Because I am directly involved in supporting poets/poetry as the editor of Verse-Virtual, I get to see (and applaud) lots and lots of successes. So many poems finding acceptance in journals, so many books being published, which is great. However, it can lead to a feeling of "I'm not doing enough. I should be submitting more, writing more, publishing another book, going to readings. What's wrong with me?" Evidently, this feeling is common among poets and probably artists in general. And that, my friends, is a failure to grasp reality. Writing, especially when it is NOT your primary source of income, does not ever have to be done at some tempo dictated by watching other writers. It is okay to write one poem a month. Or in six months. It is equally okay to write a poem a day, and never submit a single one for publication. If you've published a book (or lots of them) and you are proud of the work that is in it, who says that you have to publish another? And another? What if being prolific comes at the cost of writing mediocre poems when you're capable of better? In the submission guidelines for Verse-Virtual, we ask for a short bio note of about four lines, to include some interesting personal details and then only two or three publishing credits. Why? Because we don't want anyone to be intimidated into not participating. Even I can be overwhelmed with a bio that includes how many Pushcart and Best of Net and Award from the Universe for Best Poet nominations someone has, with 30 books in print with 10 more on the way and.... see where this is going? As an individual writer, you have to be comfortable with yourself. You have to understand that the only person who should be putting pressure on you to "write, submit, publish, repeat" is YOU, and you'd better have a good reason for the pressure. Does it feel good to be published? Oh, yes! Does it feel fabulous to hold a print copy of your very own book of poems? Absolutely! And if you want that, do it. But do it at your own speed and comfort. Don't let the success of others decide that for you. Jim