is being a semi-finalist for www.poetry.com a big deal?

It's probably rarer to NOT get to be a semi-finalist.

[www.google.com] />
pam

That depends entirely on what you mean by "a big deal."

It certainly IS a big deal if you are proud of your entry, if making the semi-finals made you happy, and (most of all) if you make it the occasion for a party.

If you're wondering whether "semi-finalist for www.poetry.com" will impress the world of poetry publishers, the answer is NO. Poetry.com is a business. They make their money when poets pay them to print up books of poetry, and they sell things like mouse pads and bags and shirts with your choice of poem printed on them. In order to attract business, they give cash prizes to people who submit their poems.

The winners (and the semi-finalists!) may be EXCELLENT poems. However, the prizes will be awarded even if all the entries are just awful. So the simple FACT of winning won't impress editors or teachers or others who are seriously interested in poetry. For those folks to be impressed, they would to read and like your poem for themselves.

Now that I've said that, I'll contradict myself in one respect. PUTTING YOUR POEM OUT THERE shows initiative. I give you high marks compared to someone who has NOT written a poem, or has written it but is too shy to put it out there in public.

Speaking as a member of the National Geographic Society, Congratulations

Johnny SansCulo wrote:

Speaking as a member of the National Geographic Society,
Congratulations

Hey!
I may already have WON!


Jack

And in a greater sense, we are ALL semi-finalists at www.life.com.

(Whoever came up with the ad phrase "You may have already won" deserves a Nobel Prize in bullshit.)

Marian-

It's at least a PHD.

Pile it
Higher and
Deeper


Jack

putting your poem out there, taking a chance is a big deal
if but one person reads it and don't like it - you made them think
if they liked it it warmed their heart- if to long maybe they fell asleep
point being:
GOOD OR BAD, TO TOUCH SOMEONE WITH YOUR WORDS
IS A BIG DEAL

hi my name is mary adams and i use to have the emil address as ladyganster35@aol.com but i have changed mt email address to ladygangster@earhlink.net and my poem has been choosen to be a smi finalist and what dose that mean becuase this is my frist time doing this

It means tha they will print your poem in a humongous book, along with hundreds of others, and your poem will be swallowed up by it. Yes, the publication is real, but unfortunately the only people who will probably read it are you and the other poets in the book. And if you want to buy the book, you'll have to chuck up about 50.00. If you want your bio in the book it will be even more. If this is appealing to you, congratulations, but if you are looking for legitimate publication of your poetry...keep looking. It doesn't mean your work is not good enough for other publication, but they will publish everyone they can.

You may find this interesting -

[www.eliteskills.com] />

Stephen

i won in there b4! check ma poem out its called ther lonely nose by louise whitney guest - yes my name is louise whitney reed but it was louise whitney guest then! lol

The Lonely Nose

A rather sad,overwieght nose stands alone
In the mplaygroud,getting frozen,
Watching them play their games all around,
And wondering why It's never chooosen.

It desperately wants to join in, you see,
But nobody takes it seriously,
Because It' no good at games.
It finds it hard to hit a ball,
And can't catch a frisby that's spun.
Football's too fast for a nose that's so vast,
But it loves nothing more than to run!

Louise Whitney Guest

Yaaahhh, I don't put too much value into poetry.com; haven't heard anything postive about it.

To test them once I submitted a poem that even I knew was bunk and they accepted it...I'M A WINNER! and for only a mere $65 US I could buy my own copy of the book and have my poem sung and recorded onto a CD...can you imagine a Vampire song...good grief.

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. (Aristotle)

All you had to do was ask-

pam

Rudolph, the Red-Eyed Vampire
To the tune of "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer"
Words Copyright © 1995 Mark A. Mandel
Intro by Jonathan Gilbert


(Intro
You know Dracula, Blacula, Count Nosferatu,
Others who don't give their names till they've got you,
But don't you forget
The most evil vampire yet...

Rudolph, the red-eyed vampire,
Has two very pointy fangs,
And if he tries to kiss you
You had better say, "No thanks".*


All of the other vampires
Said his eyes were much too bright.
They always made poor Rudolph
Hunt all by himself each night.


Then one stormy Hallowe'en
Dracula said, "Son,
Dollink, come here, if you would..."
Then Rudolph sprang, and drank his blood.


Then all the vampires feared him
And they shouted out with dread:
"Rudolph, the red-eyed vampire,
You can lead us now instead."


(Coda
Yai-dai-dai-dai-dai,
Yai-dai-dai-dai-dai,
Yai-dai-dai-dai-dai, dai-dai.
Notes
* This song works best in a medium-weight mock-Hungarian accent.

hahaha Very nice vampire poem, probably the best one (only one) i have ever seen. Vampires, and christmas, whats next?

Yeah, everyone gets to be a semi-finalist... Back three years ago i thought it was a serious achomplishment, then again, i was very young. Dont get over-worked by it, but if you are truly proud of your entry, that is what should make you feel achomplished, not the fact you are a semi-finalist.

In other words, compliments from your english teacher, is more of a compliement to your writing then being a semi-finalist in that garbage is.

Thanks Stephen for that link....most interesting was the accepted poem that included the phrase "kill the knee grows".........strongly supports that they dont even read the submissions

I agree. In fact I am of the opinion that compliments from English teachers are possibly the best acheivment one can accomplish from their writing. If Mrs. Weiss had not wrote me a little note in the 6th grade that said "I can't wait to read your scary story. You are such a good writer." I probably would still be working in some crummy accounting office bored out of my mind....or maybe I'd be a drunk on the street. Who knows?

"I can't wait to read your scary story. You are such a good writer."

Obviously this person was someone you admired. If you hope to be a teacher, make sure that praise is part of your lesson plan.

Les

A sidenote: Being a teacher, it's not hard to deal with those whose egos need boosting. The challenge is dealing with those who think they already know all you have to teach.

If Mrs. Weiss had not wrote me a little note ...

Well, it rhymes anyway.

I know, I know, wise guys are ten for a penny. Lucky for me I am always self-effacing.

I can be had cheaper than 10 for a penny,,,,a bargain at half the price.

I am more self-defecating than self -effacing, though I do dump on Hugh and Les here and there...it's ok...they can take it !

Thanks for the advice,Les...I can't wait for the day (and I may never even know it when it comes) that a student says to someone "Mrs. Reed inspired me to write/read/etc."

And those with egos...well I hope to prove them wrong.

make sure that when you shatter their self confidence, that the pieces are so small that they can't be pieced together !

gottcha!

    Last month my spouse"kevin" got a letter from poetry.com saying that his poem was selected as a finalist in the contest: last week I recieved a letter telling that a poem that I had submitted was selected as a semi-finalist,and both of our letters stated that they wanted to publish our respective poems in a coffee table book that they were compiling at no cost to us.  We were sent a copy of our poems and were to proofread them intinical a paper giving them the permission to print our poems and we would be notified as of the winners.<br />
 Well having done what was asked of us and making copies of all correspondence we have yet to here anything.<br />

i would like to know if this is just a clever sales tactic;or is there any honestey involved on thier part?!!
If anyone out there has had any experience with this company,or can offer any insight at all; I welcome any and all correspondence @terror2u@hotmail.com. This letter is dated september seventh,2K4. Thanks....

Sincerly,
Terri Lee Gillam

TerriLee, it's a scam. Click on "flat view" and read the posts above yours on this thread.

Les

Oh yeah, poetry.com chooses everyone as a semi finalist so do most of the other poetry contests. A semi finalist only wins the opportunity to buy their own poem on various merchandise. You write the poem and then they expect you to pay them to put it on plaques and bags and coffee cups ect. That's all then they get your permission to publish your poem in a book and sell it only to you and other people who have a poem in the book. That's not nice to take advantage of people's talents or non talents. I'm sure everyone cannot have a super poem that they become a semi finalist. It's a scam so don't waste your money. Some one actually reported them because they submitted a poem that made no sense and spelled it wrong too and guess what 'They're also a semi finalist'!

No everyone is... it's a scam to get you to buy merchandise. they will put your poem on merchandise and in a book and expect you to buy it. sorry!