Author: Jerry T. Johnson, Writer

Jerry T. Johnson is a new writer to the Connecticut/New York area. Jerry published his first poetry chapbook, “Good Morning New Year! in 2015. Jerry's work has been published in Catalyst magazine ("I Be a Bad Dude") and in Burningword Literary Journal ("The Ways of Peace"). Jerry also performs spoken word poetry in a variety of venues in the New York City area

THREE, TWO, ONE… ZERO

THREE, TWO, ONE…ZERO!!!

TODAY at 4:00PM:

A. i. Firefly & Mike Jurkovic Rock great weather for Media’s Spoken Word Sunday’s

great weather for Media is bringing you another great poetry event with 2 amazing features:

Mike Jurkovic, Poet – Walkill, New York
-and-
Ai. Firefly, Poet – Staten Island, New York!

When:
Sunday, November 22nd – 4pm-6pm EDT

Where: ONLINE ZOOM

YOU MUST PREREGISTER FOR ZOOM ADMITTANCE: click link to register via
Eventbrite:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ai-firefly-and-mike-jurkovic-tickets-124164295751

Also: ONLINE – STREAMED LIVE on great weather for MEDIA’s facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/great.weather/

Plus open mic. 3 minute time limit. The host will be taking open mic signups during the event.

Hosted by Jerry T. Johnson

21+

POET BIOs

A.i. Firefly was born in 1979 in a crazy little town called Staten Island, NY. Poet, musician, educator, wife & mama, she has been featured in print and on the web by publications such as NYSAI, Having A Whiskey Coke with You, great weather for MEDIA, and is active in the expansive international poetry scene on Instagram as @a.i.firefly.
Photo by Kristopher Johnson, Deep Tanks Studio

A 2016 Pushcart nominee, Mike Jurkovic’s poetry and musical criticism has appeared in Main Street Rag, Conclave, Comstock Review, North Dakota Quarterly, California Quarterly, Chronogram, Wisconsin Review, etc., with little reportable income. His full-length collections are AmericanMental (Luchador Press 2020), Blue Fan Whirring (Nirala Press, 2018), smitten by harpies & shiny banjo catfish (Lion Autumn Press, 2016), and Eve’s Venom (Post Traumatic Press, 2014). Anthology credits include Calling All Poets 20th Anniversary Anthology, Reflecting Pool: Poets & the Creative Process (Codhill Press, 2018), and Like Light: 25 Years of Poetry & Prose (Bright Hill Press, 2018). He is the President of “Calling All Poets” (New Paltz /Beacon, NY.)
He loves Emily most of all.

http://www.mikejurkovic.com / http://www.callingallpoets.net

Eventbrite:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ai-firefly-and-mike-jurkovic-tickets-124164295751

ONE!!!

ONE!!!

We are ONE DAY AWAY from:

A. i. Firefly & Mike Jurkovic Rock great weather for Media’s Spoken Word Sunday’s

great weather for Media is bringing you another great poetry event with 2 amazing features:

Mike Jurkovic, Poet – Walkill, New York
-and-
Ai. Firefly, Poet – Staten Island, New York!

When:
Sunday, November 22nd – 4pm-6pm EDT

Where: ONLINE ZOOM

YOU MUST PREREGISTER FOR ZOOM ADMITTANCE: click link to register via
Eventbrite:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ai-firefly-and-mike-jurkovic-tickets-124164295751

Also: ONLINE – STREAMED LIVE on great weather for MEDIA’s facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/great.weather/

Plus open mic. 3 minute time limit. The host will be taking open mic signups during the event.

Hosted by Jerry T. Johnson

21+

POET BIOs

A.i. Firefly was born in 1979 in a crazy little town called Staten Island, NY. Poet, musician, educator, wife & mama, she has been featured in print and on the web by publications such as NYSAI, Having A Whiskey Coke with You, great weather for MEDIA, and is active in the expansive international poetry scene on Instagram as @a.i.firefly.
Photo by Kristopher Johnson, Deep Tanks Studio

A 2016 Pushcart nominee, Mike Jurkovic’s poetry and musical criticism has appeared in Main Street Rag, Conclave, Comstock Review, North Dakota Quarterly, California Quarterly, Chronogram, Wisconsin Review, etc., with little reportable income. His full-length collections are AmericanMental (Luchador Press 2020), Blue Fan Whirring (Nirala Press, 2018), smitten by harpies & shiny banjo catfish (Lion Autumn Press, 2016), and Eve’s Venom (Post Traumatic Press, 2014). Anthology credits include Calling All Poets 20th Anniversary Anthology, Reflecting Pool: Poets & the Creative Process (Codhill Press, 2018), and Like Light: 25 Years of Poetry & Prose (Bright Hill Press, 2018). He is the President of “Calling All Poets” (New Paltz /Beacon, NY.)
He loves Emily most of all.

http://www.mikejurkovic.com / http://www.callingallpoets.net

Eventbrite:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ai-firefly-and-mike-jurkovic-tickets-124164295751

ICYMI

ICYMI

Just so everyone is aware:

First & Foremost! The November 22nd gwfM Spoken Word Sunday Event is all about our outstanding features and the open mic’ers!

Secondly and last – November 22nd is my 65th birthday! And I am celebrating it by hosting an outstanding event with outstanding features! And I do plan to open up the program with a Bang with the opening poem! (Or if my bang turns into flop, we will move right along with the program)

So come on out and enjoy the program with me (and slip me a little happy birthday greeting in the process) !!!

Program Details listed below:

A. i. Firefly & Mike Jurkovic Rock great weather for Media’s Spoken Word Sunday’s

great weather for Media is bringing you another great poetry event with 2 amazing features:

Mike Jurkovic, Poet – Walkill, New York
-and-
Ai. Firefly, Poet – Staten Island, New York!

When:
Sunday, November 22nd – 4pm-6pm EDT

Where: ONLINE ZOOM

YOU MUST PREREGISTER FOR ZOOM ADMITTANCE: click link to register via
Eventbrite:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ai-firefly-and-mike-jurkovic-tickets-124164295751

Also: ONLINE – STREAMED LIVE on great weather for MEDIA’s facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/great.weather/

Plus open mic. 3 minute time limit. The host will be taking open mic signups during the event.

Hosted by Jerry T. Johnson

21+

POET BIOs

A.i. Firefly was born in 1979 in a crazy little town called Staten Island, NY. Poet, musician, educator, wife & mama, she has been featured in print and on the web by publications such as NYSAI, Having A Whiskey Coke with You, great weather for MEDIA, and is active in the expansive international poetry scene on Instagram as @a.i.firefly.
Photo by Kristopher Johnson, Deep Tanks Studio

A 2016 Pushcart nominee, Mike Jurkovic’s poetry and musical criticism has appeared in Main Street Rag, Conclave, Comstock Review, North Dakota Quarterly, California Quarterly, Chronogram, Wisconsin Review, etc., with little reportable income. His full-length collections are AmericanMental (Luchador Press 2020), Blue Fan Whirring (Nirala Press, 2018), smitten by harpies & shiny banjo catfish (Lion Autumn Press, 2016), and Eve’s Venom (Post Traumatic Press, 2014). Anthology credits include Calling All Poets 20th Anniversary Anthology, Reflecting Pool: Poets & the Creative Process (Codhill Press, 2018), and Like Light: 25 Years of Poetry & Prose (Bright Hill Press, 2018). He is the President of “Calling All Poets” (New Paltz /Beacon, NY.)
He loves Emily most of all.

http://www.mikejurkovic.com / http://www.callingallpoets.net

Eventbrite:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ai-firefly-and-mike-jurkovic-tickets-124164295751

TWO!!!

TWO!!!

We are TWO DAYS AWAY from:

A. i. Firefly & Mike Jurkovic Rock great weather for Media’s Spoken Word Sunday’s

great weather for Media is bringing you another great poetry event with 2 amazing features:

Mike Jurkovic, Poet – Walkill, New York
-and-
Ai. Firefly, Poet – Staten Island, New York!

When:
Sunday, November 22nd – 4pm-6pm EDT

Where: ONLINE ZOOM

YOU MUST PREREGISTER FOR ZOOM ADMITTANCE: click link to register via
Eventbrite:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ai-firefly-and-mike-jurkovic-tickets-124164295751

Also: ONLINE – STREAMED LIVE on great weather for MEDIA’s facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/great.weather/

Plus open mic. 3 minute time limit. The host will be taking open mic signups during the event.

Hosted by Jerry T. Johnson

21+

POET BIOs

A.i. Firefly was born in 1979 in a crazy little town called Staten Island, NY. Poet, musician, educator, wife & mama, she has been featured in print and on the web by publications such as NYSAI, Having A Whiskey Coke with You, great weather for MEDIA, and is active in the expansive international poetry scene on Instagram as @a.i.firefly.
Photo by Kristopher Johnson, Deep Tanks Studio

A 2016 Pushcart nominee, Mike Jurkovic’s poetry and musical criticism has appeared in Main Street Rag, Conclave, Comstock Review, North Dakota Quarterly, California Quarterly, Chronogram, Wisconsin Review, etc., with little reportable income. His full-length collections are AmericanMental (Luchador Press 2020), Blue Fan Whirring (Nirala Press, 2018), smitten by harpies & shiny banjo catfish (Lion Autumn Press, 2016), and Eve’s Venom (Post Traumatic Press, 2014). Anthology credits include Calling All Poets 20th Anniversary Anthology, Reflecting Pool: Poets & the Creative Process (Codhill Press, 2018), and Like Light: 25 Years of Poetry & Prose (Bright Hill Press, 2018). He is the President of “Calling All Poets” (New Paltz /Beacon, NY.)
He loves Emily most of all.

http://www.mikejurkovic.com / http://www.callingallpoets.net

Eventbrite:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ai-firefly-and-mike-jurkovic-tickets-124164295751

Notes From My Writing Experience. Post #3

Notes From My Writing Experience. Post #3

Jerry, Where Do You Find Your Publishers?

Jerry, where do you find your publishers? This is the question that I have been asked several times.

I search for publishers through a variety of publication resources that I have come to know over the past seven years. I also have my go-to resources that I search all the time. Before I talk about my favorite Go-To’s (forgive me for breaking punctuation rules) I would like to write about how I found those Go-To’s in the first place.

1. Google It. As much as I hate, hearing people equate googling it to Research and Compiling Empirical Data, googling “poetry publishing” is a quick way to display a list of potential publishers. That is how I started seven years ago —by googling it.

2. Get yourself a copy of Writer’s Market. “But Jerry,” you say, “Writer’s Market has been sold and the online version isn’t available. Further. Publishers are selling it a it $30 a pop.” I hear you. My first copy of Writer’s Market cost me $1. I picked it up from a used books section at a bookstore. When the pandemic lessens, mask up, glove up and browse used books at Goodwill stores, Flea Markets, Local Library sales, etc —wherever used books are sold. You may find a copy. Don’t sweat it if the edition is a year or two old. Mine was two years old but 80% of the information was quite useful.

3. Go to Open Mics and listen up for announcements about publication opportunities. If the organization who sponsored the open mic has a mailing list, think about getting your name on the list. You can always kindly unsubscribe later.

4. Search for workshops. Google writing workshops in your area. Workshops were very beneficial to me. The feedback was valuable and the networking helped me find publishers that I could submit to.

5. Search the internet for online writing journals or online writing magazines. Search for small literary presses (large ones too).

6. Maintain a list of publishers and publishing resources that you find. I keep a list and I track the length of their average response time.

I could go on but I will transition to some of my favorite publishing sources:

I subscribe to Authors Publish Magazine. Authors Publish Magazine has been a great source for finding publishers that I can submit my work to. I receive weekly email updates from Authors Publish Magazine. These updates contain valuable information. For instance, this past Monday, I received an email with a link to “20 Poetry Markets Open for Submissions.”

Occasionally, Authors Publish Magazine contains great articles about writing and publishing, such as “How to Evaluate A Publisher For Your Book”, “The Problem With Mass Submissions”, (one of my favorites) and many other informative and thought provoking pieces. Authors Publish Magazine also informs readers of writing workshops.

Authors Publish Magazine is one of my top Go-To’s when I am looking for publishing information. You can find them at:

https://www.authorspublish.com

There are many other sources one can refer to. Poets & Writers Magazine is another source that I use often. I also subscribe to them (and I am listed in their directory of 11,000+ writers, poets & spoken word artists, etc).

Browse through their “Publish Your Writing” menu for literary magazines and small presses that you can send your work to. You can access Poets & Writers Magazine at:

https://www.pw.org/

There are many other writing resources available, the two that I mentioned just happen to be my favorites. I’m sure you will find your favorites as well, but if you want a head start, go ahead and start with mine.

THREE!!!

THREE!!!

We are THREE DAYS AWAY from:

A. i. Firefly & Mike Jurkovic Rock great weather for Media’s Spoken Word Sunday’s

great weather for Media is bringing you another great poetry event with 2 amazing features:

Mike Jurkovic, Poet – Walkill, New York
-and-
Ai. Firefly, Poet – Staten Island, New York!

When:
Sunday, November 22nd – 4pm-6pm EDT

Where: ONLINE ZOOM

YOU MUST PREREGISTER FOR ZOOM ADMITTANCE: click link to register via
Eventbrite:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ai-firefly-and-mike-jurkovic-tickets-124164295751

Also: ONLINE – STREAMED LIVE on great weather for MEDIA’s facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/great.weather/

Plus open mic. 3 minute time limit. The host will be taking open mic signups during the event.

Hosted by Jerry T. Johnson

21+

POET BIOs

A.i. Firefly was born in 1979 in a crazy little town called Staten Island, NY. Poet, musician, educator, wife & mama, she has been featured in print and on the web by publications such as NYSAI, Having A Whiskey Coke with You, great weather for MEDIA, and is active in the expansive international poetry scene on Instagram as @a.i.firefly.
Photo by Kristopher Johnson, Deep Tanks Studio

A 2016 Pushcart nominee, Mike Jurkovic’s poetry and musical criticism has appeared in Main Street Rag, Conclave, Comstock Review, North Dakota Quarterly, California Quarterly, Chronogram, Wisconsin Review, etc., with little reportable income. His full-length collections are AmericanMental (Luchador Press 2020), Blue Fan Whirring (Nirala Press, 2018), smitten by harpies & shiny banjo catfish (Lion Autumn Press, 2016), and Eve’s Venom (Post Traumatic Press, 2014). Anthology credits include Calling All Poets 20th Anniversary Anthology, Reflecting Pool: Poets & the Creative Process (Codhill Press, 2018), and Like Light: 25 Years of Poetry & Prose (Bright Hill Press, 2018). He is the President of “Calling All Poets” (New Paltz /Beacon, NY.)
He loves Emily most of all.

http://www.mikejurkovic.com / http://www.callingallpoets.net

Eventbrite:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ai-firefly-and-mike-jurkovic-tickets-124164295751

Notes From My Writing Experience. Post #2

Notes From My Writing Experience. Post #2

I Also Use Submittable

Attached to this post is a picture of my Submittable Account. The pic displays my active submissions. Active submissions are those that are submitted and have not been accepted or rejected yet. Of course this is my own definition. A more high fa-lu-ten definition may state: Active submissions are submissions that are under consideration. (I used my proper English voice when I said that)

Using my street voice, half of these ain’t being considered at all right now —especially during a pandemic. All the publishers are short staffed. Also, due to the pandemic, I am sure that submission totals have skyrocketed.

Therefore, try to be patient. I have edited for small presses before. I have great appreciation for their work and their challenges. As matter of fact, I think every writer should do a round of editing for a small or large press at least once in their lifetime. Writers attitude towards publishers may change quite a bit after that experience. More importantly, their writing and their writing approach may change. I know mine did.

Oops, I digressed a little —Back to using Submittable.

How does Submittable benefit me?
1. Electronic submissions – no stamps, no envelopes, No SASE – that’s self-addressed stamped envelope for the computer age crowd.
2. Tracking of your submissions – automatic. You don’t have to track your own, Submittable does it for you. I use Submittable for tracking and I use my own spreadsheet in conjunction with Submittable.
3. It is easy to withdraw a poem that was simultaneously submitted and accepted by another publisher (imagine writing withdrawal notes by hand to 29 publishers)
4. Oh, by the way, if you did submit a poem to 30 publishers and one publisher accepted your poem, you should immediately notify the other 29 publishers that the poem was accepted by another and is no longer available. Don’t be a jerk, It is the right thing to do.
5. I use Submittable to track —when was the last time — I submitted to a publisher. (Some publishers only allow 1 submission a year)

I will stop here. There are many other benefits for using Submittable. It has many benefits for the writer and the publisher.

Stay tuned for my next post: Resources

ICYMI

Notes From My Writing Experience. Post #1

I Track What I Submit

I track what I submit in a spreadsheet whose design I borrowed from an old edition of Writers Market. Over time I tweaked the format, customizing it to my specific needs.

The picture you see is an example of how I track my submissions. I usually estimate that most publishers will respond favorably to my submissions within 60 days after submission deadline. If I receive no response within 80 days, I consider it “rejected”. Why? I have never received an acceptance for any submission that has aged past 62 days.
I mark these aged submissions as “no response” and I filter them out of my list.

I am not a writing expert. Nonetheless, I have experience on being published and I want to share my tools and my experience with you.

Look for more posts about what I have experience as a writer in the near future.

ONE WEEK AWAY!!!

ONE WEEK AWAY !!!

A. i. Firefly & Mike Jurkovic Rock great weather for Media’s Spoken Word Sunday’s

great weather for Media is bringing you another great poetry event with 2 amazing features:

Mike Jurkovic, Poet – Walkill, New York
-and-
Ai. Firefly, Poet – Staten Island, New York!

When:
Sunday, November 22nd – 4pm-6pm EDT

Where: ONLINE ZOOM

YOU MUST PREREGISTER FOR ZOOM ADMITTANCE: click link to register via
Eventbrite:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ai-firefly-and-mike-jurkovic-tickets-124164295751

Also: ONLINE – STREAMED LIVE on great weather for MEDIA’s facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/great.weather/

Plus open mic. 3 minute time limit. The host will be taking open mic signups during the event.

Hosted by Jerry T. Johnson

21+

POET BIOs

A.i. Firefly was born in 1979 in a crazy little town called Staten Island, NY. Poet, musician, educator, wife & mama, she has been featured in print and on the web by publications such as NYSAI, Having A Whiskey Coke with You, great weather for MEDIA, and is active in the expansive international poetry scene on Instagram as @a.i.firefly.
Photo by Kristopher Johnson, Deep Tanks Studio

A 2016 Pushcart nominee, Mike Jurkovic’s poetry and musical criticism has appeared in Main Street Rag, Conclave, Comstock Review, North Dakota Quarterly, California Quarterly, Chronogram, Wisconsin Review, etc., with little reportable income. His full-length collections are AmericanMental (Luchador Press 2020), Blue Fan Whirring (Nirala Press, 2018), smitten by harpies & shiny banjo catfish (Lion Autumn Press, 2016), and Eve’s Venom (Post Traumatic Press, 2014). Anthology credits include Calling All Poets 20th Anniversary Anthology, Reflecting Pool: Poets & the Creative Process (Codhill Press, 2018), and Like Light: 25 Years of Poetry & Prose (Bright Hill Press, 2018). He is the President of “Calling All Poets” (New Paltz /Beacon, NY.)
He loves Emily most of all.

http://www.mikejurkovic.com / http://www.callingallpoets.net

Eventbrite:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ai-firefly-and-mike-jurkovic-tickets-124164295751