Indie Presses: Boa Editions
BOA Editions, Ltd., a not-for-profit publisher of poetry and other literary works, fosters readership and appreciation of contemporary literature. By identifying, cultivating, and publishing both new and established poets and selecting authors of unique literary talent, BOA brings high quality literature to the public. Support for this effort comes from the sale of its publications, grant funding, and private donations. We spoke with Peter Connors, Publisher & Executive Director of BOA Editions.
Why was the press started? What was the idea behind the press?
BOA was founded in 1976 by the late poet, editor, and translator A. Poulin, Jr. At that time, many established poets had lost their publishers and new poets had even less of a chance to see their work in print. Al started BOA in the back room of a small brick house in Brockport, NY. BOA was very much a community-based effort spearheaded by the vision, focus and determination of its founder. Al Poulin ran the press until his passing in 1996. More than 45 years after its founding, BOA has published more than 320 books of American poetry, poetry-in-translation, and short fiction. I have been proud to work at BOA since 2003 and serve as Publisher and Executive Director.
What are the top three things you look for in a submission, and why?
I look for a manuscript that makes a singular utterance. Said another way, I ask myself: Is this work speaking in a way that only this particular poet or author can do? That’s a taller order than it may appear. Poetry in particular has a way of reflecting its times (I’m avoiding the word “trends” here), and on any given year, a large number of submissions will suddenly sound different than in previous years, but eerily similar to each other. I’m looking for the manuscript that rises above all of that and speaks in its own unique language that transcends its times. When it comes to small press poetry publishing, if you don’t think it’ll last, it’s probably not worth the time and effort to bring it into the world. It’s also important to me that our publishing list reflects the rich diversity of the world when it comes to race, ethnicity, disability, gender identity, religious beliefs, and the overall scope of its concerns, whether they are rooted in the material world, spiritual world, or any other world. Lastly, I like to see poets who are also engaged with the poetry community on some level. That can take many different forms, and I’m not particularly biased in any one direction with that, but our little poetry universe can only function with the support of its community. I love to see poets who are as interested in serving other people’s efforts in achieving their vision as they are in seeing their own vision being supported.
What advice would you give writers trying to publish with your press, and why?
These statements go for submissions to any publisher: Read the guidelines and then follow those. Someone spent a bunch of time putting them together, so they love when you follow them and it can only help you too. Also, read a bunch of recent titles by the press and ask yourself if you can see your work fitting in with that publisher’s vision. Organize your submission nicely – presentation does make a difference, because the reader you’re submitting to is juggling a lot of submissions all at once. Make it easy and quick for them to get a sense of who you are, what you are trying to achieve in the manuscript, and let them know why you sent the work to them in particular.
What is your comment on the future of poetry publishing?
It will go on. It will change shape, new modes of delivery will come and go, voices will rise up and most, but not all, will quickly fade away, but be no less important for their having spoken up in the first place. Culture doesn’t hinge on any one artist or even handful of influential artists in any given age. The big names are just the headlines. And we need those. They’re fun – especially if you happen to be one of them. But big C “Culture” is a community effort. It is a function of people continually reasserting the value of creativity and artistic endeavour. That’s what drives the poetry machine through decade after decade. That impulse, that drive, that industriousness, that dreaming, that faith, that creativity, that sense of mission, that that, will continue as long as we (big H “Humans”) do.
In this series of small press interviews, we talk to pressed whom we admire and would send our own poetry too if we were any good. These presses take great care of their books and publish with a conscience. You can read the other interviews here.