Barn Builders: Financial Supporters of the Barnwood Press Cooperative

Two helpful actions that cost you nothing: (1) ask your library to acquire Barnwood books, and (2) ask your bookstore to stock Barnwood books (note that Barnwood gives a hefty discount to indy bookstores).

Most poets and independent publishers of poetry need a little help--even a lot of help--from their friends, friends of the art of poetry.

Since 1975, many poets have been wonderful friends of Barnwood, remarkably generous and supportive with their time and writing, and sometimes money. The contributors of essays for Poet's Bookshelf, for instance, and many poets who have welcomed and encouraged our efforts, and have recommended Barnwood to writers and readers. Very early in Barnwood's life, established poets including Robert Bly, Judson Jerome, and William Stafford graciously helped the press become known as a serious publisher of excellent poems.

Barnwood is a friend of poets, readers of poetry, and the contemporary art of poetry, trying to provide some help in the form of publication.

You too are a friend of poets and the art of poetry. The following are some things that you should know--maybe you already know--about the current publishing scene, and about why the members of the Coop and I are hoping that you will help fund our publishing efforts.

Expenses

Publication of poetry is expensive. E.g.:

(1) Barnwood doesn't pay salaries, but there are overhead expenses such as Web hosting, storage, supplies, postage, shipping.

(2) I intend to pay out at least $1000 for permissions to publish poems in the online magazine during 2008.

(3) Design and printing of a papercover book of poetry (run of 1000 copies) typically costs around $12,000, while a chapbook might cost $4,000 or more.

Sources of Income.

1. What about sales?

One source of income is sales. However, while there seems to be plenty of writers and readers of poetry, there are few buyers. For example, I receive submissions to the magazine from more than a thousand poets each year, of whom none buys a Barnwood book.

Most stores prefer not to stock poetry, because they can't sell it fast enough to meet their own expenses. And many stores that do order books of poetry forget to pay for them, or pay much later.

Library sales help, but there are few sales without a review, and the library review media show little interest in reviewing books of poetry, especially from small, independent presses.

Amazon takes a 55% discount, and doesn't cover the shipping costs, and inhibits sales of new copies by facilitating, on the same site, sales of used copies from people other than the publisher (but a press/book must have a presence on Amazon). Paypal charges 2.9% of sales income.

The main source of sales revenue is the authors who sell their books at readings. The Barnwood arrangement is to pay the author 10% of the run, in lieu of a cash royalty, and then offer the author additional copies at cost. Some poets sell a fair number of books, some don't. (It doesn't have anything to do with the quality of the poetry.)

Over the years, I have come to believe that the major factor in the sale (marketability) of books of poetry is author name recognition--more or less degree of celebrity status in the society at large. (I should think, too, that name recognition of the press also helps considerably, but few independent presses can ever afford to do what is required to build significant "celebrity" status within the poetry world.)

And, by the way, during the last decade or so there has been a steady adjustment of all aspects of the book industry to favor (even necessitate, require) BIG. But there's not much in poetry publication that is big--certainly not the bucks.

2. What about grants?

When Barnwood was young, in the early '80s, it was given a wonderful boost by a grant from the NEA and many grants from the Indiana Arts Commission (however, note that state arts funding notoriously goes to large-audience, performance arts, and little to literature; an extreme but still repesentative illustration: in the worst year in IN, the total IAC budget was about $1,200,000, of which 20,000 was awarded to literature projects). In the early days, presses such as Barnwood could request 50% funding of the publication of a book, matched with a combination of cash and in-kind, actually receive 30-40% of the request, and attempt to recover enough of that grant in sales to keep matching, etc.

The Reagonite attack on government funding of the arts, while not successful in killing the NEA, significantly reduced funding on all levels. At the same time, policy at the national and state levels was changed to grossly favor large (nonprofit, of course) corporations, with major local involvement in their Boards of Directors (meaning to a significant degree, monied individuals). Independent presses such as Barnwood found it difficult to continue to be "small presses" and "little magazines" and yet stay alive. Large operations such as Copper Canyon and Graywolf prospered.

So if you feel that Barnwood's work is worth some financial backing, please help.

Send a check, payable "Barnwood," to Barnwood, 4604 47th Ave S, Seattle WA 98118-1824.

     or Donate via Paypal:

Barnwood is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization.

Many many thanks.
You will be listed with the other Barn Builders, by name unless you tell me that you prefer anonymity.
Tom