Magazine editor's warning on popular poetry subjects
What are the most popular subjects that poets write about? The editor of a long-running literary magazine has advised poets seeking publication: “If you choose to write about birds, photographs, pictures, impending death, illnesses and nature (mainly beaches and sunsets) just be aware that many other people are writing about these subjects, so you’ll need to do something new and interesting with them to grab the editors’ attention. Avoid clichés and heavy-handed sentimentality, as these two things can send your work straight to the reject pile.”
Briony Bax, editor of Ambit magazine, which is still seeking submissions for its next issue, up to 1 April, added: “We are looking for poems that are focused, original and not overwritten. We will consider all forms, and experiment in any direction, so long as there remains an economy of language.”
