art fair

So the art fair went really incredible. It was amazing to have the opportunity to actually talk face-to-face with real people about my writing. So often I feel isolated from other writers/readers when I'm working on a poem in my basement apartment. I tend to forget that actual human beings might be reading the poems eventually.

I learned a lot too. I learned that most people don't know what a "chapbook" but are curious and willing to ask.  I learned that you can't anticipate what sort of crowd will be interested in mock anglo-saxon verse; I talked to teenagers, university students, mothers, university professors, grandmothers. Such a supportive assortment! I learned that talking to people about your writing can be highly rewarding and this grass-roots sort of "bring the poetry to the people" is probably the way to go. A lot of us lament the lack of poetry sales in Canada. But the average person isn't going to go to a poetry reading or buy a book out of the blue if they've never heard of the author before. Maybe if poets go to these kind of art fairs and spread the word, the next time they do a reading, people might remember the writer and their work. I think blogs/facebook/twitter can probably work in a similar way.

I also learned that the illustration/poetry combination is a good one. Without Jonah's drawings, I don't think as many people would have been as inclined to stop by the table and check out my work. I know for a fact that a number of people bought the book based on the drawings alone (I would have too!) I'm excited that Jonah was willing to collaborate with me, and that he's going illustrate future volumes of Riddlehoard once I complete more poems.

Overall, I sold 35/55 copies of the chapbook this weekend and I'm sending a few through the mail after Shelley Banks wrote a lovely piece about it.  When I started the blog I didn't expect this much attention in the form of comments and blog poets.  I feel very welcomed, which is a testament to the Saskatchewan Writing community--something that came up again and again at Talking Fresh.

So email me or msg me on facebook if you want me to mail you a copy. We're going to do another printing soon since Jonah's going to a zine fest in the fall.