So I received a letter from Poetry.com and it says that their Selection Committee has certified my poem as a semi-finalist in the International Open Poetry Contest...and that it will automatically be entered into the final competition held in June 2007. Well what I wanted to know was whether anyone knew if this happens often or not....and/or....are they trying to trick me into buying the $45 book with my published poem in there? Is it rare/unique that I got in the semi-final? Or is it just something that happens to every poem entered? I want to feel special...but I'm a little scared to. I don't know if everything is how they say it. Like how I should be proud and that I have a special talent... =/ ? Please help me out if you know anything about Poetry.com
2007-05-22 14:09:24 · 8 answers · asked by 2Quinn 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Poetry
Buying the book is not mandatory...it's a offer in case one wanted a keepsake of their poem published and copyrighted under one's name.
2007-05-22 14:18:52 · update #1
I'm afraid I do know a lot about Poetry.com and I'm sorry to say that it's a scam just to get you to buy their book and anything else they can sell you. I'm not saying your poem is not good or even great for that matter, after all I haven't read it. But I too entered the same contest a few years ago and I was given the same results. They duked me into buying their book with my poem in it and I was very disappointed. In their book there was so many poems (1000's) and almost all were just mediocre at best. There were a few very good poems but there were VERY FEW. Think about this, if your poem was so good then why do you have to buy their book. If their book is so amazing and if it sells as much as they claim it does then giving you a copy shouldn't be a big deal for them. That's how they make their money. They tell everyone how amazing they are and suggest to all that they should buy their book. There are so many that do buy it that I'm sure they make millions while the poetic society as a whole loses.
As a controlled test I put them up to a challenge. I wrote two poems. One I put my name on as it was, so I thought, a very well crafted poem. The other poem was submitted in my brothers name and I made it sound so rediculous that a third grade student could have done much much better. Both poems were accepted and both poems made it into their so called finals.
I hate to be the barrier of bad news but Poetry.com is a HUGE scam.
I would like to read your poem if you would be so kind as to send it to me. I have a few published poems in magazines and I would be glad to give you my honest opinion of it. Just send it to my email ... jmboyd19@yahoo.com.
2007-05-22 14:22:59 · answer #1 · answered by Average Joe 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
First rule of publishing poetry should be: don't pay for your contributor's copy! Ever.
http://www.eliteskills.com/writing_scams/poetry.com.scam.php
The above link should be enough of an explanation why poetry.com is a scam.
Any time you are unsure about a publisher google the name of the publisher and the word "scam" and read what comes up.
2007-05-23 11:34:11 · answer #2 · answered by Dancing Bee 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I've written drivel poems under the name Kitty Cat and Ronald McDonald and received the same letters. It's a scam. You'd be better off submitting your poems to writing journals instead.
2007-05-22 21:14:07 · answer #3 · answered by Dreams 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Don't be fooled - sites, such as Poetry.com, are a scam that do nothing more than rob you of your money and your creative property and/or rights. Check with your local library, school, etc., to determine if there are any poetry writing workshops or retreats available.
2007-05-22 21:27:45 · answer #4 · answered by lil bit 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I entered and won the contest, and supposedly was published in a coffee table book of selected poetry.
I never bought the book, so I don't know if it's really there or not.
Not much help, I know, but wanted to let you know you're not alone.
2007-05-22 21:14:22 · answer #5 · answered by GracieM 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I don't know anything about the site but it sounds like a scam. If you won something they wouldnt be trying to sell you a book, but having your work in a book is cool.
2007-05-22 21:12:56 · answer #6 · answered by mocha 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
They're known for just trying to get people to buy stuff by doing that. Really, if your stuff is so great, why don't they pay you instead of having you pay them?
2007-05-22 21:13:03 · answer #7 · answered by the Boss 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i get it too. its just junk mail. or atleast I think so.
2007-05-22 21:11:46 · answer #8 · answered by ** i Am hiS giRL ** 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋