Competition problems re publication

[David Campbell]

In another thread (‘Just a question’) Bob raised the issue of loss of anonymity when written competition results are published…a problem that judges have to deal with. But there is another problem that often arises in competition-land, and this is one that organisers can, and should, address.

A lot of competitions these days produce guidelines which include a provision that entries cannot have been “previously published” (some also specifying that this includes on-line publication). But is this requirement reasonable, and can it be observed?

I ask these questions because experience has taught me that it is impossible to know with any certainty whether or not some poems of mine have been published because sending them off to a competition opens up a whole range of possibilities. For example, a number of competitions state that “winning entries” or “selected entries” may be published in an anthology and/or in a local newspaper and/or on-line. But unless competition organisers send a copy of the anthology (sometimes happens) or a copy of the local paper (never happens) then poems can be “published” without my knowledge.

Just last week, quite by accident, I found a poem of mine on a website. Late last year one appeared in a magazine (not ABPA) which, fortunately, I subscribe to…but there was nothing in the competition guidelines to say this might happen, nor was my permission sought for publication. So although we retain copyright over our poems, we have very little control over where and how they might be published once they’ve been submitted to a competition…and we don’t necessarily know if they've made it into print. Therefore a blanket rule banning entries that have been “previously published” is unreasonable and unworkable.

The provision needs to be more specific. It would be simpler and fairer to say that entries should not have been previously published for the individual profit of the author. That would, quite reasonably, preclude poems from books that the author has published and sold. It would also preclude poems that have been published for payment in a magazine. But it would allow anything that has been posted on this website and any non-prize-winning poem that might have appeared in an anthology.

A vague statement is counter-productive for competition organisers because it can reduce the number of entries they receive and this affects revenue. There are so many modes of publication these days that it’s impossible to keep track of them all, and competition organisers need to keep this in mind when framing their guidelines.

Any thoughts/suggestions/alternatives?

David

[Dave Smith]

entries should not have been previously published for the individual profit of the author.

Hi David the wording of this line conveys a clear picture of what "Previously published" should mean, not that I will have too worry to much about for some time yet. I did spent some years judging Wood craft around local show and came across the problem of finding winner pieces from other competitions being re entered again and again,It makes it difficult to judge new work.

I do agree with you that it does not need a lot of rhetoric, just a short precise sentence.

Dave.

[manfredvijars]

Worthy of discussion David, I'm glad you brought it up.

"... entries should not have been previously published for the individual profit of the author." is a great starting point.

What would need to be defined is "individual profit" of the author.

Would a prize of any sort be considered 'profit'?

[Neville Briggs]

Perhaps all that would be needed is " published for authors profit or received an award "

[Heather]

I was today considering putting a poem in a competition but what put me off was that the organisers could then put my poem in an anthology and then it could quite possibly be excluded from any other event. It's a silly rule. I have also had some of my poems published without my consent and haven't been able to use them because they were then published.

Heather

[Stephen Whiteside]

To what extent can the ABPA control issues such as this? I've never understood the degree to which the ABPA acts as some sort of regulatory body in competitions, and to what extent the organisers just 'do their own thing'. Presumably a bit of both goes on, but I've never had a handle on which competition does what in this regard.

[manfredvijars]

The ABPA has no real 'teeth' Stephen. Some events are held "under the auspices" of the ABPA (usually State or National Comps) and they get some money. Many organisers do much of their own thing.
The only 'teeth' we have is a carrot.

May have a pleasant announcement regarding an ABPA National Performance and Written Comp very soon.

[David Campbell]

Many thanks for the responses. Your question is a good one, Manfred. The word "individual" is probably unnecessary, but I was trying to hammer home the point that a poem should only be excluded if that one person has benefited by publication...as opposed to, for example, the writing group that produces the anthology. To make it clearer it may have to operate, as Neville suggests, in tandem with some reference to prizes. Perhaps "entries should not have been previously published for the author's profit or have received a cash prize". (I think "cash prize" is better than "award" because the latter can be interpreted to include HC and C awards, and that seems a bit tough.)

Heather's comment sums up the problem nicely. On several occasions I've made exactly the same decision not to enter a competition, or to only send one entry when otherwise I might have sent more. Organisers are hurting their own competitions with a vague rule. If poets know that non-prize-winning entries will still be eligible for future competitions even if published in an anthology, surely they'll be likely to submit more entries.

Marty, there was a competition last year that published their results showing two entries (with authors' names) that had been disqualified because they were "found to have won previous cash prizes and/or been published". So people are checking, and fair enough, too...but the current common reference to "publication" is just too broad.

Manfred has answered Stephen's question and the situation is pretty much as I thought. I'm simply putting this out there in the hope that organisers might see the discussion and act on it. And, if some form of wording does seem reasonable, then perhaps it could appear in the ABPA magazine as a recommendation.

David

[Zondrae]

G'day all,

My bit on this one. The first time I had a poem included in the Bronze Swagman anthology I was concerned if it then was ineligible for other competitions. I did not receive a 'prize', not even a Commended. I did not receive any cash so could I enter it in subsequent competitions as it was to be published. And even to extrapolate further.... the time lag between entering the BS, being notified of the selection and the actual book coming out was about seven months.
Surely a very long time to have a poem under wraps, or exclusive to one competition when what you get out of it is one book for the book shelf.

[Stephen Whiteside]

What are the chances of any competition organisers 'stumbling upon' the ABPA recommendations? Wouldn't it make more sense for the ABPA to write to selected comps?