Hatrack River Writers Workshop: Too good to be true?

This is topic Too good to be true? in forum Open Discussions About Writing at Hatrack River Writers Workshop.

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Posted by cvgurau (Member # 1345) on :

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060913/ap_on_en_ot/books_new_prize

The parts that seem particularly suspicious are the prizes (25K seems like a lot of money for second place), the $85 entry fee, and that although up to 50,000 manuscript will be accepted, "not a single writer will face silent rejection"

I'm wary, but then, I'm wary of most things; I can't decide if I'm being cautious or just paranoid.

Tell me what you think....(of the contest, not my paranoia. )

Posted by autumnmuse (Member # 2136) on :

I'll let you read what Miss Snark thinks: http://misssnark.blogspot.com/2006/09/sobol-prize-is-still-crock-of-shit.html

She's posted about this contest before, back in July, and I think there is a link in the comments trail.

Posted by tlmorganfield (Member # 3461) on :

Here's what Victoria Stauss of Writer Beware has to say about the contest:

http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2006/09/victoria-strauss-sobol-award.html

The comments trail is interesting as well. My general impression is that you're probably better off to avoid the contest and save your $85.

[This message has been edited by tlmorganfield (edited September 14, 2006).]

Posted by autumnmuse (Member # 2136) on :

Hmm, TL, I'm getting a 'URL Not Found' message for your link, though I'm sure she says good stuff.

Posted by I need a good user name (Member # 3812) on :

General rule of thumb: if there's a submission fee, forget about it. Probably, it's a trap, and if you fall in you'll probably see the manuscript you worked so hard on get "EBaumed."

Posted by franc li (Member # 3850) on :

Wow, good thing I live in Maryland.

Posted by tlmorganfield (Member # 3461) on :

Thanks for the heads-up, autumnmuse. Turns out I had a period at the end of it. It's fixed now.

Posted by trousercuit (Member # 3235) on :

I checked out Gur Shomron's book, NETfold, on Amazon. Of 13 reviewers (all "*****! GREAT BOOK!", of course), only ONE has reviewed anything else, and he also gave that one five stars...

Either his book makes people want to review it on Amazon, or Gur has gotten friends or employees to review it favorably for him. I don't know exactly what that says about whether he's trustworthy, but it does smell a bit.

Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :

Well, if getting written up in USA Today means it's legit, then it's legit. But the eighty-five dollar entry fee is offputting...

Posted by tchernabyelo (Member # 2651) on :

Let's do the math.

50,000 entries "maximum" (why is there a maximum number of entries? My guess - to encourage people to get in quick before it "fills up"), at $85 each, comes to $4,250,000.

I think there's only one person who stands any chance of making money out of this.