Guidelines & Information for Submitting Slam Poetry to Digitalpoet.net
When I initially built the Digital Poet website it was for two reasons. First, I wanted to learn about website technology, content and web development. Second, I needed to release the stories of what I've been through in life to the world in hopes that I just might help reach, touch or help someone. The only way I knew how to do that was with slam poetry.
A few years later, there is a decent size audience reading my blogs about slam poetry and the spoken word pieces I've published on this site. As time has passed, you guys (my readers - love you!) have reached out to me from time to time. Often it was just to say hi; sometimes to thank me for something or recognize something I've written; sometimes to ask permission to use a piece for a class. But lately I've been getting submissions of people's own work - AND I LOVE IT!! KEEP IT COMING!!
A few years later, there is a decent size audience reading my blogs about slam poetry and the spoken word pieces I've published on this site. As time has passed, you guys (my readers - love you!) have reached out to me from time to time. Often it was just to say hi; sometimes to thank me for something or recognize something I've written; sometimes to ask permission to use a piece for a class. But lately I've been getting submissions of people's own work - AND I LOVE IT!! KEEP IT COMING!!
Slam Poem Submissions
All you have to do is send me an email with the poem you want to see on this website (and no, it won't be syndicated to any other site by me). Audio and video format is usually the best because readers of the site consume it better. Lyrics accompanying the piece make it an A+. Also, please put some context around what you are sending me - a little about you or your piece. Let me know why you want it to be published or what it's about or why it's meaningful or why it seems to fit with this site.
I probably can't publish everything I get, but I'll do my best to get your stuff up and out into the world. Oh - and if you would like to remain anonymous, that is no problem. I'll put you up as "user submitted". If you're OK with putting your name on the poem, or If you want me to point toward your YouTube page (or wherever) and use your name, I can do that as well.
I don't know how to 'egally say this - but I don't want to steal your poem. There are no malintentions with this. I'm not going to use your words and say they are mine; I'm not going to publish a book and use your poem like I'm the one who wrote it, etc. Anyone who knows me through my site will probably know that I don't sell anything or make any money here (set aside a few click ads), nor am I trying to. This site is for the Spoken Word culture and is here to help anyone out there who writes, performs or enjoys the art of slam poetry. And that's where it ends. I don't know if I can control someone else from copying something off this site, but if they do I believe it's stealing. Also, please know that I have about a hundred poems of my own here and I haven't had a problem yet with forgery, etc. (in fact people have emailed me just to see if they could use one of my poems for a class or project, etc. and they usually ask me if they can cite my site). Lastly, posting a poem here doesn't make you officially copywritten; this is just to be proud of yourself and share your work with the world.
So if nothing else ever inspired you to write a slam poem, let this be it! SLAM MOTHERFUCKERS, SLAM!! Then, lemme see it!
Check out some of the poetry that has already been submitted and is up on the site!