Book contest ideas?

February 4, 2007 11:15 AM

What sort of online contest should I hold to give away a book of poetry?

I bought an extra copy of a long poem by my favorite author, which was recently published as a 19-page pamphlet. I'd like to try to give it away by holding an online contest via my blog (link on my profile page). I had the (selfish) thought of asking folks to help with my research by getting them to scan and email me articles about this poet... is that asking too much?

What would you do to win a free book of obscure poetry?

posted by steef to Media & Arts (9 answers total)

Write poetry? Maybe some sort of form poem (sonnet?) in your honor?
posted by nekton at 11:29 AM on February 4, 2007

Best answer: I think Henry Reed is wonderful. I'd certainly be up for scanning articles. Suspect that asking people to send in poetry would result in judge's despair. He wrote radio plays too didn't he - is there anything you could do with this in terms of a competition?

And what a lovely idea, too - rather like bookcrossing. I might think about doing the same with my own research. Off now to look at your website - I can think of at least two people I know who are also Reed fans who'll be interested.
posted by paduasoy at 11:39 AM on February 4, 2007

Best answer: Scanning and emailing articles doesn't seem to have the proper spirit of liveliness for a contest, I think. When I hold contests at my poetry-themed bloeg, I give people a few lines and ask them to interpret the lines in a comic or drawing. It is massively fun; I really recommend it--though things might be a little trickier for a poet like Reed, who people like to think of somberly when they think of him at all. Fascinating enterprise you have going there, by the way. I'll definitely be following along.
posted by Powerful Religious Baby at 12:08 PM on February 4, 2007

Limerick contest.
posted by box at 1:45 PM on February 4, 2007

Best answer: how about find articles about the poet and creatively alter them / integrate them into a piece of found poetry? :D
posted by perpetualstroll at 2:53 PM on February 4, 2007

Response by poster: Hey, PRB! I remember visiting your Wallace Stevens soir233;e last fall. Still inspiring!

I was also thinking, if not an article-for-book trade (thanks for thumbs-up, paduasoy), maybe something for Valentine's Day? HR's birthday is the 22nd.
posted by steef at 2:57 PM on February 4, 2007

Response by poster: ^soiree. Worked in preview, dammit.
posted by steef at 2:59 PM on February 4, 2007

Aw, cool. Tell you what: I'll do a Reed cartoon sometime, and link to whatever kind of contest you choose to do. I like perpetualstroll's idea a lot, actually--academic articles are some of my favorite sources for found poems.
posted by Powerful Religious Baby at 7:33 PM on February 4, 2007

Response by poster: Well, I still don't know if I'm going to go the creative-route or not, but I really will try and get this up and running this week. Thanks, everybody!
posted by steef at 6:43 AM on February 6, 2007