MY TAKE ON THE TIRED PUBLISHED/SELF PUBLISHED DEBATE

It is an old and tired debate and some deliberately butcher the language for attention and self publicity. I do not believe in the published world's philosophy that the cream always rises to the top...too much is about who you know, celebrity status, does your face fit in with the crowd, can they market it to their audience...and luck...I love the independence and control over my work that self publishing gives me...I am too old to be seduced by the vanity of fame and have no intention of becoming a moth fluttering to it's

flame..and going back to my childhood wandering through the art galleries and museums of Salford and Manchester for free, it has always been my view that poetry, stories, art, theatre and such should be a shared experience open to anyone who wants to peek in and experience it..and FREE...not just for those who can afford to pay for it...this is why I post as much poetry as I can in my fb notes, whilst trying to be fair to those who do buy the books...and even now...if someone wants to read one of the poems they cannot read in the preview or my notes, I will send it to them..Sharing is my way of putting something back into society for educating me and it has brought me into contact with some pretty amazing writers and poets like yourself...I joined The Poetry Society and was so excited, but have had no contact from any of the up their own arse poets...so I read the stuff of some of them and it lacks the sincerity, passion and poetic individuality of many of my self published/unpublished friends around the world, who are not restricted to writing to a formula and commercial audience...so stale and soulless. Boundaries are meant to be challenged, broken, ripped up and taken out beyond the comfort zone as D H Lawrence did...and is still largely ignored for doing so...The new writers and poets who do this will come from this unfettered realm of the self and unpublished...We and they just have to be careful to keep our soul and sincerity. I is going to have me a smoke now then iron the school uniforms. Enjoy your day Michelle...You made the right choice!