Introducing Vocal Deep Cuts: The Poetry Collection

For someone who is not a big fan or believer in New Year's Resolutions, I seem to have started 2025 with a handful already.

I have several exciting writer-focused projects pencilled in for 2025, along with some personal and non-writing goals. I have written about one of these elsewhere and will share my other plans when the time is right. However, one project stands out—a project that could potentially involve all of you.

Many creators, myself included, have self-published books featuring work published initially on Vocal. Yet, to my knowledge, no book has ever featured contributions from multiple Vocal writers. In 2025, I want to change that with Vocal Deep Cuts: A Poetry Collection, curated by me.

Why Deep Cuts, Paul?

I ran a series on Vocal called Vocal Deep Cuts for a while. Looking back, I find it hard to believe it’s been a year since the last instalment. The series was a labour of love and, I think, a resounding success—it even earned five Top Stories.

For those unfamiliar with the concept, Vocal Deep Cuts was simple: I selected underappreciated poems from talented creators, highlighting pieces that had received fewer likes, comments and reads than they deserved. I then shared my thoughts on why I chose them.

The name “Deep Cuts” comes from a term often used to describe songs on albums that aren’t singles or hits but hold hidden brilliance. I think it still fits perfectly. Since then, other creators have explored similar ideas, such as Donna Fox’s Vocal Graveyard Challenge and Mackenzie Davis’s Honoring My Fellows series. Mackenzie also touched on the issue with her piece, An Update and a Pivot. These projects remind us of the same truth: we’ve all poured our hearts into pieces that slipped through the cracks for one reason or another.

I have wanted to return to the series for a long time. This feels like an opportune time to do so, with a nice little twist.

That’s why I’m taking Vocal Deep Cuts to the next level in 2025 with a new, tangible form: a self-published poetry collection featuring the work of multiple Vocal creators, curated by yours truly. (If Vocal wants to get involved, that would be awesome, of course, but I will be going through with it myself, regardless.)

What Is Vocal Deep Cuts: A Poetry Collection?

Inspired by the original series, this project will showcase a curated selection of poems from the incredible talent pool on Vocal. I aim to create a beautiful, accessible book that celebrates our community and amplifies our voices.

To make this project feasible, I’ve established a few guidelines:

• Submissions: Creators can submit up to three poems, but I will only select one poem per contributor. I want everyone to share the spotlight. Important note - you can only put forward your own poems. The submission window closes on March 1st, 2025.
• Submission Process: Please submit the links for the poems you are submitting in the comments thread of this piece
• Qualifications: As per the guidelines I tried to follow when running the Vocal Deep Cuts series, I consider underappreciated, under loved etc as being pieces with less than 10 likes and/or comments. I would also suggest that Challenge winners, Runners up and Top Stories will not be accpeted, unless they have less than 10 likes/10 comments.
• Length: Each poem must be between 35 and 40 lines, including stanza breaks, to keep the book affordable and manageable. I also want to add that 35 to 40 lines is a really a guide to the maximum, so if you have one that is less, then please do submit it.
• Proofreading: Please proofread your work before submitting it. While I’ll review pieces during publishing, a polished submission ensures your voice comes through as intended.
• Formats: The collection will be available in Kindle and paperback formats in all countries where KDP books are sold.
• Poetry Forms: All poetic styles are welcome—diversity is part of what makes poetry magical. Although I am happy to accept poetry with strange syntax and unique spacing, please remember to consider the line requirements and that I am just one amateur self-publishing individual.
• Acknowledgement: Each poem will include the writer’s name and be nicely formatted in a font size and type that makes it easy to read.
• Foreword: I had originally thought to leave details out like this before posting this. However, it makes sense to menton that there will be a Foreword that will outline my reasons for taking on the project and give a little information on what Vocal is for anyone who may potentially buy the book who are not members of the platform. I will also then use the Foreword to make sure it is clear that all rights to the works contained within remain with the listed authors. Thanks, Stephen.
• Contributor Bios: As Stephen pointed out in the comments section, it's standard practice for multi-author collections to feature author bios for all contributors. I have yet to decide whether these will be included alongside the poems or be at the back of the book. That depends on how many submissions I recieve. Regardless, the bios give a little more real estate for the authors and is a great place for the authors to plug their Vocal profiles, author websites or even podcasts. Contributor bios are normally retricted by length, with 50 words or 2 to 3 sentences, in collections for shorter pieces like poetry. Thanks again, Stephen.
• Launch: Once the book is live, I’ll publish a piece on Vocal celebrating the contributors and announcing its release.

As the success and progress of this project depends on the interest it generates, the finer details will be ironed out as time goes on. The title Vocal Deep Cuts: A Poetry Collection is not set in stone. I may change it slightly to help garner interest from non-Vocal users and members in purchasing it.

A Quick Note

While this project is primarily a labour of love, I want to be upfront: I will earn a small amount from the book’s sales as the self-publisher. However, this project isn’t about personal profit—it’s about celebrating the talent in our community. All rights to the selected poems will remain with their creators. My hope is that this collection becomes a lasting testament to the fantastic voices we have here on Vocal.

Why This Project Matters

As writers, we’ve all felt the sting of pouring our hearts into a piece, especially a poem, only for it to go unnoticed. The sheer volume of content on Vocal means that even the most remarkable work can fade into obscurity. I, myself, have suffered from this and so please know you are not alone.

This project gives something back to the Vocal community that has inspired and supported me over the years. My confidence in my writing and technical profiency in the craft I love has improved since joining and publishing on Vocal. So, this project, is all about connection, creativity, and the enduring power of poetry to move us—even when only a few people have seen them. With Vocal Deep Cuts: A Poetry Collection, these hidden gems will find a larger stage, offering creators the recognition their work deserves.

My wife, Ruth Stewart, has agreed to paint a watercolour for the cover of the book. Though I have not discussed the details yet, I feel like sticking to the original "fruit being cut deeply" theme adopted for the series might be the best idea. I shall discuss that further with my good lady wife, as time progresses.

If anyone has any questions, concerns or queries, please feel free to share them and direct them to me in the comments section.

My Vision for 2025

With submissions open until March 1st, I'm dedicating a portion of 2025 to bringing this project to life. Perhaps in time, this will inspire other creators to do similar. For now, my focus is going to be on poetry and shining a light on the fantastic poets on Vocal.

So, to all my fellow poets - let's make something beautiful together.

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Thanks for reading!