| Watch
out for these Freelance Writing Scams!
by Angella
Kay, The Light Keeper.com
Every field has its share of scammers, and the field of writing
is no different. One of the most prolific writing scams is the
"Poetry Contest" or "Writing Contest." Here's how they
work:
Poetry Contest
You will typically find these contests advertised online or
in the back of a magazine. This "contest" promises
cash prizes for your "quality poetry." However, as
many have found - including ABC's 20/20 television program -
these contests aren't really contests; they're more like vanity
publications.
Everyone who enters, regardless of the quality of their poem,
and pays the $50 entry fee, receives the same "You've won!"
letter, along with a request for a $20 "bio fee" to
feature your biography in the tightly packed volume of un-judged
poetry. Want to have your poem featured? Pay a little more and
you could be a grand prize winner!
"Winners" are encouraged to buy the anthology of
poetry for their friends and families. After all, who wouldn't
want to see their loved one's name in print! Beware, though
- your good poetry might be housed next to the famous "Maple
Syrple" poem that "won" a prize in several contests:
"Roses are red, violets are purple, my love for you is
as sweet as maple syrple."
Check out these links for more about these "Poetry Contests":
Great collection of Poetry
Scam Links from Windpub.org
ABC's
20/20 television program, expose on the "National Library
of Poetry" (thanks to windpub.com
for the link)
NBC
News in Washington, D.C. - story on Poetry Contests
(thanks to windpub.com
for the link)
The contests we entered typically wanted winners to pay $45-50
for an anthology book. Adding your biography cost $20-25 more.
Want your poem typeset? Add $25. A Certificate of Achievement?
Add $25 more. And with one contest, you can even have your poem
recorded on audio cassette for $33!
The BadBusinessBureau's
RipOff Report on "Famous Poets Society" (which
goes by many other names as well)
Poetry
Contests Scams from Canada's Poetry.ca
Writing Contests
Writing Contests are a legitimate way to break into the field
of writing. As with any contest, however, scammers are on the
lookout for ways to make money from unsuspecting writers.
Most writing contests charge a small processing fee - usually
anywhere from $10-15. Scam contests, however, usually charge
much more and do everything but promise your entry will win.
You may receive a letter that says you're one of the "top
5% of winning entries" or that your "exceptional work"
has been referred to one of the "top literary editors,"
after which a solicitation to purchase their services is presented.
One of the most popular writing contest scams is similar to
the poetry scam (see above). Your writing is selected to be
printed in an "anthology", crammed in with literally
hundreds of other "winning" stories. While some of
the stories may be good works by talented authors, there's no
guarantee yours won't be side by side with inferior writing
or - even worse - plagiarized stories. Such "vanity presses"
encourage you to purchase the anthology where your work is printed,
at a hefty cost of $30-50, and "offer" such enticements
as including your bio (another $20) or picture (another $30)
or special typesetting ($15). Like the poetry contests, you
may be offered a special plaque or certificate of achievement
($30-50) or invited to attend a "special celebration ceremony"
(at a cost of about $1,000, not including airfare, hotel and
meals).
Other scam tactics include soliciting fees for reading or editing
your manuscript (you can find good professional editors without
entering phony contests and "reading fees" are not
an industry standard).
Bottom line: investigate contests thoroughly, and don't send
your original stories to scam artists. Your work is worth far
more than a scammer is willing to pay!
Writer's
Central Scam Kit from Writers.org
Literary
Contest Caution by Windpub.org
Comedian Dave Barry's hilarious
take on The National Library of Poetry (courtesy of
Windpub.com)
How
to Sniff Out Literary Scams by Marcia Yudkin
Angella Kay is the webmaster
at The Light Keeper.com, a website for at home parents. Sign up
today for The Light Keeper's Journal,
a free weekly newsletter highlighting at home parenting!
Copyright 2002
by Angella Kay.
Reproduction without permission prohibited.
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