Poetry COllection?

Question

I'm trying to compile a poetry collection. Is 30 poems too little and if so how many would you reccommend?

Answer 1

It depends on what you're trying to produce. Is this for a chapbook? Is it for a presentation? Is it going to be a gift? Is it going to be of just your poems or will you be combining the work of other poets? Will all the poems be on the same theme?

The number of the poems can be as few as a half-dozen, or as many as several hundred, it all depends on the end product. Chapbooks have as few as a dozen, larger anthologies have many, many more. If this is going to be a self-published/self-printed collection, then you need to consider the size, whether or not you'll be using pictures, etc. Will each poem have a page dedicated to the author or the inspiration behind the poem? I've seen the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, a single poem, published alone as a book. There were pictures between every stanza, a preface, a biography of the poet, etc.

So, 30 poems should work on several levels. Consider what else you'll include in the collection and how it will be presented. There are also bookbinders that do small quantities of self-published books if you should decide you want to turn this project into something more permanent.

Good luck and feel free to email me with any specific questions you may have on this subject.

Answer 2

Depending on length, 30-40 should be fine. Best bet, check out a few books in the library or bookstore to see how their organized. Good luck!

Answer 3

30 is good, I have several hundred, but I've been writing them for over 50 years, but 30 is a very good number. Unless of course you've been writing them too.


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Answer 4

30 would be fine.