Publications
THE ANNUAL ANTHOLOGY
Each year Friendly Street Poets selects two editors from our community. It is their job throughout the year to select eligible poems for publication in an annual anthology of poems called the Reader. Our current editors: Tracey Korsten and John Pfitzner are working on the compliation of Reader 35.
All original poems read by members of Friendly Street Poets, at an official FS Poets meeting, whether in the city, at a Festival in outlying areas, or at regional meetings are eligible to be selected for puublication in the anthology. Two copies are placed in the Reading Box (next to the microphone) with full contact details printed clearly on each page. Later, poets may be requested to supply an electronic copy of the poem before the final book is constructed. Editors inform contributors of their inclusion by January of the following year.
The anthology is launched at the April meeting of Friendly Street Poets. Poets selected are asked to read their published poem. Contributors receive a discounted price as set by the Board each year, according to the recomendation of the publishing team and the Treasurer.
NEW POETS
Each year FS Poets runs a publishing competition where poets need to submit a 26 page manuscript. These manuscripts are blind judged by an independent and well qualified person. The judge selects three manuscripts which form the volume of poetry. Our most recent judge was Jill Jones who selected the three poets for NEW POETS 15: Louise McKenna, Sher’ee Furtak-Ellis and Lynette Arden.
This is an annual competition open to all South Australian poets who have had no previously published collection of poetry.
SINGLE POET
In alternate years, we run a publishing competition where more experienced poets submit an 86 page manuscript. This is independently blind judged by a qualified person. The judge selects one manuscript for publication. It is launched at Writers’ Week as part of the Adelaide Festival of Arts. Judge Stephen Lawrence chose our last single poet Robyn Cadwallader and her manuscript was published as the book i painted unafraid .
OUR PUBLISHING HISTORY
‘A major development, central to Friendly Street’s ongoing significance, was Richard Tipping’s idea of bringing out an anthology of the best work read during the first year. This was the beginning of the annual anthologies…’
Andrew Taylor, ‘Recent South Australian Poetry’ an essay in Southwords: Essays in South Australian Writing (Wakefield Press)
Richard Tipping’s anthology was the first ‘Friendly Street Poetry Reader’ and was published in 1977 by the Adelaide University Union Press. . After the demise of this press in 1980, Friendly Street Poets published an annual Reader. In 1990, Wakefield Press became our publisher of choice. They also handle the sale and distribution of the Readers. South Australian, interstate and international poets have all featured in these volumes of poetry. We have produced 33 Readers so far and thousands of poets have begun their publishing careers in the pages of a Friendly Street Reader.
Two additional anthologies were produced in the early 1990s: The Inner Courtyard, a South Australian anthology of love poetr;, and our first and definitive history book:Tuesday Night Live, showcasing a selection of the first fifteen years of Friendly Street Poets.
In 1982, Friendly Street Poets began publishing individual poetry collections. As of June 2010, 33 poets have had books published by us, in several instances in combined collections with other poets; four poets have been published twice. This series is now called the Single Poet series and is run as a publishing competition in alternate years.
The publishing program was further expanded in 1995 with the commencement of the New Poets series, each volume of which has contained individual collections by three poets who have not had any collections of their work previously published. By 2010, 45 poets have commenced their publishing careers through this series. Three of them have subsequently had their own books published by Friendly Street and many more have had books produced by other Australian publishers.
A full list of Friendly Street publications is set out below. Copies of many of the listed titles may be obtained through Friendly Street Poets, or the more recent titles through Wakefield Press.