Someone remind me. I believe the Lit Rev only awards first and second place to subscribers?

Yes, you're right, Walter. To get the big money you have to buy the magazine but I've said it many times - the kudos is huge, even if you only win ten quid!

So please don't be put off; I'd love to see your name and many other sphereans names in there!

Jayne

Kudos is not accepted at most stores, Jayne.

It just seems wrong as a matter of principle. I'm not sure, but in the US it may well be illegal to run a contest like this that discriminates between people who buy what your'e selling and people who don't. If it's not, it should be, since it's pretty much like selling lottery tickets (in addition to the skill element).

And after all, if they run your poem, it's going to be printed in the same place and take up the same space whether you are a subscriber or not.

I don't at all see why a magazine should not run a competition for subscribers only. The subscription can be seen as an annual entrance fee. If that were illegal then a competition with an entrance fee, like most poetry competitions, would be illegal also. I think things may be different if you are running a competition when no skill is involved. The subscription is about thirty pounds for twelve months. That is less than three pounds a go, if you try every month, as I do, which is considerably less than the entrance fee for the National Poetry Competition (where I never win at all).

Hang on a minute! That's news to me! So I've been wasting my time for the last four months.

What I find upsetting, regardless of whether it is or is not an ethical practice, is that there is nothing to indicate that this kind of discrimination is being applied - at least, not on the competition announcement on the Sphere. Perhaps it's specified in the magazine itself, which I've never actually seen.

So if any subscriber out there would care to borrow some entries ...

Although I suppose there might still be time to take out a subscription before this month's closing date, though not, alas, last month's.

"Kudos is not accepted at most stores, Jayne."

It's not just about money. Whilst it's great to receive a cheque it's usually not that much, comparatively speaking (£25-30 from The Speccie or The Oldie won't even half-fill my car with fuel) but how thrilled are we all when we get a poem in either of those publications?

The standard of work is high, the competition from so many entrants makes it harder to win, so when we do I'd say the kudos is tremendous - and well worth having. (If it's not, why does anyone trouble themselves to submit to the plethora of online sites such as Snakeskin and Lighten Up Online, to name but two? There's no money to be won but we all love to see our names in there.)

If you're entering these comps merely with the hope of winning a lot of money, you'd be better off not bothering, to be frank. It's the wrong motive IMO. I got a £50 cheque for a reading last night but I didn't go there for that reason; I went because I love what I do.

Brian,
I apologise that it hasn't been made clear that the two top prizes in LR are available only to subscribers, but when you "do the math" as our US friends say, and as John pointed out, it's not a bad investment. He and I both won £300 within three months of taking out a subscription! (Would you like me to send you a copy of the magazine to have a look at? It's a quality publication.)

Jayne

I am of the same mind, & frankly I'm surprised that anyone should be in doubt about the conditions. Moreover, it's a better deal than an entrance fee (often a rip-off) because you get a monthly literary magazine at below cover price – & one, to my mind, which has improved significantly over the past few years.

I have not seen a copy of LitRev in the shops since the days of crusty Auberon Waugh editorials and Willie Rushton's excellent covers which were worth the price of admission alone. It seems I'll have to subscribe now - I can't let a nonsense verse comp pass me by!

Jayne,

It's not a question of the money, although I don't subscribe to magazines, partly because I don't read them, but also because to have them sent abroad costs vastly more than a subscription to be delivered in England.

I somewhat take your point about the kudos, but I do feel that they could be a little more generous towards winning entries for non-subscribers. Compared with 30 quid for 16 lines in the Spectator, a tenner for 24 lines seems peculiarly mean.

Brian

Yes, I suppose pro rata that a tenner isn't very generous these days. I take your point too, Brian.

A runner-up prize in Literary Review should be worth more than that. Who's going to tell them? :eek:

Jayne