Seven poetry editors answer James Byrne's questions on publishing

Instead of the usual single-poet conversation, issue 17 of The Wolf carries a round table of seven poetry publishers from Britain and the United States, with questions by James Byrne. The page holds an extended version of that interview. Tony Ward of Arc Publications, Keston Sutherland of Barque Press, Neil Astley of Bloodaxe Books, Peter Conners of BOA Editions, Michael Schmidt of Carcanet Press, Jeffrey Shotts of Graywolf Press and Rupert Loydell of Stride Books each answer the same questions.

The opening questions cover what makes an editor take a poet and how editor and poet work together. Sutherland says Barque has no fixed criteria and favours writers who would find no welcome at large commercial presses. Astley wants a distinctive voice that has absorbed its influences, and poets able to deliver a strong second book. Conners notes that American writing programmes have raised technical skill, so BOA looks beneath the surface of a poem. Schmidt reduces his answer to a single sentence on whether the poet is any good. On editing, Astley tailors his approach to each poet, Schmidt says every relationship is bespoke, and Shotts distrusts a poet who accepts every suggestion.

Next comes the question of reputation. Sutherland and Schmidt say none is needed, while Astley advises building a record in magazines first, explains how pamphlets can help, and warns that an over-early first collection can harm a career, including its eligibility for the Forward Prize for first collections. Memorable books follow: Ward's translation of Benjamin Peret and his anthology A Fine Line, Astley's No, I'm Not Afraid by Irina Ratushinskaya, published in 1986 while she was held in a Soviet camp, Conners on Russell Edson, Schmidt on C. H. Sisson and Brigit Pegeen Kelly, Shotts on William Stafford and Saadi Youssef. Each editor then says how their list differs from others, with Astley stressing Bloodaxe's even split of men and women.

The last third deals with technology. On print on demand, Ward welcomes digital printing but fears over-publication, Astley rejects it on production quality and cost, and Shotts worries that books stay in print in name only while praising its lower waste. Several name Salt Publishing in that debate. Several also weigh the case for PDF editions: Conners describes slow-selling titles offered as downloads, Astley sees PDFs replacing bound proofs, and Loydell predicts a readership larger than sales.

Whether the poet is any good. That's the first and should be the only question.

Michael Schmidt, The Wolf, issue 17

I don't want to read any more clones of Ashbery, Larkin, Muldoon, O'Hara, Plath or Prynne

Neil Astley, The Wolf, issue 17