Is This Common for Contests?

It happens...

I don't like it and don't enter such comps.

I think that's really unusual, but I think because they're asking for a specific 50 word entry - that is based with very narrow guidelines - that it's not a wholly unreasonable request.

I suspect with those specific guidelines they need/want the option to reuse the material for their own PR etc. - like putting it up permanently on their website or in the actual mag or something- they likely need to insure they have permanent access to it.

But it's different from most contests in that they're not asking for a short fiction piece that you've (not "you" you, the general "you") been working on for months and can submit to a variety of location to become theirs forever, they're asking for something original and specific to their magazine that you likely wouldn't be able to submit anywhere else because of their criteria.

I think it's probably okay in this case. Generally though, contests and submissions want only first North American rights (in the US of course - other countries - different rights obviously). Zoetrope All Story does/did have a clause in one of their contests that winning forgoes the movie rights for a year...I specifically didn't enter one of their contests because of that clause (which is silly because I would kill to get something in Zoetrope).

For any normal story, I would agree with you. But since its only 50 words that is specific to this magazine, I worry to much about it.

that is just me. I agree with myr

Mel...

Agent Jenny Rappaport who owns said blog has a good relationship with the Science Fiction Writer's Association and its Writers Beware organization that warns authors about hoaxes, scams and rights grabs. If this was shady or even unreasonable, they'd have set her straight. I wouldn't worry.

When they say "all entries become property of the contest" they may not be speaking of anything more than the physical manuscript, which would be a somewhat obtuse way of saying the manuscripts will not be returned.

caw

blacbird said:

When they say "all entries become property of the contest" they may not be speaking of anything more than the physical manuscript, which would be a somewhat obtuse way of saying the manuscripts will not be returned.

caw

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Well, yeah, but I guess that goes without stating and happens naturally. Unless the submission email address bounces...

Qujoting from the webpage pointed to in the OP:

You have six chances to rewrite history before midnight EST, May 28th.

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And to think I was about to write something like "From the bowels of Jules Verne and H. G. Wells came the periodical known as ..."

It might mean they don't know how many they'll publish, and they want the rights for free. It's not exactly fair in my opinion but on the other hand, where else will you sell those same 50 or fewer words?

Lucky for me I missed the deadline so I don't have to decide whether to enter or not

Ditto what others have said. F&SF is a very reputable magazine, and they handle all normal story submissions in a perfectly professional way. This sounds like just a fun side contest in which you wouldn't really do anything else with your entry anyway. (Like the Twitter contest that Lit Soup had for its birthday - don't think I'll be re-selling my 140 characters about Ms. Pac Man anywhere.)

F&SF is about as reputable as it gets. I would presume that they are doing this because of the 50 word limit and so that they can use some of it in their advertising and PR.

However for any other contest if they're taking your rights - run in the opposite direction. You write it - You own it.

In the UK copyright happens more or less as soon as you put pen to paper or fingers to keypads. However I would always recommend registering your work - which can be done free. As I would imagine there are writers on a more global basis here, is anyone else's country the same re copyright or must you register to protect your work?

I wouldn't call it unusual for contests about a specific property. As a recent example, the Blizzard Global Writing Contest was for stories set in their 'Warcraft', 'Starcraft', or 'Diablo' game settings. In that regard, anything you wrote for them would not be marketable to any other publication because it's using their intellectual property. So, there's not much to lose.

This 50-word thing seems similar.

efkelley said:

I wouldn't call it unusual for contests about a specific property. As a recent example, the Blizzard Global Writing Contest was for stories set in their 'Warcraft', 'Starcraft', or 'Diablo' game settings. In that regard, anything you wrote for them would not be marketable to any other publication because it's using their intellectual property. So, there's not much to lose.

This 50-word thing seems similar.

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Hadn't thought of property specific contests, so yes I can see how it could be looked at from the point of view that there isn't much to lose. Although I still don't like it. Put it this way I think it was Alastair MacLean (although I stand open to correction) who had written hundreds of one paragraph synopsis for possible future books. After his death these synopsis were handed out to writers and screenwriters and the results? Full length bestselling novels and films. Ok so I know this is an extreme example but I'm only using it to demonstrate how some people can use a paragraph of say, 50 words, to produce saleable work from your idea.

Hi Thanks for the info - that is a horrendous price to pay for copyrighting - I can totally understand why so many writers wouldn't register their work. However here is something that may or may not be useful. When you finish your work, print off a copy, make sure it's dated and has all your contact details on a cover sheet. Sign it and then write on the back of the envelope the names of the story or stories that are contained inside. Then post it to yourself. When it arrives back to you - DO NOT open it but simply file it away. If you ever have a copyright dispute with someone over that piece of work you now have proof and a date (provided in the postmark) of when you wrote the story. This might sound daft but I have heard of this actually being taken to court to prove ownership and winning the case. The important thing is not to break the seal (if needs be the court does that) and of course the date stamp from the postal service. All this costs is the price of a couple of stamps and an envelope.

As I said this works in the UK and I would imagine would go quite a long way in any country to prove ownership.

Spinetinglers said:

As I said this works in the UK and I would imagine would go quite a long way in any country to prove ownership.

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It's called the Poor Man's Copyright and it's useless in US courts.

Hi Many thanks for letting me know that. Over here it's accepted - not the preferred option but they will accept it and take it into consideration.