Writer Beware - Chapter One Promotions
I don't normally like naming and shaming as I've often said in the past, but I wouldn't be doing my job as a comps columnist if I didn't alert everyone to this.
Today I received news that Chapter One Promotions have failed to pay the winners of previous comps, and didn't even let people know they'd won. The winners had to find out by going to the website.
All this is discussed at the Absolute Write Water Cooler here.
As a result, I've removed all listings for Chapter One comps from my website comps calendar. I've also alerted Writers Forum to the problem, due to the fact I'd just sent a listing in which included a Chapter One comp closing in January.
I'd be very interested to hear from anyone who's had problems with Chapter One or any other comps. If I get enough, then I can write an article pointing up the problems writing comp entrants have getting their winnings etc.
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Writing Competitions Calendar
6 Comments - Thank you!:
That's really not on. Disgusting. Thanks for flagging this up, Sally.
Nik
Shame on them, Sally. And thanks for letting people know. It makes you wonder which other comps out there are a bit dodgy too doesn't it?
Julie
I was worried about Chapter One Promotions some time ago (I post at Absolute Write as Old Hack), and I'm sorry to say it's run by someone who did the same writing MA as I did, and at least one friend of mine was involved in judging one of the competitions.
It's sad. But it's also wrong, and the writers involved deserve to have been treated much better than they have been.
Thanks for posting this. I suppose it's possible that there is some legitimate reason why the organizers have been so lax, but I suspect not.
Public service blogging... thank you.
My short story was 'highly recommended' in the 2007 competition at Chapter One Promotions.
I found out I had a mention only by checking the website. After some time I received a contract to give permission to print it in their anthology. Since then, I emailed several times to find out when the anthology would materialise - it never did, and nor did any response to my emails.
I'm now a published author working on my second novel, and I'm a great advocate of writing awards. But I wouldn't recommend Chapter One Promotions in a hurry; spend your entry fee on something with more promising odds.
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