However, I am moved to give the device one more try as a way to experience my novel in progress. Not sure that even this will be enough to make me keep it, but I just wanted you to know how much I loved your post and how helpful it was for me.

I have to say, I’m an e-book person myself *quickly ducks for cover*. And I am always disappointed when I can’t purchase a book (or, often, re-purchase a book that I have in the paper/ink version) and generally don’t seek out the print version, but wait until it becomes available in e-format. (I know, I know, not what you want to hear.)

Does the publisher already own the e-book rights ? Perhaps you could sell the e-book versions yourself, and that way you could then retain most/all of the sales ?

Considering that even if you do get that book of poems published with the most wonderful publisher in the world you still have to keep you day job. And baring winning the lottery do what most poets do and keep a day job in order to keep the muse amused, made the payments on the laptop and find the time to be a poet. If you’re really lucky, you get paid to do it like Mr. Justice does at a university.

We shouldn’t fill student’s heads with any false hold of making a living by writing of any kind, prose or poetry. Less than one hundred writers in the U.S. made their living from writer of fiction or poetry alone. But we should tell them – Boldly, Wildly, Strongly, Singingly, Lovingly,
and Exuberantly, -that if you are called to write, then you must do it, for the good of your soul and who knows? maybe a million others.

The journal writing habit and solidarity you describe is both fabulous and tremendously inspiring. To write with others and honor the product through all these years is essential work.

–here’s to those swift words, indeed!