffeeshop that I was in particular unfamiliar with(but submitted several poems to regardless), I go grab a copy. And leave, happy.

Until I read the journal later that night, and realize that there is a 5.95 price sticker on the back cover! Oh no!

Whoops.

I've come to realize that this journal is not at the same level as the others I usually read-- probably because of the 5.95 price sticker on the back cover. The table of contents doesn't list any students, but is rather full of already established poets, usually post-grad professionals that are both married and living somewhere that is NOT Virginia. Places NOT on this campus.

I never realized how little I knew about this journal, and how I blindly submitted without knowing the content quality expected. I thought it was the same sort as other publications. I've read the others-- the artsy one, the humorous one, the satirical one, the angsty one-- but I never was exposed to this one other than general rumors of it being the "serious" one. I thought serious translated into "avant-garde" and sent in my best concrete (shaped) poems. I'm not unhappy with my submission, but I really wished that I had listened to all the writing articles that warned writers to DO YOUR RESEARCH FIRST.

Whoops. Now let's hope that 1) the coffeeshop doesn't arrest me, and 2) the journal doesn't laugh me off for the misunderstanding. But I'm afraid that I might have butchered it this year's go-around.

Whoops.

Right Now:
What I'm listening to: "Morningwood" by Morningwood
What I want most: to hear back from this journal. It's been several months....