Poetry Magazines - The best collection of poetry magazines online - Simon Armitage

     I said in # 1 of this magazine that there would be no more editorials. Well, this is a kind of uneditorial, so it doesn’t count. Those readers who have read page 2 will note the change, and the restrictions (albeit mild) that have been placed on submissions. The reason for this is twofold.1) I have a surfeit of material, and 2) the magazine’s future, after # 7 is in some doubt. (Should it not appear, # 8 that is, subscribers will be proportionately reimbursed). This is because I shall be leaving my current address in May 1982, and my ultimate destination is still in considerable doubt. Should it turn out to be one in which the necessary materials are not available at the right price, then Shearsman will, sadly, die, or alter beyond recognition.

     To be more exact: beginning with #8 or #9 - should the magazine still be in existence - Shearsman will have to decrease in size radically. The overall dimensions will be reduced,as will thenumber of pages (possibly a maximum of 50pp). In the reduced format, extended prose - other than criticism - will not be printed, so as to leave as much room as possible for poetry.

     A second, and more drastic, alternative is a monthly, or 6-weekly folder, containing 12/16pp of work (invariably a single writer), plus an annual of greater length. The model for this would be the US publication, LONGHOUSE. One of the main advantages of this format is that airmail could be used more frequently to dispatch it, thus making it more current than Shearsman can ever hope to be. Also a good photcopier would suffice to produce the issues, rather than offset equipment.

     I shall be happy to consider other suggestions if anyone has any: the overriding factors to be borne in mind are cheapness of production, with the best possible quality, and low postal costs - which currently account for almost 40% of the total cost per issue.

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In case anyone is discouraged from sending in material for future issues, after reading this and p.2 - please don’t be. If the work interests me enough I’ll publish it. Thus this issue has gained an extra 20pp, and #6 has gained 15.