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[jay-ell]

I write poetry for a greeting card company.

I have written sincere poetry in the past, but the stuff I submit for the greeting cards is the kind of poetry I generally despise: unrhymed, unstructured free verse with arbitrary line breaks and a lot of Feelings.

But I'm good at it. I have a knack for finding a rhythm that works and an unusual angle on common events for which people often send cards. I can churn out a poem in 20 minutes, and if it's accepted, I get a check for $300 (eventually). I haven't written personal poetry in years, and the only reason I started up again was to make money.

So my question for you is, am I cashing in or selling out?

[Choop]

whichever it is, i care not. you rock on, jay-ell.

[AugustWest]

I can churn out a poem in 20 minutes, and if it's accepted, I get a check for $300 (eventually).

Holy crap!  Where do I sign up?

[wombat]

I write poetry for a greeting card company.

I have written sincere poetry in the past, but the stuff I submit for the greeting cards is the kind of poetry I generally despise: unrhymed, unstructured free verse with arbitrary line breaks and a lot of Feelings.

But I'm good at it. I have a knack for finding a rhythm that works and an unusual angle on common events for which people often send cards. I can churn out a poem in 20 minutes, and if it's accepted, I get a check for $300 (eventually). I haven't written personal poetry in years, and the only reason I started up again was to make money.

So my question for you is, am I cashing in or selling out?

That is just working for a living.

Is this Blue Mountain Arts? I have looked at their website on occasion and been very sad that I have no idea how to write that kind of thing.

[bluemoon72]

I write poetry for a greeting card company.
...
So my question for you is, am I cashing in or selling out?

Agreed with Wombat; that's just business.  No worries there.  If you changed your personal art to make money, that's perhaps a different story.  But this poetry that you write for the cards, that's not your heart and soul on the page, your blood and your children sold for netflix money. 

[jay-ell]

Holy crap!  Where do I sign up?

Is this Blue Mountain Arts? I have looked at their website on occasion and been very sad that I have no idea how to write that kind of thing.

Yes.

I should note here, however, that while I have had some stuff accepted for market testing, none of it has come out the other end yet, for better or for worse. It's apparently a two-year process. But it's pretty good money if you're not interested in keeping the rights to your stuff at all.

[smick]

I've hit the point in my life where I can pretty much have anything playing on my radio, as long as I like it.

I'm worried less and less about cred or style.   I can listen to a Lady Gaga, or a Minus 5.   

The terms "indy" and "sell out" are all pretty much B.S.   Music is commercial, and everyone you can hear on the radio has sold out.

The Fame Monster is pretty good.   It's going to be rad to clean the house to.

[wombat]

I should note here, however, that while I have had some stuff accepted for market testing, none of it has come out the other end yet, for better or for worse. It's apparently a two-year process. But it's pretty good money if you're not interested in keeping the rights to your stuff at all.

Interesting, I had no idea greeting cards were so complicated.

That is pretty good money for sure. I get paid $300 for an 800 word article that requires interviewing several people, and I also have to sell the rights. Although on the bright side I don't have to wait for market testing.

[Choop]

all i can picture is jay-ell at a desk in an office with seth green in a wheelchair, ridiculing her work.

[theinevitable]

I guess I had not heard Lady Gaga, because the other day I heard a song and was told that it was her. I HATE HER TO HELL.

I do not really listen to the radio, because I hate everything on the radio except:
KWUR 90.3 FM, the radio station I work at
KZQZ 1430 AM, the greatest Golden Oldies station in the world. Unfortunately they have started playing a lot less old country stuff, which was the best.

[greenkoolayd]

all i can picture is jay-ell at a desk in an office with seth green in a wheelchair, ridiculing her work.

canned

I guess I had not heard Lady Gaga, because the other day I heard a song and was told that it was her. I HATE HER TO HELL.

i think that creepystalker song of hers on the radio(ill make you love me,etc...) is good for strangling puppies to.

[theinevitable]

today I came home and my little sister wanted to talk to me about music. I think I did a good job of pretending that I don't hate that Owl City song. I told her she should borrow my brother's Postal Service CD if she wants to hear more music that sounds like that.

she had also been listening to this random CD that I apparently left sitting on my desk. Which is cute.

[rowboat]

KZQZ 1430 AM, the greatest Golden Oldies station in the world. Unfortunately they have started playing a lot less old country stuff, which was the best.

Unfortunately, KZQZ doesn't just play less classic country, but have completely switched formats (and owners, I believe) and now rarely play any. Still, it's probably the best oldies station I've ever heard. It's almost like underground oldies. Lot of shit I've never heard, which is rare for that kind of station. One of the few perks of AM, I guess. You can play shit that maybe not everyone will like and get away with it.

[theinevitable]

also they play like one actual commercial per hour.

[CortJstr]

also they play like one actual commercial per hour.

This is one of the reasons I always like WNRN. They play 58 minutes of music an hour.