[Adrian Fry]

I never liked the rankings as I like to think of each competition as separate rather than as individual points in a year long contest.

[Max Goodman]

Dunno whether this conversation has run its course, but I want to thank everyone who's chimed in. I'm glad not everyone here thinks my goal is waste of time, and I'm glad that those who do have been willing to say so.

I intend to let you know in seven months whether I hit my target, because that intention may be helpful when I'm struggling with a comp--as I am this week.

[Matt Q]

Before this conversation closes, can someone explain the logistics of submitting under names other than one's own. Not that I submit much these days, and rarely had more than one entry to submit when I did.

I mean, I can easily set up an email address with another name, but setting up a bank account in that name is a challenge. I guess I could find a friend who doesn't mind their name and account details being used -- which is what I thought people were doing. But now I wonder if all that subterfuge would be necessary? I mean, if Max can get away with using "Noam D. Plume", presumably the comp setters aren't that bothered? On the other hand, I seem to recall someone once saying that they'd sent in fake name entry and saying it was such (or possibly sent the real and the fake in the same email?) and the Speccie being rather unhappy at the presumption of it.

thanks,

Matt

[Max Goodman]

Hi, Matt,

When I send multiple entries, I do it in separate messages sent from the same email address and with the same postal address. In the past, I've also sent multiple entries in a single email with the pseudonym alongside my real name. That seems to work, too. Lucy doesn't seem to be much of a stickler about such things.

I haven't tried multiple entries with Tessa (except that when the toast comp got repeated I resubmitted the previous year's entry along with a new poem. Tessa apparently didn't care for either).

P.S.: It's Noam D. Plum. Plume would be silly.

[Matt Q]

Thanks Max, that's good to know.

[Jayne Osborn]

Hey, Max, you've provided me with another opportunity to say that I've had a win in The Speccie and The Oldie competitions with the same poem, but about a year apart. It must be... oh, at least a year since I last mentioned it.

I don't know the number of times I've won but as I subscribe to both magazines I do keep all the copies in which I get even the slightest mensh. Like others have said, though, quite often the topic doesn't float my boat at all, especially the prose comps or political ones. (I don't have a single poem about Corbyn, May, Cameron, Boris, even Trump... none of 'em!)

I'm not interested in winning for winning's sake - I generally strive to submit poems that might be useful additions to my repertoire, for readings, and if I win I read the poem to an audience from the actual magazine; it has more clout that way.

But I love seeing so many of ''us'' on the pages of The Speccie and The Oldie, and get a kick out of declaring "That one's written by my friend... and that one... and that one..."

Jayne