Am i being scamed?

Question

Recently I just got a letter in the mail from a publishing company. Stating that they what to put a poem I wrote in thier next book. they said out of thousands of people they picked my poem. They said that I got to the semi- final. ANd they waved the cost for the contest becasue they think I'm talented. I entered a poem a wrote to them while I was trying to get a free lab top from a blimp. I had to select two offers to get the lab top so was trying to go for all the free ones. ANd that was one of them. ANyway the point is that when they sent me the letter they also sent me prices for the book. Which cost about 50.00 dollars. Did they just put my poem in the book so I would buy it? is this a high class scam?

Answer 1

Hi,

this company (I'll omit their name to avoid possible prosecution) is well known in literary circles...

A scam? Well yes and no. Yes, if you believe you are having your work selected for its merit and judged against others. But no if you understand how it works.

This is how it works...they ask for your input and select (surprise, surprise) your work for inclusion in their book. If you pay the asked for fee you will, eventually, receive a (usually) well produced and finished book, as will all the other 'writers of special talent'.

You, and the other participants, are paying for the production of the book. This is known as 'Vanity Publishing'. The quality of the work is relatively unimportant to the publishers, merely how well you can pay and how many extra copies you would like for you family, friends or other people you would like to impress.

If you know this, you WILL get your work published, in a good quality book, but the inclusion will have nothing to do with the merit of your work.

Publishing poetry is a very difficult task and NO publishers need to advertise for people to send in their work. Good publishers have far more than enough to keep them going...but, as long as you know...

So you are being 'partly' scammed, but not totally.

You pays your money and takes your choice...

Remember there are numerous respectable poetry competitions held in many countries in the world, where the end 'prize' is an inclusion in a book of the winners' work, there will be NO charge for these inclusions, and the merit gained will be genuine.

Good luck,

BobSpain

Answer 2

I've known people who accepted this offer. What the company does is print a standard book of poems and inserts yours as the first one.
Sure for $50 you have your poem in a book, but it's only a vanity press. After my friend paid for several of these, they then invited him to a poet's gathering in California. He was to be one of the guests of honor (and pay a bundle for the priviledge).
Walk away from this offer or you will just be poorer.

Answer 3

Yes, they are. There are a lot of 'publishers' who do this; if you pay the $50 you will get a book with your poem in it, but it won't be a book that you can find anywhere else. They also do this for things like "Who's Who Among Teenagers" and "Who's Who Among College Students" and things like that. Basically, they want your $50, but you (usually) get a book or at least a fancy piece of paper out of it.

Answer 4

It is not only a scam, but it is a very old one. Bogus poetry contests date back to the very early 1800's.

There are other variants of this. Art and photography contests, of course, and there are class directories and 'Who's Who' in something or other. All are designed to get you to buy a book.

Answer 5

Yes. You are being scammed.

If they really thought your poem was worthy of publication, they would and SHOULD pay YOU.

That is how it works in the legitimate publishing industry.

Answer 6

scam.