I entered a

Chatterbox: Inkwell

I entered a

I entered a poetry contest a couple of months ago - I think I found out about it here, maybe from Koffee. The grand prize is a $500 US savings bond. Anywho, I got a letter today saying my entry has been, well, entered. But the main point of the letter is to show me how wonderful it would be to see my poem in print in their book, *insert sarcastic voice* which can be purchased at the discounted price of 38.95 plus $6 shipping and handling. *end sarcastic voice* The point of this all is that they want the rights to publish my poem. I couldn't care less about seeing my poem "in print." If I want to see one of my poems in print, all I have to do is a) open the Cricket issue where my Cymbril song is, b) print it off the computer :D or c) write it, not in cursive. :P I mainly just wanted a shot at the prize. So should I give them the rights to publish my poem? It says, "I certify the poem selected for publicaion ismy own original work, that I retain all rights and that I wish to be published by The America Library of Poetry." Well, I don't want to be published. But I don't know if my poem will be eligible if I don't sign and send it in. What should I do? And random observation - this poetry organization used "very unique" in their letter. How lame is that? Very unique? Bah!

 

-EH

submitted by Emily H. :), age 13, Sparks, NV
(July 6, 2009 - 2:13 pm)

back to the Inkwell

Emily I entered this too and it is a scam!! I repeat scam!! Everybody who enters the contest gets it and everybodies book is published if they pay money!!! google scam and american library of poerty next to each other. you will now have junk mail for the rest of your life. (I do). I entered nothing and I got that same letter. Then they send you special offers and prizes saying you are wonderful author but you have to pay for it. I was young and stupid but you seem smarter.

submitted by Adina, age 12, Mostly in fanta
(July 6, 2009 - 5:02 pm)

Obviously, they think it is "Very Unique"! I think you should let them publish it, simply because if you plan on publishing anything else in your lifetime it helps to have had something of yours published before. I used the word "publish" three times in one sentance! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! =P

submitted by Emily L., age 14, WA
(July 6, 2009 - 5:03 pm)

Personally, no, I would not. Anyone who tells me I'm "very unique"... well, uh, no. That's weird. And there are a lot of legal issues involved with this... like if they buy the rights to publish your poem, then if you were to ever, say, want to publish a book of poetry, you'd have a bunch of complications because they already have the rights, so you'd need the rights to reprint it... don't quote me on this, but that's more or less the gist, I think.

More importantly, if you couldn't care less and don't want your work printed, then absolutely no. As Adina said, it probably is a scam.

And of course you're right- whenever you want to see your work in print you could do any one of those three things. :) Lol.

submitted by Mary W., age 11.51, NJ
(July 7, 2009 - 2:28 pm)

Got it, Adina. Rats. I guess I'll just go find a better contest to enter. Any suggestions?

 

-EH

submitted by Emily H. :), age 13, Sparks, NV
(July 7, 2009 - 1:42 pm)

There's the July/August Cricket poetry contest. No particular topic or theme.

submitted by Ima
(July 7, 2009 - 4:26 pm)

I think I'll enter that! :)

submitted by Lena
(July 8, 2009 - 7:39 am)

I'm so sorry about your bad experience! :( But keep on entering contests and stuff. Don't let a bad experience like this get you down.

submitted by Lena
(July 7, 2009 - 5:18 pm)

Thanks, Lena! I won't. Let it get me down, I mean.

 

-EH

submitted by Emily H. :), age 13, Sparks, NV
(July 7, 2009 - 8:53 pm)

They do have a Frequently Asked Questions part on their site, talking about publishing and stuff, if that helps any.

submitted by Allison P., age 12
(July 8, 2009 - 10:12 am)

Lena! I was just looking through a Cricket from a little while ago, and saw your poem! ( I am NOT stalking you or anything, just I remember stuff for a long time and your last initial and you saying you once entered a Cricket contest is something I remembered.) It's very good! Way to go! :):):):)

submitted by Brynne, age 14, Flying away on
(July 8, 2009 - 4:13 pm)

Oh, well, I knew that sooner or later when I came on here calling myself Lena G that someone was going to figure me out. Thanks so much for liking it. :) But don't tell anyone all that information that got published there, please? 

submitted by Lena
(July 8, 2009 - 5:26 pm)

Um, Lena? Brynne already told us all about the poetry thing when he asked you, so it's a bit too late to tell him not to tell everyone. I'm really new to Cricket, myself, so I don't have the issue with your poem (sadly) but I'm sure it's really good!

submitted by Ima
(July 8, 2009 - 11:06 pm)

Yeah, I see what you mean. Just... don't tell everyone on here other than what you already posted, okay? Please? And, um *is really embarrassed* isn't Brynne a girl?

Thanks for the compliments, Ima!

submitted by Lena
(July 9, 2009 - 7:24 am)

Yes, she's a girl, you're right, sorry. I must have made a typing error, I guess *is even more embarassed than Lena*.

submitted by Ima
(July 9, 2009 - 10:48 am)

That's OK. We all make mistakes. :)

submitted by Lena
(July 9, 2009 - 5:33 pm)