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Unlike professional anthologies, where writers are paid for contributions, contributors to vanity press anthologies pay the publisher.
Vanity Press Anthologies, Poetry.com & Affiliates
Buyer Beware: The number of publishing scams have escalated over the past four years even though there has been an increase of public awareness through National and International media and public library associations, throughout the USA.
Unlike professional anthologies, where writers are paid for contributions, contributors to vanity press anthologies pay the publisher, as in the case of those published by JMW publishing, who do not supply the contributor with any contact information such as the name of an editor or staff member, an address or telephone number. Under this same venue are just a few of the "publishers", who charge the contributor for publication and/or a copy of the anthology, for which their work was "selected":
The International Library of Poetry, Noble House, Iliad Press(Cader Publishing), Hollywood's Famous Poets Society, Pen Pushers Publications, The National Library of Poetry, International Society Of Poets, International Poetry Hall Of Fame, Watermark Press, Poetry Guild,The Amherst Society, Sparrowgrass Poetry Forum (defunct?), Poetry Press,Famous Poets, Poetry. Com, The Poets' Guild, Poetry Unlimited, The National Poet Archives, American Poetry and JMW Publishing .
Dennis M. Gauhan of The Plazma Freehold, states:
"NLP typically claims it will award $48,000 in prizes for a poetry contest. The subsequent volume sells for $49.99 and includes work by 3,000 people. If all of the contributers buy in, then the NLP grosses $149,970 - subtract the $48,000 in prize money and they wind up with $101,970 before expenses....Even if we allow for roughly half of the gross purchase [for publishing costs], they could wind up with $74,970"...
Though most vanity anthology companies are based in the US, vanity anthologizing is a growing international phenomenon including buisnesses such as: Poetry Institute of Africa and International Poets Society, Inc and Poetry.com affiliates in the UK with PO boxes in New York and London.
The vanity anthology company places ads in various publications, including writers' magazines, announcing poetry contests with cash prizes for the finalists and guaranteed publication for finalists and semi-finalists. There are no entry fees, and poets can submit as many poems as they wish.
The contest isn't an actual contest, but intricately designed to draw paying customers. Everyone who submits is declared a semi-finalist, no matter the quality of the poem.
Once the company receives their quota of "poets" for publication, they then ask for additional fees above the $40 or $50 for the anthology, starting around $20 to several hundred dollars for extras which include; adding a biography to the anthology, including a personal photo, having the poem read onto audio tape or CD, having the poem mounted on a plaque, embossed on a coffee mug, printed on calendars, cards and the list goes on.
The International Library of Poetry (a.k.a. Poetry.com, The International Society of Poets, The International Poetry Hall of Fame, are probably the best-known vanity anthologizers. This company puts out several anthologies every year, (typically an anthology is one publication per year) these publications are thick hardbound books that contain thousands of poems crowded together and printed on thin low quality pages.
These companies offer contributors dozens of ways to spend money, and they are relentless in the solicitation of contest entrants, encouraging them (by mail, every four to six weeks) to enter more contests and offering opportunities to join "exclusive" poets' societies (which demand $100 or more, in annual dues) or to attend poetry conferences, workshops and gala events (by special request) which may cost as much as $1000 for entry fees, gala dinners and conferences (travel and accomodations are not included)
Often, celebrity hosts give these events an illusion of respectability. In the past few years, for example, the International Library of Poetry's annual convention boasted actress Bo Derek, Pulitzer prize-winning poet W.D. Snodgrass, and former US Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky.
Please keep in mind that these same buisness tactics of hiring a celebrity as an element for validation, is used by many non profit organizations and sweepstakes which are specifically designed to sell you an ideal of goodwill and create a facade of legitimatcy.
For the most part, vanity anthologizers publish the promised anthologies, and those who pay do get their poems printed (or embossed, or on a plaque, a crystal paper weight, a trophy or whatever). So the vanity anthology scheme doesn't really seem like it is a scam. It provides placebos for the egos. It is deceptive and misleading--especially in portraying the anthologies as literary credits that poets can use in their resumes. In reality, the anthologies are not distributed or marketed to bookstores or through public library systems. They are available by order only, and in reality, are sold to the contributors and their friends and family.
Anthology credits in vanity publications are not respected by publishing professionals, no matter what the anthology companies' ads or websites say. Hundreds of thousands of people are taken in by this deception, which is perpetuated by the self promotion of the contributers to local newspapers and media announcing their "awards" and misleading human interest articles in largely distributed publications, such as the LA Times, ie: Roy Rivenburg - coverage of the 2002 gala event, which lends a false credibility to these types of businesses.
Elderly people and those who are confined to their homes are a particular target, as are teens and children (see Fox News, below) all of whom are the most vunerable sector and age groups for this type of multi million dollar scheme.
Many of the people who become involved with this type of scheme become enamored with the concept of being recognized. This is one of the elements that provides the motivation for them to continue to spend more and more money for self promotion.
The rippling effects of business schemes, such as Poetry.com, are seen by organizations such as local VFW and American Legion posts, community funds, churches and other non profit organizations which are approached by the contributors, to "sponsor" them as potential participants to meet the costs of airfare, accomodations and other incidental expenses, perpetuating the scam thoughout each participant's community.
Jenny Wilson, Assistant Editor of Outstretch, writes: ..."I would now be certain that no one actually reads any of the poems received."
ie: quote from the letter, Wilson received from Poetry.com for her recent submittal:
"I am pleased to tell you that you have been selected to appear in this special edition, The Best Poems and Poets of 2002. Congratulations on your accomplishment. Only a small percentage of individuals whose poetry we have examined were selected to be part of this distinguished group of Outstanding Poets....you were selected for publication on the basis of your unique talent. Your poetry sparks the imagination and presents the reader with a fresh, unique perspective on life....You have been selected to participate in this very special edition because of your unique vision...."
The following verse is the poem that Wilson submitted:
The Scam
Poetry.com is a giant scam.
It is run by the same people who run
the International Library of Poetry,
which is also a scam.
They just want you to pay big bucks
to be printed in books no one will read,
recorded on CDs no one will listen to,
and to attend conferences
no self-respecting poet would be
caught dead at.
Take heart, poets.
You do not need these losers.
Your poetry will sing without them.
Jenny Wilson (used by permission of author)
The Maryland Attorney General's Office is interested in hearing from all writers who've had dealings with Poetry.com and any businesses listed as their affiliates.
Consumer Protection Division
Office of the Maryland Attorney General
200 St. Paul Place, 16th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21202
Attorney General (toll-free): 1-888-743-0023
You may also contact:
The Better Business Bureau
of Greater Maryland, Inc.
2100 Huntington Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21211-3215
Writer's Alerts and to report incidents online:
http://www.sfwa.org/Beware/general.html
The Writers’ Center in Bethesda MD (www.writer.org)
http://fox61.trb.com/news/wtic-73102poetryscam,0,3289258.story
Deborah Russell, 2003
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