Woman's Day Magazine Contest for Children's Book--Scholastic

underthecity · Aug 3, 2006

Forgive me for this late announcement as I just learned of this yesterday.

Woman's Day magazine is hosting a contest for children's picture book authors--first time authors. See all the details here.

Basic info: Max length, 500 words. Deadline, September 6, 2006.

The winner will get his or her children's book published by Scholastic. If you're gonna get published, might as well start at the top. (They rejected mine, though (well, it wasn't for this contest.))

So, if you've got a 500 word picture book manuscript you've been shopping around, submit it to this contest, too. Can't hurt.

allen

Tish Davidson · Aug 3, 2006

From the official rules. Please not the rights grab.

5. Acceptance of Grand Prize grants Sponsors the exclusive, perpetual, and worldwide right to publish, illustrate, edit, and print the entry in any media whether currently in existence or hereafter invented (including but not limited to print and digital media) without further notice or compensation, except as set forth below.

The below is that you get 100 free copies of your book.

Dollywagon · Aug 3, 2006

That's sad.

JennaGlatzer · Aug 3, 2006

Maybe we as writers haven't put enough pressure on this one. We've talked about this contest in past years, pulling the exact same thing. Here's one of the threads: http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12126

It's really surprisingly exploitative, coming from two well-respected publishers. Suppose it's time for a letter-writing campaign to let them know writers don't appreciate this rights-grabbing, nonpaying "opportunity?"

Tish Davidson · Aug 3, 2006

I'm a Scholastic author. I'm willing to write and complain.

moondance · Aug 4, 2006

That's appalling.

YogaMama · Aug 4, 2006

It's quite disappointing. These two respectable institutions really make it sound like this is an opportunity of a lifetime. The details show differently. My mother always said, "The devil is in the details."

stormie · Aug 4, 2006

I've posted on their (Woman's Day) forum boards regarding this "contest." I even bumped it up recently. What a way to get published! And they can do whatever they like with the winning entry. Change the title, change the entire story even. Last year's contest was worse; they changed a few things since then because of backlash. But they didn't change enough. Nothing like taking all rights from the author!

Soccer Mom · Aug 5, 2006

I previously saw the article and got excited, so I started reading the rules (I'm not a big WD reader). I kept thinking, where is the advance? It doesn't say what they pay and what rights they get. Then I got down to the payment in copies and all rights. Are they kidding? That is appalling.

I saw this thread and just had to add my two cents in. I might have subimitted to that contest if I hadn't read all the way through the rules. Never, ever submit to a contest without knowing what you might be giving up.

kikonie · Aug 7, 2006

Thank you for the heads up! Does someone have the address and/or the contact name at Scholastic/Women's Day?

kikonie

Tish Davidson · Aug 10, 2006

kikonie said:
Thank you for the heads up! Does someone have the address and/or the contact name at Scholastic/Women's Day?

kikonie

Below is the contact information for the public relations department at Scholastic. I suggest e-mailing complaints to all three addresses.

Corporate Communications
212-343-4563
[email protected]

Women's Day lists several different contacts depending on the category.

For any questions or comments to the editors, email: [email protected]
Or write to:

Reader Mail
Woman's Day
1633 Broadway, 42nd Floor
New York, NY 10019

Please include your full name, address, telephone number, fax number (if available) and e-mail address in the body of your e-mail along with a brief description of the suggestion, comment, problem or question.
The more information you provide, the faster we can process your query.

Giveaway Questions (The contest is not exactly a giveaway, but this is the closest department I could find)

If you're having trouble entering, or have questions about giveaways, please e-mail [email protected].
Please include your full name and e-mail address in the body of your e-mail along with a brief description of the suggestion, comment, problem or question.
The more information you provide, the faster we can process your query.

kikonie · Aug 10, 2006

Thanks so much Tish,

I never even got a chance to procastinate: I sent off my notice to Scholastic and Woman's Day, and copied CANSCAIP (Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators and Performers). CANSCAIP can be counted on to publish information like this in its newsletter, which is sent out across Canada to its friends and members, Kenneth Opel, Gordon Korman, et al included. (Apologies to all the wonderful members not mentioned)

Christine N. · Aug 11, 2006

Ack, is this thing still going on this way? I lose a little respect for Scholastic every time it comes around. Ridiculous. I would hope some group like the SCBWI would have called them on it by now.

September skies · Aug 16, 2006

Maybe I'm the only one who feels this is still a great opportunity. Yes, I was disappointed when I read that there was no advance, etc. But you have to take into consideration that this is for unpublished authors. To say that your first children's book ever was published by Scholastic, in my opinion, that is pretty cool. Wouldn't having that in your background help in the future with other books? I realize that they get all rights, etc. But I doubt very much that they would go out of the way to totally change the story. If that were the case, they would not accept it to start with. Title change? Well, they're the experts. Remember again, non-published authors is the key. I still think they have the writer's interest in mind when they do the changes. Call me naiive, but for non-published authors trying to get a break on a children's book -- I say this is quite nice.

Jamesaritchie · Aug 16, 2006

September skies said:
Maybe I'm the only one who feels this is still a great opportunity. Yes, I was disappointed when I read that there was no advance, etc. But you have to take into consideration that this is for unpublished authors. To say that your first children's book ever was published by Scholastic, in my opinion, that is pretty cool. Wouldn't having that in your background help in the future with other books? I realize that they get all rights, etc. But I doubt very much that they would go out of the way to totally change the story. If that were the case, they would not accept it to start with. Title change? Well, they're the experts. Remember again, non-published authors is the key. I still think they have the writer's interest in mind when they do the changes. Call me naiive, but for non-published authors trying to get a break on a children's book -- I say this is quite nice.

Ubpublished writers deserve an advance just as much as tenth time writers, and any good publisher gives them one. This is a rip off.

September skies · Aug 16, 2006

Jamesaritchie said:
Ubpublished writers deserve an advance just as much as tenth time writers, and any good publisher gives them one. This is a rip off.

I realize that they deserve it. But not all contests have pay, do they? Rip off or not, I'm submitting.

Susan Gable · Aug 16, 2006

September skies said:
I realize that they deserve it. But not all contests have pay, do they? Rip off or not, I'm submitting.

If the winning entry of this contest is good enough for them to publish, it should be good enough to get at least their "basic" deal, which I'm willing to wager includes an advance and some restriction of rights. Yikes!

We need to educate writers so that they're not "willing to settle" in order to get published. (I've seen it other areas, too. For example, the confessions magazine markets -- for more than 20 years they paid their writers .05 per word. Then they finally made a change -- by LOWERING the money to .03 per word. There were still writers willing to send them submissions, so it worked for them. <sigh>)

It's by standing ground that we make progress for writers, not give ground. (Well, in this case, Scholastic is taking ALL the ground for themselves.)

Enter if you like, but do so with the full understand of what you're giving up, and how you're actually encouraging them to continue being this grabby in the future.

See, they do hope that you write more books that become successful. Because then they can exploit this one to their hearts' content, keeping all the royalties, etc. All goes into their pocket. Nice racket if you can get it.

Susan G.

Christine N. · Aug 16, 2006

Right, Susan. If I submitted my pb to them through the normal channels, instead of through the contest, and it was accepted, I would be given an advance, and rights, AND royalties, AND copies. I would be treated like a writer, and not a 'contest winner'.

They're getting everything and leaving you with very little. Every writer was once a 'first-timer' - I see no reason to treat the contest winner as less than. And if you accept this, just to 'be published' then you're saying it's ok that they treat you this way.

Tish Davidson · Aug 16, 2006

In my experience (I've published 3 books with Scholastic with 3 different editors) they treat their writers very well. I am wondering if this contest was dreamed up by ignorant marketing people rather than publishing people. That's not an excuse. It still stinks.

stormie · Aug 16, 2006

Tish Davidson said:
In my experience (I've published 3 books with Scholastic with 3 different editors) they treat their writers very well. I am wondering if this contest was dreamed up by ignorant marketing people rather than publishing people. That's not an excuse. It still stinks.

And there you have it. As I said once, they can edit the work any way they see fit. It most probably wouldn't even be the winner's own. It is most definitely not the way to get published. One other thing (and I'm not sure about this): I don't think they even have to print the winning author's name on the book if they even publish it.

So, how does that look in your query when you state that you "won" the Scholastic/Woman's Day contest, but (1) it's been heavily edited and (2) if they publish it, most probably doesn't even have your name on the cover.

Tish Davidson · Aug 16, 2006

Lots of books are heavily edited. I don't see that as a problem so long as it is done in consultation with the author. What makes you think the author's name won't be on the book?

September skies · Aug 16, 2006

Susan Gable said:
If the winning entry of this contest is good enough for them to publish, it should be good enough to get at least their "basic" deal ...
We need to educate writers so that they're not "willing to settle" in order to get published...Enter if you like, but do so with the full understand of what you're giving up, and how you're actually encouraging them to continue being this grabby in the future.

I am not "willing to settle" in order to get published, so no need to educate me on that matter. I have been published more than 3,000 times in numerous newspapers and several trade journals. (and have been paid anywhere from $35 to $450 an article) But I have never done a children's book and I just thought it would be cool to enter and see what happens.

I'm sorry you all feel that way -- I still think it's kind of a cool deal. And just because you don't want to enter the contest, it doesn't mean you should discourage others from it.

Gee, when I win, I'll have to think twice about letting anyone here know and I probably won't be getting any kind of congratulations from any of you.... <sigh>

JennaGlatzer · Aug 16, 2006

SS, you have to keep in mind that it's not just that there's no advance... there's no pay, period, even if the book becomes a bestseller. So Scholastic could sell hundreds of thousands of copies of your book, sell the foreign rights and merchandise rights, make a giant profit off you, and you get *nothing* except some free copies. They own it forever, worldwide, in all media. And they don't even have to publish it if they decide they don't want to! They can just tie up your rights forever for no reason at all.

I'd still congratulate you for your talent, but I'd be sad that Scholastic is taking advantage of my friend. Make no mistake: they are taking advantage. This is not a nonprofit endeavor. Even if they want to be cheap about it and not offer an advance, there's no excuse for not offering royalties, or for taking all rights in perpetuity.

Bk_30 · Aug 16, 2006

I think what is trying to be said here is that it is hard enough to have an unknown author get published, but when one enters a contest such as this and the unknown author is not being treated like they would be through normal channels, it not only belittles the author, but harms the next unknown that tries to get published through normal channels.

Why would a company that is in business mainly to make money pay someone for something, when they can get someone else to give it to them for free. Basicly that is what this contest does.

There by making it even harder for someone to get published.

On an individual bases this probably would be a good opportunity for exposure. In the scheme of the big picture it belittles and hurts writers.

So if you do win, based as an individual I will say Congratz

But as a writer trying to find my way in the door of the published I wouldn't. you just made an already difficult thing to accomplish, even more difficult.

September skies · Aug 16, 2006

Thank you, Jenna.
Wow - thick skull of mine. But I finally see why everyone was so adamant about it.
I had not sent my ms out to the contest. And suddenly, I don't want to. I really love my little story. So, I'll send it the more traditional way and see what happens.

My husband said basically the same thing when I read him all of these entries. He said, "Imagine if you wrote the cutest jingle and it really made it big. They play it all over on television, children sing it while jumping rope and toys different nursery toys play the jingle. But you already signed away all your rights. Sure, you can say you wrote the jingle, but in the meantime, they are making lots of money off of your work and not giving you an extra dime for it."

So -- everyone -- thank you.

Woman's Day Magazine Contest for Children's Book--Scholastic

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