Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 4

Wheelsong Books was established in the UK in 2020 as a not-for-profit organisation. Its mission statement is twofold: To give emerging poets the means to reach larger audiences and to help those who are in need. Since then, the company has published 36 books including six charity poetry anthologies. Here are the anthology statistics: 

Absolutely Poetry Anthology 1: 170 poems 

Absolutely Poetry Anthology 2: 176 poems 

Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 1: 183 poems 

Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 2: 214 poems 

Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 3: 229 poems

Invisible Poets Anthology 1: 352 poems

(a total of 1324 poems written by more than 400 poets representing 104 countries across all 6 continents) 

All the above books will remain on sale on Amazon and through other outlets, including Waterstones (UK) and Barnes & Noble (USA). The proceeds from Amazon sales of these six books is donated to Save the Children - a worldwide charity that supports children in crisis. At the time of writing, Wheelsong Books has donated more than £2800.00 ($3600.00) to Save the Children and we intend to raise a lot more money. In April we will be publishing Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 4.

Poet, here's the deal.... You have been given a wonderful creative gift, which is your ability to articulate your thoughts, ideas, memories and emotions in beautiful, evocative words. Using your talent, you can give back a little to children who are in desperate, often life-threatening situations. We all want our poetry to be read and appreciated by others. Publishing your work in Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 4 will ensure that you gain a new audience for your poetry, but that's not the most important aim! Better than this ... your poems will be helping to raise much needed funds to support children in crisis. You will also maintain ownership of your poem, and Wheelsong Books will protect and administer your copyright for you. 

To be considered for inclusion in the review process you will need to follow these instructions very carefully:

Firstly, do not bother to submit your poetry if you do not intend to buy at least one copy of the book. This is a charity publication, and all profits from Amazon sales will go to help children in crisis. If you're not prepared to invest in helping children, we won't be publishing your poetry (we are dismayed that almost two thirds of featured poets do not purchase a copy of the anthologies once they have been published!). Please give more than you take. 

Secondly, only submit poetry that is a) your own work and b) has not been subject to any other publishing agreement. Poetry you've shared on Facebook and other social media is fine. Please do not send in work that has been published elsewhere, or is subject to another publishing contract. That could lead to a law suit. The editorial team will reject poems if we suspect they have been either plagiarised, or generated by artificial intelligence.

Thirdly, submit up to 3 poems as either plain text or in a Word file via email to this address: wheelsong6@gmail.com. Submissions by any other means will not be considered. Poetry submitted as images or photos will not be considered, nor will links to other sites. And before you ask: There is no specific theme. 

Finally, all poems submitted will be subject to review by our editorial team. Your poetry will be anonymised (your name blanked out) so the editorial team can't see who you are. If your poetry is selected, you will be informed via email and a publication agreement will be sent to you for you to complete and return. Your work will be then published under your name. If your work is not accepted for publication, you will receive an email informing you of the team's decision. No correspondence other than via email will be valid. Please don't try to text or direct message us. We won't answer. 

The window for submission is now open, and will be closed on Tuesday 2 April. Any submissions received after this date will be rejected. If there is an extension to this date, you will be informed. The editors' decisions are final. 

NB: Shorter poems are more likely to be accepted for publication than longer pieces - space will be limited in the book due to resource and production limitations. Several poetry groups will participate, including Invisible Poets, Wheelsong Poetry, Pure Poetry and Safe Haven. Poets from outside these groups are also eligible to take part, so point them to this blog, and keep visiting this blog to find out news as it unfolds. We look forward to reading your submissions. Good luck! 

Steve Wheeler (Editor in Chief) 

Photo courtesy of Save the Children

The power of embracing process

You are reviewing the information for a poetry press, publisher or literary magazine, and you see the submission criteria. 

You want to show initiative so you check Linked In to find out who the editing team are. You look at a few previously published pieces, to get a flavour of their acceptance criteria. 

Then you go for it! 

A few days later, you receive a quick response to say you have not been accepted. 

It is a disheartening experience. We place our world into our work. Often, your piece could be reflective of a particularly difficult time in your life. It could be a testimony to your renewed sense of your well-being. It could equally be a beautiful poem about your favourite coat. 

However, it still received a negative response. 

Or did it? 

I have worked at both sides of the table as a theatre director, producer and creative group leader. 

- I have been the artist hoping to receive feedback from an organization, with strong credentials and significant sway. 

- I have also been the producer sat up until 2am sifting through applications. I have even sent rejection emails after an important date with a long-term boyfriend leaving him to hang out by himself. He didn't love me for that, but every day the actors waited... 

Well, we know how that feels...

Creative enterprise rarely ever stops. It only ever mounts. 

Editors, printmakers, directors, producers and agents are people. They are incredibly enthusiastic people who often fight perpetual exhaustion. This is not a plea for compassion but a grounded reality that has become my reality. 

Once, one has been behind the table it becomes easier to recognise certain rules and regulations.

Submission criteria do not exist to merely regulate the work that comes to an editor, but also to allow them to keep their product consistent. It expedites organisation, and response times and allows slack time for them to return to their family responsibilities.

Often a publication will be funded under certain remits. In this day of crowdfunded, kick-started publically owned creative teams, the investors may be people at any level of society. 

From local magazines that exploded into international juggernauts to the TikTok reviewer who now works for Rotten Tomatoes. Creatives are trying to respond in the most responsible way they can.

Your work deserves audience

Your voice deserves space and time to develop

However, with that comes responsibility

Praxis, such as, professional conduct, systematic planning and criticism are all part of the beast. They make a creative into a confident artist. They make people into household names.  

I actively admit, I'm a significantly better performance poet than I am a literary one. However, I have enjoyed the chance to be critiqued, challenged and be rejected. I truly do not think I would be in the circumstances, I am if those situations never happened.

I would lack the resilience... 

I have had the honour of being part of the editing team for Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 3. It has been a brilliant process. 

Your work has moved me. It has surprised me. It has heartened me and sometimes actively challenged me. Within sitting on the board I have learnt how much work it takes to edit an anthology and I believe more than ever praxis is necessary. 

Without it so much less work would be seen or responded to. 

Read the submission criteria for as many publications as you can. Use it as a learning experience for knocking on the door of future publishers. So many of the rules repeat and many of the expectations have valuable reasons. At worst, you will have learnt a new skill. At best, you are quids in. 

Genevieve Ray

Call for poems!

I had to suppress a few smiles last week when I posted the first announcement for Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 3. People were texting and emailing me in panic and confusion, because I had not posted a date for submission or email address. It was deliberate, because that post was really a teaser for the one you are now reading. We needed to gauge interest in the project. It's nice to know that so many of you are eager to contribute to this prestigious and far reaching publication. So let me put you all out of your misery. This, dear poets, is the official call for contributions to Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 3 (Please read the following instructions carefully).

Firstly, do not bother to submit your poetry if you do not intend to buy at least one copy of the book. It's a charity publication, and all profits from Amazon sales will go to help children in crisis. If you're not prepared to invest in helping kids, we won't be publishing your poetry. 

Secondly, only submit poetry that is a) your own work and b) has not been subject to any other publishing agreement. Poetry you've shared on Facebook and other social media is fine. Just don't send in work that has been published elsewhere under another contract. That could lead to a law suit. The editorial team will reject poems if we suspect they have been either plagiarised, or generated by artificial intelligence.

Thirdly, submit up to 3 poems as either plain text or in a Word file via email to this address: wheelsong6@gmail.com. Submissions by any other means will not be considered. Poetry submitted as images or photos will not be considered. Before you ask: There is no theme. 

Finally, all poems submitted will be subject to review by our editorial team. Your poetry will be anonymised so the team can't see who you are. If your poetry is selected, you will be informed via email, and a publication agreement will be sent to you for you to complete and return. If your work is not accepted for publication, you will receive an email informing you of the team's decision. No correspondence other than via email will be valid. Please don't try to text or direct message us. We won't answer. 

The window for submission is now open, and will be closed on Friday 1 September. Any submissions received after this date will be rejected. If there is an extension to this date, you will be informed.

We look forward to reading your submissions. Good luck!

Steve Wheeler (on behalf of the editorial team)

Photo © 2023 Wheelsong Books

Beyond the Pyre

I have known Imelda Garcia for almost two years, but we have never met in person (She lives in Texas and I'm in Plymouth, UK). We have worked together as Admin and moderators on a number of Facebook poetry groups and I have grown to know her and her poetry from a distance. She's been through a lot in her life and this book epitomises many of her trials, joys and challenges. It is a book suffused with optimism and uplifting verses. 

It is with great pleasure that I announce the publication of her debut collection through the Wheelsong Books press - Beyond the Pyre. Here's the blurb I wrote for it...

Beyond the Pyre is the stunning new collection of poetry by Imelda Zapata Garcia. The poems, dwelling on themes of family, love, loss and redemption, are saturated in imagery and metaphor and infused with chicano cultural references. The poet invites you to journey with her through her mind and memories of life, love and relationships. Beyond the Pyre is a poetic anthem to the art of surviving the flames of life.

...and here are a few endorsements from poets and writers:

Beyond the Pyre is a fascinating delve into the mind and deep soul of an absolutely brilliant writer.  Taylor Newman, lyricist for Alice Cooper

Imelda writes with such a rich complexity, her words full of stunning detail.  Brandon Adam Haven, poet and author of Into the Grey 

Imelda Zapata Garcia unearths a mine of poetic treasures. Rafik Romdhani, poet and author of Vapour of the Mind 

Rich in verse, a tapestry of colours to illuminate and shine. Sarfraz Ahmed, poet 

A resounding affirmation of life. Matt Elmore, author of Constellation Road 

Garcia has found her literary voice through this collection. A deft use of rhyme schemes and themes of internal strength and delicate beauty resonate throughout. Genevieve Ray, poet, author and playwright

Treasure to cherish forever. Charlene Phare, poet and author of Cobalt Skies 

A depth of lyricism that really resonates. Rhiannon Owens, poet

An anthem to the art of surviving the flames of life. Steve Wheeler, poet and publisher 

A galvanic poetess with a depth and a sonorous voice that ignites on paper. Alan Patrick Traynor, Irish poet and author of Until the Broken Clouds Answer

Beyond the Pyre is available on Amazon and selected stores across the globe in Kindle, softcover and hardcover editions. All the relevant links can be found on the Wheelsong Books website.

Steve Wheeler

Beware the vanity press!

Many of my recent poetry initiatives have been focused on helping unheard poets to gain a voice, a platform, an audience...

Wheelsong Books for example, was founded on the principle that evry poet has a voice and that voice demands an audience. I deliberately set up the company to be not for profit. When authors come to me asking how much it costs to publish a book, I reply that there is no fee. 

I am both amazed and appalled at the number of publishers 'out there' that cynically exploit the heartfelt desire of a poet to be published. They charge large sums of cash to provide 'editing and publishing services' that are little short of a scam. The poor poet ends up splashing out their hard earned cash for very little. What do they receive in return? Often a poorly edited and shoddily designed book that sells just a few copies. They are left with boxes of books they have paid for, but no-one wants to buy.

Popularly, this is known as a vanity press. The people behind many of these schemes are often unfair and unprincipled. They exercise little or no quality control, and all and sundry can get to publish their work no matter how good or bad it may be. Facebook and the web are full of poets desperately advertising and plugging books that no-one is interested in buying. You should be wary of any publisher who asks you for money to publish your book!

Wheelsong Books is different. We will never charge a poet to have their work published. Instead, Wheelsong offers editing, design and copyrighting services for no cost to the poet. We even agree to give ten percent of the sales return on every copy sold to the poet as royalty payments as a standard publishing agreement. If the book does well, and sells many copies, then everyone is a winner. 

Everyone who is directly associated with Wheelsong Books works on a purely voluntary basis. Our small, but growing group of ambassadors helps to promote and market the efforts and publications of our poet family worldwide through social media, events and promotions. Each is chosen for their commitment and drive to helping make the enterprise a success for all. For example, our USA ambassador is Matt Elmore, and our UK ambassador is Charlene Phare.

If you are interested in publishing with Wheelsong Books, be assured that we will treat you with the respect you deserve. We will assess your poetry on its merits, and we will be totally honest with you about its quality, its viability as a commercial work, and any future efforts you might need to take to improve it. Any questions you may have about publishing with Wheelsong can be posted to the comments box below! The Wheelsong Books team looks forward to hearing from you.

All live Wheelsong publications can be found on the Wheelsong Books website.

Image from Pexels used under a Creative Commons licence