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How can you tell if publication is "legitimate"
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How can you tell if publication is "legitimate" |
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Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774Ontario, Canada 
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I've got a question I'd appreciate some feedback on. I had posted a poem to poetry.com a while back (had to do with the Montel Williams show prompting it through poetry and MS awareness). Today I received in the mail, a package from poetry.com noting that the poem I submited was "selected for publication" etc. It has an Artist's Release form accompanying it. I'm always hesitant with things like this, ever the sceptic, because they usually "make you" buy the book and it lessons the thrill of the moment. This one however appears legit, and doesn't require that you buy anything? The question therefore is this ... how can you tell if you're dealing with a reputable organization in these types of publication circumstances, or one that's just there for a quick dollar or two and just pushing out paper? Anyone's thoughts or experiences are welcome. I'd appreciate understanding this a little better. |
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| © Copyright 2000 Kit McCallum - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Christopher
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-02
Posts 8296Purgatorial Incarceration |
Hi Kit. I tried a search, but couldn't find the post re: this very same thing a while back. Ron posted a link to an article which "revealed" some poetry scams. poetry.com seems to be high on the list, if not number one. I've looked into them myself (and thought about publishing through them) but their whole setup seems fishy to me. Just be careful! Chris |
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Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774Ontario, Canada |
Thanks Chris ... some seem pretty fishy to me too, and I am leary. I'll try to see if I can find the post you were talking about. Much appreciation Chris, /Kit *Any other experiences/responses will be appreciated, or if you can point me to the post Chris mentioned, I'd appreciate it. Thanks. |
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MagnoliaBlue Member
since 2000-05-12
Posts 367 |
Hi Kit... I will give you a hint...send poetry.com a crappy poem('scuse the expression) and see how fast they want to publish it.They DO want you to 'buy their anthology' as they make big bucks off of your (anyone/everyone's) poetry. You do all the work, they get all the dough. Best wishes, MagnoliaBlue Pay a visit to: http://cyberageadventures.com You will love it! "A poem is just an expression of my life and heart."*CJB* ~*My Skipper Jim, I love you! Your Lady June*~ |
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Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774Ontario, Canada |
Excellent point MagnoliaBlue! Never thought of it that way ... I'd be curious to do a little survey like that, and guess that you are quite likely bang on the money. True, they don't force you to "buy" the book, but they sure hint strongly at it, and not only that, but ask for money to create an Artist's Profile to go along (at a small fee of course). Aye ... there's the rub! Thanks MagnoliaBlue, much appreciation for the insights, /Kit |
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Ron
Administrator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-05-19
Posts 8669Michigan, US |
I'm afraid you're too late with the survey, Kit - it's already been done. With 1st graders. And they were all accepted. /pip/Forum13/HTML/000301.html /pip/Forum3/HTML/000230.html /pip/Forum3/HTML/000154.html |
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Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774Ontario, Canada |
Wow ... interesting reading through the links Ron, thanks! Not only first graders, but an 8 month old baby's gurgles were translated by her dad and were accepted eh? Nice to know entrants are in such a high profile group! LOL I got stung about 15 years ago by "The World of Poetry" ... long before the internet made it so easy to stumble across (probably same company different name now - paperwork sure looked familiar). I figured if Vincent Price was a member ... what the heck! What I got for probably about $40 at the time, was my little love poem slapped on a page with about 10 others in small print, and directly beside it, the poem was about "beer and burps" ... ahhhhh live and learn. Didn't want to do that again! "Fool me once, shame on you ... fool me twice, shame on me!" I continued to get paperwork from them for years ... all promptly thrown in the trash. Thanks for clearing it up for me Ron. If I could make a suggestion, for the next newsletter, it might be worth adding an article regarding these issues and the links you point to above. I noticed I'm about the 3rd person asking questions like this in the last few months ... just a thought. Thanks again, /Kit (PS ... as usual, when injustice rears it's head, I'll write a poem about it - posting to Open 8, maybe I should submit it to poetry.com! LOL)  [This message has been edited by Kit McCallum (edited 06-14-2000).] |
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Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612Hurricane Alley |
Kit, thanks for the suggestion!! It's noted...may we use your poem?  |
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Ron
Administrator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-05-19
Posts 8669Michigan, US |
I wish I could do that, Kit. In truth, the article was written and ready to be posted on the main site - but my lawyer rather strongly advised against it. It seems I can safely publish things which are both true and are personal knowledge, but would be on shaky legal ground by printing second-hand reports I haven't personally confirmed. Makes sense. I remember from my old newspaper days that a reporter needs to confirm a "fact" through two different sources before writing a story. My lawyer said I shouldn't say anything without solid proof, even here in the forums. But I ain't gonna do that! And while a frontal attack might not be the wisest course, I do think there are, uh, other things that can be done. ... to be revealed very, very soon. |
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Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774Ontario, Canada |
No problem Poet deVine (unless of course you tell me that I have to pay you $50 ... I just "might" have to reconsider!!!) LOL Seriously, I'd be honoured to be published in the newsletter, please feel free if you wish to use the poem. Did you get a chance to review my comments on the "publishing" question you posed in early June? Funny I wrote that before I got this thing in the mail, I'm interested to hear other's thoughts on that one. Talk to ya later, /Kit |
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Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774Ontario, Canada |
Ron: I just read your reply after I posted for Poet deVine. I do understand all too well ... the legalities are frustrating regarding these types of issues. If you need a hand doing any legwork, fact finding or investigative reporting, I'm more than game! Heck I've saved a bunch of my original paperwork from 15 years ago! Thanks again Ron. Best wishes, /Kit |
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Local Parasite
since 2001-11-05
Posts 2527Transylconia, Winnipeg |
quote: Any news on this? I'm not trying to be a pest, just curious if I missed D-Day or something. Faith is a fine invention |
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Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774Ontario, Canada |
Boy you found an oldy to bring back to the top, Brian, lol! Just in follow-up, they did stop sending me literature after I kept sending them back their unopened envelopes. They didn't give up easily though. Funny thing too is, when Ron came up for a visit a while back, I pulled out that original book from the other publication I mentioned from about 18 years ago, and I showed it to him, lol. There was my poem, in all it's pride and glory ... right beside burps and whatnot, and in the tiniest print you've ever seen! We had a good laugh.  |
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Ron
Administrator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-05-19
Posts 8669Michigan, US |
quote: LOL. You didn't miss it, so much as you just didn't connect the two. Here's a hint. If you wanted to be published in a book of higher quality (not using 6 point typography with 10 poems to a page), at substantially less cost to buy, based on merit and not the ability to breath -- where would you go today? This thread predates the announcement of Voices on the Web by only a few months. |
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Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774Ontario, Canada |
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Local Parasite
since 2001-11-05
Posts 2527Transylconia, Winnipeg |
You're right, I didn't connect those two at all. And Kit---they stopped sending mine a while ago and all I've been doing is throwing them in the trash. I think they gave up on me?  |
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Marge Tindal 
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384Florida's Foreverly Shores |
ENJOYING this thread~ Just recently I submitted the following to the International Library Of Poetry (which I understand is another 'front' for Poetry.com) ... I LOVE to play with their minds and can't wait to begin receiving the junk mail for a JUNK POEM ! Awwwwwww, you mean they have to spend postage on me ???? Shucks ! __________My Entry__________ Did Ya' Think ? By- Itsa Darn Joke Did ya' think that you might win This stupid contest on a whim? Ya' dumb turkey don't you know EVERYBODY WINS this crappy show ? Poetry Dot Com sells just like SPAM That fits the poetic wallet of every woman, child and man Send it in with your MONEY You're sure to WIN Don't ya' see ???? Copyright ©2003 Itsa Darn Joke ______________________________ ~*When the heart grieves over what it has lost, |
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Munda Member Elite
since 1999-10-08
Posts 3544The Hague, The Netherlands |
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Not A Poet Member Elite
since 1999-11-03
Posts 3885Oklahoma, USA |
I don't know? This looks pretty good  |
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Dee Member Elite
since 2000-08-19
Posts 2330Queensland, Australia |
Just thought I would add my latest email to this thread I got this one the other day. Another scam I am assuming.Hi! I saw you poem "For My Ray Of Sunshine" on /pip/Forum83/HTML/001708.html and I thought it to be wonderful. I was wondering if I could use this poem in a book I'm currently publishing for a girl that I'm dating. I unfortuantly can't pay you any royalties and since I use a print-on-demand publisher where I have to pay for my own copy of the book, I can't even give you a free copy. I'm only doing this for the girl I'm dating, but the book will be available to buy via cafepress if your interested. The book will also get an ISBN# since it's free to get one here in Sweden, but it will only be sold on the internetsite and the only people who will know about it are probably the poemauthors and their friends and family. The book will cost about $15-$20 and will be a perfectly bound book. You will of course keep the copright of your poem, you will only give me the right to publish it in this book. If your interested please let me know what you want to be the title of the poem and what you want to use as alias/name on the poem. Sorry about my english, it's not my best language. Best regards Marcus Johansson Stand straight and tall, not the reflection as others see you, but as you truely are. Clearwater |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
Gee....I know someone who got that e-mail, Dee...thanks for sharing! |
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garysgirl
since 2002-09-29
Posts 19237Florida, USA |
Yep, I also got the e-mail ____________________________________________ Hi! I saw you poem "Grinning Like A Little Smilie" on /pip/Forum83/HTML/002023.html and I thought it to be wonderful. I was wondering if I could use this poem in a book I'm currently publishing for a girl that I'm dating. I unfortuantly can't pay you any royalties and since I use a print-on-demand publisher where I have to pay for my own copy of the book, I can't even give you a free copy. I'm only doing this for the girl I'm dating, but the book will be available to buy via cafepress if your interested. The book will also get an ISBN# since it's free to get one here in Sweden, but it will only be sold on the internetsite and the only people who will know about it are probably the poemauthors and their friends and family. The book will cost about $15-$20 and will be a perfectly bound book. You will of course keep the copright of your poem, you will only give me the right to publish it in this book. If your interested please let me know what you want to be the title of the poem and what you want to use as alias/name on the poem. Sorry about my english, it's not my best language. Best regards Marcus Johansson ----- Note: To help protect our Members, piptalk.com no longer displays your email address when someone asks to contact you. The ONLY way they will get your address is if you choose to reply to them. Additionally, to help discourage spam, all off-site URLs have been removed from this message. While we encourage interaction, we also respect your privacy and demand that the other members of piptalk.com do the same. ______________________________________________ |
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Ron
Administrator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-05-19
Posts 8669Michigan, US |
Ethel, at the very bottom of that email you should find the Username of the sender. Would you forward it to me, please? Cut and paste email to numerous Members qualifies as Spam and isn't something we should need to tolerate. |
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garysgirl
since 2002-09-29
Posts 19237Florida, USA |
Very good, Ron!! I sent the username to you.  |
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A Romantic Heart Member Ascendant
since 1999-09-03
Posts 5496Forever In Your Heart |
I just read though and i received the same email as Ethel..and Dee..the poetry scam email...I just wanted to post a reply to inform how many poets fron PIP this company or person has contacted. |
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SimplyGold Senior Member
since 2002-07-10
Posts 1453 |
Hi, just reading this thread and found it to be very interesting. I get tons of emails to the point where I'm having to change it. I have recieved a few poetry solitications and they are always sent to my trash automatically. There is so much spam these days it gets fustrating. I'm glad that you are being protective of emails. SG |
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