Blue Mountain Arts looking for submissions

Blogger's note: This comes from an email I recently received. I do not know enough about copyright law to really encourage submitting your work here. I do have some information on the other side of town about copyright, and I do intend to post that information as a blog later this week. "Exclusive" sounds pretty scary. I guess if you aren't much of a poet (and not many people buy poetry anyway so this could be a good way of getting money for poetry), this is ideal. Also, if you copyright your work, which you can do in bulk once a year, this could be beneficial.

Forgive me that I am learning, oh blog-readers.

Blue Mountain Arts is a Boulder, Colo. based publisher of greeting cards,
books, and gift items. We rely on freelance writers to provide much of
the material we publish and thought your students or faculty might be
interested in submitting original
material to us for possible publication.

Our books and anthologies cover a wide-range of topics, including:
self-help, personal growth, young adult, teen/tween, family, and
relationships. The themes of our cards include: love, friendship,
family, encouragement, special occasions, and life dreams and challenges. It has
often been said that our cards express emotions people want to
communicate but don't always know how to put into words.


We pay $300 for a work chosen for publication on a greeting card or $50
for a work chosen for one-time use in a book.


We would greatly appreciate your sharing this opportunity. I've pasted a copy of our writers' guidelines below. You may also request a copy of our guidelines by e-mailing me at write4us@sps.com.

We also accept book ideas or submissions. If you would like to receive
those guidelines, let me know and I will forward them to you.


Please send submission to:

Blue Mountain Arts Editorial Department WU

P. O. Box 1007

Boulder, CO 80306


Or e-mail them to: write4us@sps.com






WRITER'S GUIDELINES


Blue Mountain Arts is interested in reviewing poetry and writings that
would be appropriate for our greeting cards.

1. WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR: Contemporary prose or poetry written from
personal experience that reflects the thoughts and feelings people
today want to communicate to one another, but don't always know how to
put into words. Because our cards capture genuine emotions on topics
such as love, friendship, family, missing you, and other real-life
subjects, we suggest that you have a friend, relative, or someone else
in your life in mind as you write. Writings on special occasions
(birthday, anniversary, congratulations, etc.) as well as the
challenges, difficulties, and aspirations of life are also considered.
We are looking for new, original, and creative writings that do not
sound like anything we have already published.


2. WHAT WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR: Rhymed poetry, religious verse,
one-liners, or humor. Try to avoid frequently overused words and
phrases, such as "special," "gift," "sending you a hug," "birthday
wishes for you," and "angel." We receive a large number of submissions
about mothers, sons, daughters, and love. For these themes, we only
consider writings that are refreshing and unique or that express
age-old sentiments in new and different ways. (Hint: Avoid lines like
"You were always there for me," "I remember when you were a baby," "I
am so proud of you," and "You are my dream come true.")


3. POSTAL SUBMISSIONS: Send to Blue Mountain Arts Editorial Department,
P. O. Box 1007, Boulder, CO 80306. Work should be typewritten; one
poem per page please. Your name should appear on every page. You may
submit as many poems at one time as you wish. If you would like a
response and/or to have your work returned, you must enclose a
self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) of adequate size, with the
correct postage. Be sure to include your name, address, and telephone
number with your submission, and please keep us informed of all address
and telephone number changes. Include your e-mail address if you wish
to receive periodic e-mail updates of our current needs.


4. E-MAIL SUBMISSIONS: Send to editorial@sps.com. PLEASE DO NOT SEND
ATTACHMENTS OR WEBSITE LINKS. Type or paste the text of your work(s)
into the body of the e-mail. You may submit as many different works as
you wish all in the same e-mail. Be sure to include your name, address,
and telephone number.

E-mail submissions will receive an automatic reply as receipt of your
submission.


5. SUBMISSIONS SELECTED FOR FURTHER REVIEW will receive a response by
postal mail within 2 to 4 months. We are unable to respond to e-mail
submissions that are not chosen for further review, so if you do not
hear from us within 4 months, you can assume that your work is no
longer under consideration.

6. PAYMENT: We pay $300 per poem for the worldwide, exclusive rights to
publish it on a greeting card and other products, and $50 per poem for
one-time use in a book. Publication procedures will be explained in
detail prior to actually publishing your work.


7. QUESTIONS concerning your submission can be sent to Blue Mountain
Arts Editorial Department, P. O. Box 1007, Boulder, CO 80306, or you
can e-mail us at editorial@sps.com. Please do not telephone.

8. COPYRIGHT: Your work need not be copyrighted prior to submission.
For information on how to apply for a copyright, please contact the
United States Copyright Office, Library of Congress, Washington, DC
20559.


9. SUBMISSIONS FROM OUTSIDE THE U.S. are accepted, but only in the
English language.


10. SEASONAL POETRY SUBMISSION DATES: We welcome material for the
following holidays. Submissions received after the dates shown may be
held for review until the following year.



Christmas & General Holiday: Sept. 12, 2005

Valentine's Day: Oct. 24, 2005

Easter: Jan. 9, 2006

Mother's Day: Feb. 27, 2006

Father's Day: Mar. 20, 2006