I must admit that I actually entered a poem to poetry.com, not because I though that it would be selected, but because I hoped that it would. Imagine my surprise when I got an email saying how great a poem it was and that it would be entered in the next volume. Yeah sure I had to pay to have it on its very own page, and who wouldn’t just so they could see their name in print?
Luckily I am not that bloody vain. Hell, if they loved it so much I reckon that they would be paying me just so that they could include it into whatever volume they had planned at the time. I usually get emails from them every now and again trying to score one thing or another but so far they haven’t got anything out of me.
As far as scams go, I think poetry.com is more of an annoyance than anything else. I would really like hear of anyone’s experience with poetry.com, especially if they had bought a volume that included on of their poems.
As far as I am concerned…..
I know about this site! My brother has submitted numerous poems there, though I’m not entirely sure he’s bought any of the books. I’d already seen it when he told me about it, so I left my opinion (that such things are pretty much a scam) out of it! I mean, if you want to be a serious writer or poet, this is NOT the way to go. Surely any real publisher wouldn’t ttake it seriously as a point on a resume. But, if all you want is your words in print for your coffee table or future generations to read your stuff – I don’t see them as a big deal.
Mmm, it’s almost as if I know you, we think so much alike 😀 Say, did you get time to read my Women Suffer From ‘It’s All About Me Syndrome’ ? If so I am surprised that it did not get a comment out of you…lol
My DH submitted a poem to this site about 7 years ago when we first met. To this day we still receive emails and mail trying to get us to pay to have his poem published.
I have to say that the poem was good so we bought a plaque to hang it on the wall, but we haven’t gone any further.
In conclusion, I would classify them as an annoyance as opposed to a scam. You are getting what you paid for when you pay them to be published, etc.
So far I tend to agree with you. Thanks for leaving a comment.
For those still unconvinced, or those that have merely passed over the truth behind these flaccid scams, I have even further evidence that may be used to further lambast poetry.com. I recently sent them an imposing e-mail in reponse to their flattery and suggestions and was met with this regard in response.
did not reach the following recipient(s):
Tue, 6 May 2008 15:20:23 -0400
The recipient name is not recognized
The MTS-ID of the original message is: c=us;a= ;p=watermark
press;l=EXCHANGE0805061920J5MGVQVK
MSEXCH:IMS:Watermark Press:Circa Press:EXCHANGE 0 (000C05A6) Unknown
Recipient
Raise a glass to the true fools in this excursion.
Hi Jon, if you don’t mind me asking, what address did you use?
It was a direct reply to the message I had received from poetry@poetry-email.com, though they had later reciprocated with an equally blood churning message, firmly stating
“Your inquiries and questions are very important to us. Please call us at
410-356-2000 and a dedicated customer service representative will be able to
assist you.”
Sincerely,
poetry.com
Right.
I’ve also just suddenly received yet another message, claiming I have been elected as poetry ambassador. They wish to enlist me as a creative membet of their team, helping to set up mediums of access online that will cause the scope of their site to proliferate.
LOL, yeah I got that one as well but I didn’t think it good enough for a post. Maybe I was wrong. I wonder how many ambassadors they managed to suck in.
Yeah, apparently now my poem received the “prestigious” editor’s choice award. I feel honored. Really, if they wanted to work over people’s vanity, you’d think they would go about it in a more subtle fashion, sending out notices to everyone that do not directly parallel everything else they’ve sent out.
Jon, at least you are smart enough not to fall for this sort of crap. Imagine how many actually do fall for it.
Very true, though the very thought of people being preyed on in such a manner sickens me. They’ve recently sent me mail pertaining to both the poem and the contest they seek to tout.
Jon, my latest email has nominated me for “Poet Of The year” and I could win $20,000. Naturally it is a pile of BS. Too bad a lot more people don’t get to see this post.
Oh, I’ve managed to disperse this information upon several different forums, at least trying to take some action, regardless of how meniscule it may be. I read the DA in the area where the business is set up is currently attempting to erect a case worthy of dismantling the site, and obliterating this tepid scam. There has to be a better way of taking suit against them, can one sue them if they sell these books with our work in them, regardless of who it may be to?
I don’t think that avenue will work as I believe once you enter your poem you give them the right to publish. That was always their intention, the problem is they hold your poem over you in order to coerce you to purchase the book and other crap.
I’m going to look into it, since it is copywrited in my name, or at least forged to look that way. There has to be some judicial matter I take up with them.
Be sure to let us know how you go Jon.
Anybody and everybody, be sure to inform me in your pursuits as well.
One brief update, they have been sending me the same messages they had already tried drawing me in with.
Yeah, I did my poem over a year ago and I am still getting emails. Gee I never knew it was that good. :wallbash_tb:
umm yea lol a while back i put in a poem and well i never payed but it they said it was so goodblah blah blah that they put it in free and then it went through all the contests yada yada yada went in the cd etc. now i get an email saying i am supposed to go to this
thing in las vegas 22nd aniversary and win prizes and i won a crystal award shitcake w.e worth 300$…. i always laughed at this shit because in the poem itself i said “to find my orth” when lol orth is just some random persons last name. SSOOO either they are reallllly stupid and i really won because in this letter there was no request for pay…. But i smell horse shit. Any advice?
Mate if you like horse shit you could always go along, but I figure the best thing you could do is ignore the whole thing.
Pass it over, vaguely enticing as it perhaps is, and it would be to act subversively and inform as many as you can about how much of a hoax it is. All the aforementioned comments are from me, and they still haven’t desisted sending me a daily reminder as to how great I am.
Jon, but you are great. Anyway, for those of you who are interested, this is the poem I submitted.
A Moment Of Anger
In A Moment Of Anger
A mother shakes her child to death
In A Moment Of Anger
A teen, tyres screaming, meets his end
In A Moment Of Anger
A man kills his neighbour
In A Moment Of Anger
A student shoots his class mates
In A Moment Of Anger
A button is pushed
Mushroom clouds erupt over the earth
No more anger
No more anything….
All In A Moment Of Anger!
Make of it what you will, but it certainly isn’t worth all their attention.
I have purchased books and a plaque cause I liked that poem, I’ve put over 200 poems on the site, I had alot of friends on the poets workshop, but since they have closed and gone to beta, I’ve had a hard time getting back on.
I too have been nominated for Poet of the Year,
I considered going, (my older children have told me it’s a scam, but I liked it and enjoyed it, and really would like to go to the convention, cause truly fun people do go on poetry.com, but I do realize it’s a business, and have been thinking of making a Youtube where I read one of my poems after giving a speech about being sorry I can’t make it,,,,,,,,I really will be on an art trip as I paint too. I don’t need poetry.com to make it, but I have a hull of a good time writing, blogging on myspace where I have over 600 works of prose and tons of poetry, for a 54 year old women it’s fun, and what’s wrong with a business anyway, if you will make it, you’ll make it with or without them,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
thanks for reading………..Joann
Joann, if you are into that stuff thats fine, but a lot of people do find the constant emails annoying.
poetry.com has a little box where you push a button that requests NO MORE EMAILS,,,,,
I have nothing to do with poetry.com
but it’s fun,
also, I happen to think your poem no more anger is good,,,,,,,,,it’s reality for many,
and you are here expressing anger which is quite poetic,,,,,,,,,,,,but I have thought all the things written here,,,,,,,,,really,,,,,,,,,,and still can have fun there if I choose,,,,,,,,,,,,
for example take the movie Borat, it’s a form of bullshit, but it’s genius,
the dudes at poetry.com are businessmen as is borat,,,,,,,,,,,
now to contradict myself, I’m not happy about the fact that the book doesn’t have an ISBN # and also wonder if people who have been published are all on the first page, any poem book I’ve purchased with a poem of mine in it was always on the first page,
did anyone else get theirs in their book on the first page,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,curious?
thanks again for reading ,,,,,,,
joann
Yes, Joann, I purchased one book, and my poem was on the very first page. I also purchased one plague to put on my wall. I did this in 2003 after my breast cancer surgery. I was not able to work for awhile after my surgery. so I found the poetry forum a great way to pass the time as I recuperated. I don’t know where it is located now. I haven’t been able to find them online lately. Julia
Thank you Joann, that is precisely what it should be, a fun means of expressing oneself. Just as you say, whether you indulge in their site or not, if you have the talent and will to believe in yourself, to do so with conviction, then you will make it either way.
again dear jon,
I have this picture in my head of this very middle-aged woman, no fuss, very underdressed receiving her $10,000 award at the convention, just think it’s the highlight of her life, and she gets to meet Tony Danza,,,,,,,,,,
and yes I thought “poet of the Year!” why aren’t I picked up in a limo,,,, of course after having appointments with my image consultant to spruce up my hair and wardrobe,,,,,,and off to Las Vegas for my VIP suite,,,,,,,,,,,,,just having fun, ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, I really would go if I wasn’t going to a Painting workshop, ,,,,, I can picture it now,,,, ,,,,, and you agreed,,,, ,,,, a bunch of people are going to have a good time, and some people are going to win some money,,,,
but my biggest beef right now with the org. is that they get an ISBN # in their books,
I think you should submit another poem,,,,,,,,,,
look at us here blogging, it’s no different that the communications I had with the great people I met on the writers workshop,,,,,,,,,,,,,and that bothers me too,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I can’t seem to get back on,,,,,,,,,,,,OK I’m Done for today,
back to myspace,
Joann
Well, Joann, it’s nice to see someone is enjoying all the attention. BTW, if you don’t mind me asking, whats with all the commas?
I really don’t know,
I guess pauses between blogging,
I don’t like grammar,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
and if one does prob ably the comma’s would drive them crazy, that’s grammar corrector people,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
by the way what does BTW mean?
thanks Joann
BTW = By The Way