Poetry.com. poetry.con, whatever you call it...
:lol I entered a poem back in late 1995 to poetry.com, and they were just bursting with praise and telling me how great it was, I was going to be a finalist in their contest, so I bought the book and thought it was cool that my poem was published. I entered another poem, and the same thing was told to me. Eventually my status went from finalist to semi-finalist. I thought about buying another book, but didn't have the money. I do remember that the line "Wonderful verse! Recommend for the Sound of Poetry," was always at the top of their letters for each poem. When the same things were told to me after I entered another poem, I thought, "Ok, can they say ANYTHING original? They had all these other offers too, like one time I got a letter talking about they wanted me to be on their radio program, but you had to pay expensive fees first.
I wrote them a letter asking how they determined their
choices and who were their judges. I never heard from them and this was back in 96 or 97 when I wrote the letter. As a matter of fact, I got a letter in the mail praising my poetry on one side, and then on the other side, they were praising someone else!
I've never been to the conventions, but they always talked about how I was nominated for poet of the year, blah blah blah, trying to set up a mood by having me imagine that I was there, a hush over the crowd, and then the thunderous applause when my name was announced. I would like to meet the people who were named poet of the year from previous conventions. I wonder if those pictures they use from the conventions are even from those events.
I haven't sent anything to them in a few years and haven't heard from them, but when I first stopped sending them anything they would send me letters encouraging me to submit another poem and it would immediately be entered in another contest, and I should be proud of my talent. I like one of their letters that told me that only 2% of people considered had the opportunity to be published in this anthology that had the best of poets of the current year.
Unfortunately, however I don't think it will be shut down because people have the choice to buy the books or take part in any other of the offers, no one was forced or threatened. What might happen at the most is they will be forced to refund the people the money they're owed and stop being so praising in their letters, because that ropes people in to submit more. No one has the right to take advantage of you without your permission. With enough persistance, you can find reputable places online. I know I'm looking!
Everyone keep writing and sharpening your talent! Never give up!
:lol I entered a poem back in late 1995 to poetry.com, and they were just bursting with praise and telling me how great it was, I was going to be a finalist in their contest, so I bought the book and thought it was cool that my poem was published. I entered another poem, and the same thing was told to me. Eventually my status went from finalist to semi-finalist. I thought about buying another book, but didn't have the money. I do remember that the line "Wonderful verse! Recommend for the Sound of Poetry," was always at the top of their letters for each poem. When the same things were told to me after I entered another poem, I thought, "Ok, can they say ANYTHING original? They had all these other offers too, like one time I got a letter talking about they wanted me to be on their radio program, but you had to pay expensive fees first.
I wrote them a letter asking how they determined their
choices and who were their judges. I never heard from them and this was back in 96 or 97 when I wrote the letter. As a matter of fact, I got a letter in the mail praising my poetry on one side, and then on the other side, they were praising someone else!
I've never been to the conventions, but they always talked about how I was nominated for poet of the year, blah blah blah, trying to set up a mood by having me imagine that I was there, a hush over the crowd, and then the thunderous applause when my name was announced. I would like to meet the people who were named poet of the year from previous conventions. I wonder if those pictures they use from the conventions are even from those events.
I haven't sent anything to them in a few years and haven't heard from them, but when I first stopped sending them anything they would send me letters encouraging me to submit another poem and it would immediately be entered in another contest, and I should be proud of my talent. I like one of their letters that told me that only 2% of people considered had the opportunity to be published in this anthology that had the best of poets of the current year.
Unfortunately, however I don't think it will be shut down because people have the choice to buy the books or take part in any other of the offers, no one was forced or threatened. What might happen at the most is they will be forced to refund the people the money they're owed and stop being so praising in their letters, because that ropes people in to submit more. No one has the right to take advantage of you without your permission. With enough persistance, you can find reputable places online. I know I'm looking!
Everyone keep writing and sharpening your talent! Never give up!
) and fell for many traps- which worked on my ego quite effectively. Now- I made a decision to not GIVE any of my writing away. If it isn't worth paying for, then I will look elsewhere. (Aside from any newsletter- charity type writing I may decide on.) I only enter contests I am 99.5% certain are legit- Writers Digest for example. I tend to go for those with no entry fee if I am uncertain of their origin.