Good News for me

this sounds like a scam to me, there is no way that a genuine publication would require you to pay to have your poem published. If I were you I would keep my money in my pocket and if your work is really good enough for publication wait until someone offers it to you without demanding a payment.

I thought I would have a quick look at the site to see whether it seemed dodgy. Never got there since my computer security software warned me off with : You are attempting to open a site that may contain harmful content! Says it all really.

I agree that it's probably a scam. Or at the very least extremely dodgy - if it is legal then the end product that you buy (the book of poetry) is likely to be of a very poor quality, i.e. cheap paper, everyone's poems crammed in in tiny print, with virtually no space separating them, etc. I know it's flattering and tempting but I would steer clear.

The way these companies profit is by writing to all entrants congratulating them on the inclusion of the poem in the anthology and then they hedge their bets that the majority of people who HAVE a poem published will also buy the book. It's an old scam. Well, I don't think it could be legally classed a scam, but these guys are very shrewd at preying on wannabe writers egos and make their money from it. ANY company, individual, group or otherwise who ask you to pay to have your work published, or whatever...is worthy a wide berth. I found a volunteering site this afternoon (because i want to do some voluntary work) and they wanted £40 membership fee. HA HA! What? BT rang me the other day and said "Hello Mr.Person...I'm just calling to check that your phone line is working ok." "Right! Does it fooking sound ok?" "Erm....long pause.....sound fine to me." "Fine....bye." "bye" I had a hard upbringing...but I did wear fake Golas at school once and noone was ever any the wiser.

Or perhaps they were, and they went around thinking, "Who's he think he's kidding with those fake Golas?" but they were too polite to say. :-) * P * :-) ( Read my blog! - www.oddcourgette.blogspot.com )

International Library of Poetry are from the same school as Poetry.com. Big anthologies full of absymal poetry for around £40 a copy. Not legally a scam but a business practice targetted at the vain, vulnerable and stupid. For the price they charge for one of their books you can make a small booklet of your poems, get it photocopied at the local print shop and give to all your family & friends. That's a much more sensible next step in anyone's poetry career.

"I had a hard upbringing...but I did wear fake Golas at school once and noone was ever any the wiser." Very funny. This is a line I will be 'borrowing' and using in the next suitable social situation, if that's ok, Yan.