Eileen R. Tabios is a poet working in multiple genres and in-between. She also loves books by writing, reading, publishing, critiquing, romancing and advocating for them. This blog will feature her bibliophilic activities with posts on current book engagements and links to her books and projects related to books.

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

AWESOME POETRY EDITORS...?

I put this survey out on Facebook -- but am replicating it here and feel free to respond:

WHO ARE THE GREAT LIVING POETRY EDITORS?

Some back-and-forth with Barbara Jane Reyes encourages me to put out this informal survey. Given the direction of my poetry, my experience is not so much finding bad editors but finding editors, period. When I submit poems and manuscripts, I can get acceptances without editing (perhaps those to whom I've sent manuscripts expect a finished product and if it's not, they say No, without going into the alternative of Yes but with these suggested changes...). So I'd love to know -- and tip the beret at -- the folks doing great editing jobs out there. Note I say, not editors as those who manage journals (that'd be an interesting but separate list); I'm talking about editors with whom one has experienced the actual back-and-forth editing process.


I'm also not talking about those in academia who may edit student manuscripts (though feel free to chime up about them) but those out there editing poets past the school terrain. Some of these great editors may or may not be poets. And many, I suspect, are poets who often do the editing on a volunteer basis (thus, not as likely to be known/praised for their efforts). Some may be poets who do the editing for their friends. Also, if it needs to be said, by "editing" I don't just mean the line-by-line edits but as relates to an editor also checking on the project's underlying conceptualization...

Here's my initial response, and given my volume of work, it's telling, I think, that it's a short list:
Thomas Fink (as in-house editor at Marsh Hawk Press)
Dana Teen Lomax and Mark Lamoureux (Black Radish)
[Name-to-Come] (in-house editor at Aunt Lute Press)
John Bloomberg-Rissman (based on one poem experience)
Susan M. Schultz (Tinfish)
Kevin Killian (he's never "edited" me; but he once blurbed one of my books and some comments he made indicate that he'd be a great editor)

From Barbara's list, I note some names (correct me if I'm wrong) of some from whom she'd experienced great editing:
Peter Conners (BOA)
Stacey Doris (as MFA advisor to what became a published book)
Garrett Caples (ongoing at City Lights)

Dear Poet: please share -- with whom have you experienced good editing? (Feel free to email or use Comments).

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