Experiences With Editors - M Sarki

Another in this series, this time from poet M Sarki:

Since 1995 Gordon Lish has been my teacher, and the editor of all my poems. I have used no other editor, ever. My first book of poems ZIMBLE ZAMBLE ZUMBLE was published in 2000 by Deron Bauman's elimae books in a limited edition Japanese binding of seventy-five copies. A beautiful book and one I am most proud of. When I sent Deron a rather large collection of poems for the book all he had to do was choose the ones he liked and arrange their order. After some elapsed time it turned out to be a task he passed back on to me.  So I asked Deron how many poems he wanted in the book and simply went through and listed the ones I chose in the order they were written and approved for publication by Gordon Lish. That was easy, pure and simple, and no big deal. And I think we got it right. I love that book and am forever grateful to Deron for doing it.  

Still to this very day, when I write a poem it first goes in the mail to Lish for his approval.  It is an understanding Gordon and I have always had since he was editing The Quarterly and had already accepted about fifty poems of mine for publication that eventually never saw the light of day before The Quarterly folded up. Gordon and I practice today as if he were still running that magazine and I am still submitting poems for publication in it. And when I make it into his defunct rag I still feel fatly satisfied. I have had a multitude of poems accepted by Gordon for publication.  

When Gordon returns a poem to me there is either a Yes on it, sometimes circled and sometimes not, or a No, or maybe an OK, or a So So. If the poem has a No or a So So on it it goes directly in the trash. There are times he writes a scribbly note near a word or the title that says for me to beat it as in do better. But after so many years of working with him I pretty much have a feel for what he'll like and what he won't. I get mostly a Yes these days. But I will always love a Yes that has been circled by his hand. It means he really liked it.    

I am reporting here about my history with Mr. Lish because of all the negative press about writers working with him. He is an amazing editor who is extremely perceptive and fast. Writers could only be so lucky to have Gordon Lish looking over their shoulder. But it's not just writers complaining about Lish who amaze me. I think it's also worth noting how many editors through the years have actually wanted me to ditch Lish and allow their own self to be my new decider. That I don't need Lish. That I need to move on. And that just isn't going to happen. Anybody who knows Gordon Lish and his great talents (genius!) as an editor realizes how fortunate I am to have him still working for me. I wouldn't trade him or his hard tyrannical ways for anybody, even if it meant I would never be published again. I had an offer once from a small college press in New Orleans who had cheerfully agreed to publish ZZZ only if I removed from the book the foreword that had been written by Gordon Lish. Of course I said no thanks and went my merry way. Ever since that most disagreeable period of my writing life I have refrained from sending out poems and manuscripts to publishers in hopes that they will publish my work. But I do honor all requests from editors for poems or manuscripts with the complete understanding the poems have already been edited by Gordon Lish and will remain as submitted. Kathryn Rantala's Ravenna Press published my second book of poems titled LITTLE WAR MACHINE and my own publishing company that deals only in handmade books published my last title MEWL HOUSE. And there we sit. I still have at least one more, maybe two, manuscripts waiting for a publisher, but I haven't sent them anywhere, and nobody's asked.  But for the record, if you're good, I honor all requests. Just know I already have an editor. And I like him writing his wonderful stuff inside. It gets me giddy.

M Sarki was born in East Tawas, Michigan in 1953. Besides being an accomplished poet with three collections published, Sarki is a painter and photographer. He likes fine coffee and long walks, as well as his good woman of many years running. He has written a screenplay "Alphonso Bow" which was produced by Nut Bucket Films. There are others in the works. There is some talk about a play. And food perhaps. Anything creative goes. But quite less stays.

Comments

[Michael Hemmingson]

Many young writers today wish they had been mentored by Lish.

[Peter Markus]

I had thirty-odd things that Gordon had accepted for The Quarterly and miss him telling me either "Great!" or "Not great" on the things I sent him. You are a lucky man, Sarki, to have him still so near your good work.

[Michael Sarki]

Gordon has become one of my very best pals in the world, actually probably my best pal, as I don't keep any really to speak of except my wife of twenty-six years. So, I don't want to lose him either as a friend or as an editor. I don't take orders well, but in regards to writing, I have elected Gordon Lish my boss. Gordon is one of the great joys of my life. I bristle when he is unfairly treated by the likes of people such as Stephen King who obviously have some grudge to bear. I am expecting something eventually to come of all this, you know, a response, and none too soon.

[Brian Kubarycz]

You've actually met him? Or you're just friends on line?

[M Sarki]

I consider people I know online as associates. Actually most people I know in the physical world are simply associates, at least by my lights. Friends actually see each other, take a meal together, discuss intimate details regarding life, they deal with issues that come up in the course of a friendship, and it is hoped their friendship grows. Sometimes when you get too close to someone it doesn't. Online associates rarely have that problem. And, for the record, Gordon Lish does not even own a computer. I really don't think he even has a cell phone.