My alter-ego has the idea that he wants to publish a second book of poems. I’m on the fence, but he’s sure.
However, what he’s not sure about this time is whether to self-publish again or take the time and trouble to try to find an agent and/or a small press who would take it on.
A bit of investigation shows there are quite a few people promoting themselves as literary agents. There are all sorts of “poetry” magazines (not to mention websites like Spillwords), but except for the bigger names, you get the impression it’s a couple of quirky, avante guarde friends from an MFA program working out of an apartment somewhere. Who knows if they’ll help, or even be around in a couple of months?
Then there’s the time. Weeks or months just to (most likely) get a rejection letter.
I can see the appeal of self-publishing, despite the river of unedited, mediocre stuff that it promotes/enables. And the weeks it takes to promote something just to sell a few dozen copies. And the costs: $500-$1000, at least. Still, at least your little child sees the light of day. Sort of.
So, if you’ve put yourself out there and published, what did you discover? Would you do it again? If so, which way would you go?
HemmingPlay 
If you don’t, you will regret it for the rest of your days. Life should sometimes be:
WHY THE FUCK NOT?
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I had a couple of friends who set off from Northern Minnesota in canoes, bound for Hudson Bay. The trip cost a whole lot more than $1,000 and they spent most of the summer getting lost, being rained on and tormented by either mosquitoes or black flies. They never reached their goal, nor did they have much fun, but they will tell you today, it is just something they had to do.
A lot of us have things we have to do, mostly for little or no external or internal reward – but it sure beats not having something we have to do.
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Yeah. That’s what this is like, alright🤔
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