Acceptance: Cave Canem

After three applications (1, 2, the charm) I was accepted to Cave Canem. That's the most exciting poetry news I've gotten since getting into an MFA program. So I'll be headed to the University of Pittsburgh from June 20-27 for my first retreat. I don't know what to expect, which is exciting. For me, this serves as a testament to the reason I started this blog--to force myself to keep submitting through all the rejection. This time it paid off.

Another goal I have as far as submitting is to qualify to apply for an NEA grant once I graduate from my MFA program. Here's what that takes:

You are eligible to apply in Poetry if, between January 1, 2003, and March 4, 2010, you have had published:

•A volume of 48 or more pages of poetry; or
•Twenty or more different poems or pages of poetry in five or more literary journals, anthologies, or publications which regularly include poetry as a portion of their format. Up to 16 poems may be in a single volume of poetry of fewer than 48 pages. This volume, however, may count as only one of the required five places of publication.

Applicants may use online publications to establish up to fifty percent of their eligibility, provided that such publications have competitive selection processes and stated editorial policies.

I'm going to track the number of publications I get in the sidebar and how many are print and online. The NEA awards grants to poets every other year so the next application season will be in 2012 for the 2013 award year. So I've got 2 years to try to rack up some pubs. This goal will definitely keep me submitting!

So I have the sidebar setup now. I realize that my one print publication was in a journal that only publishes undergraduate students. So I think that fits into this:

The following may not be used to establish eligibility:
•Student publications and publications which primarily print work by persons who are affiliated with a particular academic institution.

I'm talking about North Central Review. Here's the description: The North Central Review is one of only a handful of literary journals publishing exclusively the writings and works of undergraduate students.

So now I know I need to focus on beefing up my print pubs!