First Poetry Collection

I think I am getting close to a first poetry collection.

Although sometimes I wonder why I would bother. First poetry collections are unusual if they sell more than 1000 copies. Even my family isn't that big! So it's not for the money. Except that a poetry collection looks impressive on a CV when submitting or going for jobs.

So how do you know when you are ready? I went to a workshop given by Peter Fallon, who runs Gallery Press based in Meath. And he said that just because you have been submitted in a number of magazines and have won or been placed in some competitions, doesn't mean you are ready. It doesn't mean you are 'owed' a poetry collection. So when are you?

Then I find that there is a hierarchy in the poetry publishers, which I wasn't really aware of. There's the presmiership and then first and second division and so on so just because you have a poetry collection, you also have to look at the publisher.

Gallery Press is apparently Premiership. http://www.gallerypress.com/
as is Dedalus Press - Pat Boran http://dedaluspress.blogspot.com/

but what about all the others? The ones in Ireland, the ones in the UK. Which are you supposed to try first?

I've heard that some presses, don't know which so don't ask, if you come with a bit of a publishing history and a grant or prize for funding, will publish you. Certainly I have read collections where I think they poet was not ready. The poems were not ready, more editing and more time was needed.