The WOM-PO (Discussion of Women’s Poetry) List was started in December 1997 by Annie Finch with an invitation to a small group of poets, critics, and lovers of women’s poetry. These people in turn invited other people to join, and the list has grown into a well-regarded international listserve by spreading through these networks. In April 2008, Amy King succeeded Annie as List Moderator for WOM-PO. Discussion on the list covers women poets of all periods, aesthetics, and ethnicities. It has been characterized by its high caliber, relatively low volume, and openness to a diversity of aesthetic perspectives.

To SUBSCRIBE:

Send a message to the server adress, listserv@lists.ncc.edu, with a blank subject heading and the message:

SUB WOM-PO YOUR NAME

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INTRODUCING YOURSELF

WOM-PO has a tradition of newcomers introducing themselves to the list. We recommend that you browse in the archives and on the website to learn something about the list and its members. After you feel familiar with the tone and pace of the list, consider yourself warmly encouraged to introduce yourself by telling us something aout yourself and/or your work, if you would like to do so. The new members’ introductions are an important part of maintaining the WOM-PO sense of community (you can see examples in the Archives, below, and also under members’ bios on the WOM-PO website), so don’t feel you should be modest or shy. Also, after you are familiar with the list, feel free to invite your colleagues and friends who are interested in poetry by women to join.

POSTING ADVISORY

Posting is publication. Wompo posts are retrievable by search engines such as Google from the Archives, and may not be removed from the Archives after posting.

GUIDELINES FOR POSTING

Women’s poetry, of any language, time-period, ethnic/cultural background, or aesthetic, is the primary topic for discussion. (Any OFF-TOPIC POSTS should include “OT:” in the subject of the post, as a courtesy to other subscribers.

Although we do not as a rule discuss our own work on wom-po, many of wom-po’s subscribers are themselves poets of all levels of professional accomplishment, from beginners to national award winners. The newsletter (see below) is the way to share news of your activities. Feel free to post any emergency/time-sensitive postings of use to other list-members, such as readings, conferences, and calls for papers or poems, directly to the list. Congratulations and other messages directed at one subscriber only, however, should be backchanneled to that subscriber so as not to clutter the list. For guidelines on posting Blog information, see below.
NEWSLETTER

After you have introduced yourself to the list, if you would like to share other news, such as announcements of publications, awards and maybe even some personal news about yourself, please send such information to Christina Rau <christinamrau@ymail.com> for the on-line wompo newsletter. This newsletter is an important source of community and morale-boosting for all of us.
WOMPO REFERENCE SHEET

PLEASE NOTE – Advertisements/announcements as individual posts should be avoided. New books by WOMPOs and published by WOMPOs should be announced through Athena Kildegaard’s “HUZZAH!” listing (see below — aokildegaard@gmail.com).
1. HEADERS — OFF-TOPIC POSTS should include “OT:” in the subject of the post, as a courtesy to other subscribers. Off-topic posts of a POLITICAL nature should include “POL:” in the subject of the post. The primary topic of discussion on WOMPO is women’s poetry. “CFW” is intended to permit members to post Calls
for Work.

2. WEEKLY BLOG DIGEST — Bloggers can submit their weekly blog updates to Ann White at eden000@gmail.com.

3. NEWSLETTER — If you would like to share news about yourself, such as announcements of publications, awards, forthcoming books and new book publications, please send such information to Christina Rau <christinamrau@ymail.com> for the on-line Wompo newsletter. This newsletter is an important source of community and morale-boosting for all of us, so again, don’t be shy.

* Please send your items in the correct format, ie, third person, your name in the item, your email address at the end. Correct format for Readings is especially appreciated. Here is a model:

Wednesday, June 30
Susan Jones
Bookworm Series
Mayberry Public Library
68 Winter St.
Mayberry , NJ
7:30 pm Free
Contact: librarian@mayberrypl.com
4. HUZZAH! NEW BOOKS BY WOMPOS AND WOMPO PUBLISHERS – Submit announcements of recently published books by WOMPOs and WOMPO publishers to Athena Kildegaard at aokildegaard@gmail.com Please submit the following info:

* Author
* Title
* Publisher and URL (website link)
* Brief description
* Blurb (Please, only one)
* Sample poem (or lines from a longer poem)

6. CRWROPPS-B · Creative Writers Opportunities List — This group posts calls for submissions and contest information for writers of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Many WOMPO members belong so that they receive up-to-date calls for work. Please join here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CRWROPPS-B/

Finally, a few other reminders, direct from the WOMPO website (http://www.usm.maine.edu/wompo/faq.html):

* POSTING CLIMATE — Keep Volume Low: WOM-PO has made an active choice to be a list of relatively low volume and high quality. A number of wom-pos, because of busy schedules and/or physical conditions that make handling large numbers of posts a challenge, can only remain on the list because the number of postings has been relatively low. If you are used to other lists with routinely large numbers of short posts, please consider combining your short messages to control volume.

* Clean up Garbage — As a courtesy to Digest subscribers who receive one long message, please make a habit of cleaning up “garbage” (old messages unnecessary for understanding your post) from the bottoms of your posts before you send.

* Helpful Headers — Wom-Po’s archives are most useful and messages easiest for people to organize with accurate, specific subject headings for each post. If you change your headings to keep them timely and informative (even entertaining), you will do the list a real service.

* Signature Lines – Signature lines can be found at the bottom of members’ email posts and can lead interested Wompo members to your new book, new poem online, your blog/website, or anywhere else of interest. Feel free to maintain a signature of a line or two for members who want to get to know more about
you and what you do!

To subscribe, send mail to LISTSERV@LISTS.NCC.EDU with the command (paste it!):   SUBSCRIBE WOM-PO

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To Adjust Subscription Settings:

Please access your account subscription settings at the WOMPO host site here – http://lists.ncc.edu/scripts/wa.exe?A0= WOM-PO

If you have not done so at the NCC site, you need to request a new password and confirm it from your account. You will then be able to enter the site and change your settings.

ARCHIVES

WOM-PO messages are archived at:  http://lists.ncc.edu/archives/wom-po.html

COMMANDS

Here is some information about commands which you may find useful and want to keep on file. For technical questions not covered here, or technical problems, please contact the list owners (wom-po-request@lists.ncc.edu).

LIST ADDRESSES:

The list address (for messages intended for distribution) is:  wom-po@lists.ncc.edu
The server address (for commands) is: listserv@lists.ncc.edu
You can also get your own password and manage your settings at:  http://lists.ncc.edu

To SUBSCRIBE:

Send a message to the server adress, listserv@lists.ncc.edu, with a blank subject heading and the message:  SUB WOM-PO YOUR NAME

To UNSUBSCRIBE:

Send a message to the server adress, listserv@lists.ncc.edu, with a blank subject heading and the message:  UNSUBSCRIBE WOM-PO (don’t include your name here; it has your return address).

To STOP RECEIVING MESSAGES TEMPORARILY:

Send the command “SET WOM-PO NOMAIL” to the server address (use SET WOM-PO MAIL when you are ready to receive messages again)

To RECEIVE A DIGEST VERSION OF WOM-PO (All the messages combined into one long daily message) –  send the command “SET WOM-PO DIGEST” to the server address (to change back to individual messages, send command SET WOM-PO MAIL).

IMPORTANT: FOR TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES WITH SUBSCRIBING, UNSUBSCRIBING, ETC., THE PEOPLE WHO CAN HELP YOU ARE AT:  wom-po-request@lists.ncc.edu

IN BRIEF: 

Gazette: Comes out each Monday. Includes publications such as chapbooks, books, poems or prose in online and print journals; events you’re running or participating in; reviews you’ve written or ones written about your work; interviews with you or by you; audio and video works; contests you’ve won or placed in; awards you’ve received; readings; features of you and your work (e.g., Poetry Daily, The Writer’s Almanac, Verse Daily). Christina Rau <christinamrau@ymail.com>

Publishers Newsletter: Moira Richards posts a call for this each Monday and posts the issue each Thursday. Includes news from publishers of books, journals, and newsletters. Also includes entries from bloggers. This is the place to send information about pre-publication orders.  mr@intekom.co.za

Huzzah! New Books and Chapbooks: Athena Kildegaard posts a call for this once a month and posts the information once a month. Includes publication information for new books and chapbooks, purchase link, blurb, sample poem.  aokildegaard@gmail.com

Workshops and Courses: LouAnn Shepherd Muhm posts a call for this once a month and posts the information once a month. Includes information/details about workshops you are leading and courses you are teaching.  lmuhm@hotmail.com

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