h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Dear Sally
As you were kind enough to point out the pluses and minuses of Forward Press I thought I should say that my poem will be published in their next anthology which is in pre publication at the moment.
I do get immediate membership to their org. and have all ref. to my work including release dates .(big deal)
Yet this trick of the vanity business in that you are asked to buy the book your work is published in gives the whole thing a bad smell doesn't it... as you are reassured that your work will be published regardless, it does let them off the hook a bit I suppose.

They have a list of winners of their annual prize for best poets of the year.
That seems to be genuine and a fairly good reason to sub to them as there were about 20 winners.
The first prize was 3,000pounds down to 20 but it shows that they do plough something back.
I think it is an organisation that is legit .It is just this idea of coercing writers into paying 15 pounds to purchase the anthology containing one measly poem is really the thing I think most of us find hard to swallow.
Everyone knows that good publishers always are proud to give the writer imprints of their work as basic courtesy.
Having said all that they do have a well known magazine called Poetry Now and they do have some preetty interesting poetry challenges going on .
As you said Sally they surely should be at least offering one imprint for free if not any payment.I think I will use this my advice part to pass on all the really supportive websites you and Zoe passed on re. this vanity bus.
Thanks for pointing me in your and the subbing group's direction.
I am choc a bloc at work these days but am looking forward to having a stab at more subbing to Bewrite and joining your subbing group. It seems like a nice comfy place to share the joys and woes of rejection and acceptance . Bye for now Julie

Hi Julie
I'm so sorry, I'd missed this message what with the changes to the layout. I know what you're saying, and if you're happy to go along with it for the sake of seeing your work in print, then at least you've been forwarned. All I'm saying is that you can't expect your poems to be read by anyone other than the other people talked into submitting their work, which is not much good if you're hoping to reach a more general audience and build up your reputation as a poet. I've just been given this link, which might set off a few warning signals: http://www.winningwriters.com/warningsigns.htm


I do hope you join us in the subbing group. It's an excellent way of finding out which places are genuine.
Sally