Commitment

I've been researching publishing options

because I've made a commitment to myself

to put my words into the world

in a more impactful way.

In the process, I've learned a few things.

1. I need to concentrate on creative non-fiction

 or genre fiction if I want to be paid 

for my work. Poets don't get paid 

for published pieces as a general rule.

2. If you put a poem on your blog, 

it's considered "previously published" 

and poetry journals and zines 

won't be interested in publishing it 

again (with very few exceptions).

3. Because of #2, I won't be sharing

some of my newest and best works here, 

at least until they've been published elsewhere 

and the rights revert to me.

4. That doesn't include poems 

in haiku form because there are so few 

publications that will accept haiku works 

that putting them online is the only way 

to make sure that anyone reads them. 

Besides, I love Haiku My Heart 

Fridays with Rebecca.

5. I'm open to suggestions on how 

best to keep my commitment to myself. 

I'd really love to combine

words and photo images.

Anybody out there have some wisdom to share?