Thanks for the comments and useful information Steve.

I found the best thing to do with companies like Forward Press or United Press is to enter for the competitions, there's always a chance you might win a prize as I beleive Karen did one year. But if you don't want to buy the books then save the copyright forms instead, best way.

When we had the old Lavendar Mist site, a book was published through an internet company. Karen did the work back then, and you just had to pay if you wanted a copy. I didnt buy one but a few people did and would have info on that.

Another idea.. I see our local stationers shop will spiral bind sheets of paper for customers, it costs varying amounts for how many pages, and cover. I was thinking, if a person had a decent printer, then they could print off their poems, and make a cover themselves, and have it bound for a relatively few pounds, and that might be nice for 'Aunty Mabel'.
In fact it's something I am thinking of doing with all my poems, that are in folders and files all over the place.... sort them out.. date them, and get them bound... be something for the grandkids to ponder over one day.

As for the plagiarism, it seems to make it seem too daring even to put pen to paper, in case you steal some ones ideas or words by mistake... but like someone said.. if you leave some chimpanzees with a typewriter long enough, eventually they will write the works of Shakespeare.

Thanks for the post, Gilly

Your post had me thinking Gilly.

I have had some poems published in Forward press, but rapidly came to the conclusion that they made their money by selling the books to the contributors, a captive audience so to speak. It makes good business, but no poet is going to gain fame or fortune that way, so it's something to consider before rushing out and buying 10 copies to give away to the family.
Anyone who enjoys writing poetry has probably considered publishing their work at some time or another, and may even have thought about going it alone with the help of a good printer. It is possible to produce your own books for a couple of hundred pounds, depending on quantity and if pictures are to be included, colours etc. There are also web based companies that can do this at a fixed price.

We live in a modern multimedia age, and this is a route I am considering at present. Most of us will have saved our poetry on our computer, perhaps in "word" or some other package, you may have added pictures to your poetry. If you have copied the picture from the web or some other source then bear in mind you may be infringing someone elses copyright if you publish. This is why it is always best to use your own photographs. There are some sites which offer photographs or pictures free of copyright.
It is possible to copy your poetry onto a CD where the poem can be written, spoken, have multimedia pictures or video's attatched.
The CD's can be created for as little as 50 pence (1$) each, and in any volume you wish. Of course the drawback is that Great Aunt Maude may not have a computer or DVD player on which to see your lovely poetry, but thats life.

The other thing I wondered about is how few words are subject to copyright? I mean if I wrote a two word poem called "The End" could I really expect to copyright it? I could bring a law suit against every film ever made..... don't think so do you.

To highlight my point here are some Haiku which I wrote.


© Steve Riggs 2010-06-29

Makes you think doesn't it.

Of course sadly there are people who plagiarise others work, and to this end google is a wonderful tool. Try typing in a couple of lines from your poetry and see what pops up. You may have to try this several ways, but eventually you should find your poem and any other versions that may be out there on the net !

Steve multimedia Riggs

Thank you, Gilly. Very useful info.

A good place to spot competitions is in the press, like your local newspaper.
Or look at sites such as www.poetrylibrary.org.uk, where you can subscribe to a newsletter and be kept informed of latest competitions.

I have been published in some small press anthologies, some are available through Amazon, and short story collections, and magazines.

I have also been in lots of Forward Press and United Press books, and these are easy to enter online.

It's a matter of perservering.

Good luck
Gilly J

Very informative. Which competitions do you tend to enter? Have you ever been printed in a magazine and if so which one?
Thanks.
Jo x

Competitions and Copyrights

There are many Poetry and Story competitions that can be entered by a writer if they wish.
Some can be expensive to enter, but others such as United Press can be free.
It's a matter of deciding if the entry fee is worth it, (for possible amount you can win) and that it isn't just a ploy for you to buy a book that you are featured in.
Publishers such as United Press and Forward Press do offer prize money for some of their competitions, and are free to enter, and there is not an obligation to buy a book. I always think that if you are picked then if you don't want to buy the book, just keep the copyright form to show your poem has been published, and you own the copyright.

However copyright will remain with the author anyway, and a poem does not always have to be registered to be copyrighted. In fact the file name and date it was made will show that the work has originated on your computer. Or you can post the work to yourself in an envelope, and do not open it unless there is a cause for dispute at a later date.
It's a good idea also to add the date and copyright to the end of your work.

For poetry or story contests, always read the rules carefully.
Usually they will stipulate there is to be no name on the work, only on the entry form or a cover-sheet. Some will require more than one copy. There may be a maximum number of words or lines. There could be a specific theme.

If you enter a competition with a poem that has been posted on Poetic Skies then it would be a good idea to delete it from the site, otherwise it might be counted as already published where a competition asks for poems that have not been published anywhere.
If you are worried about Copyright breaches then it might also be an idea to remove your poem from the site once it has been commented on.

Good luck to anyone who enters any competitions.
Gilly