New poetry ripoff - pipTalk Forums

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Mr»ÄlleÿÇät
Member

since 2001-06-02

Posts 190

0 posted 2006-05-17 09:21 PM

A new scam from the folks of P.com.
Called the "poet's workshop" they have you pay to get full reviews "full membership", or give four reviews for each post "free trial" and only be able to see the first ten words of any review of your work.

The ripoff comes when you post your work.

"Individuals who submit their poetry, reviews and other content or photos to us retain their copyrights, but grant to us the right to reproduce and distribute the submitted material on this Website, or in printed form."

Printed form means they can place it in their book without asking

Alicat
Member Elite

since 1999-05-23

Posts 4094
Coastal Texas

1 posted 2006-05-17 11:16 PM

Thanks for the info.

Midnitesun

Member Empyrean

since 2001-05-18

Posts 28647
Gaia

2 posted 2006-05-17 11:33 PM

and somebody is actually PAYING???
I can't say I've even written a line or three that I'd pay someone to read and comment on, but then...that's just me. I enjoy the freebie interaction here at Pips.
Thanks for the warning label.

Mr»ÄlleÿÇät
Member

since 2001-06-02

Posts 190

3 posted 2006-05-18 12:20 PM

They sent me an e-mail, I thought I'd check it out. Didn't get past the terms of use, and paying to read full reviews.

doreen_peri

Unregistered

Member
Posts 180

4 posted 2006-05-18 12:46 PM

There's a very popular site called Fanstory and it cost $ for writers to participate there. I never understood anybody paying for anything on the internet and it makes no sense to me that writers would want to pay for membership to a writers site so they can get reviews and critiques because there are hundreds (probably thousands) of writers sites on the internet where people can get critiques and reviews by their peers without spending a penny. Still, though, Fanstory is quite popular and I don't think it's considered a scam of any sort.

What it comes down to is what people are willing to buy. There are many sites on the net which charge a certain amount of $ to help support the costs of operating the site and if those who participate think it's worth it to them, they'll pay, so to me, if poetry.com is offering a workshop and charging $ to those who participate, why is it a scam? Some people may want to pay to participate and if they do, there's nothing illegal about it. It's just a business, that's all. And if people agree that their work may be published on the web or in print, then they agree to that.

I wouldn't want to participate myself, but I don't see anything wrong with it.

Magnus

Member Laureate

since 2001-10-10

Posts 14135
South Carolina, USA

5 posted 2006-05-20 08:56 PM

I agree with both sides, though I personally
don't like the thought of giving someone
the rights to my material or the thought that
you get to see the first 10 words free....

Sheesh

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