Postings and Publishing, Postings and Publishing Options

[Guest_Jox_*]

I was just wondering what the attitude of publishers is to items posted on Mosaic (or any other forum, for that matter)? Do they consider such a posting to be a publication or not? Since publishers want first rights (usually) it would be useful for guidance on this matter. Thank you.

[Morgan le Fay]

Hi Jox!

Welcome to MM!        I'm no authority on such matters but I can relate to you my own experience.  Most e-zines and hard print publishers, consider these poetry boards " workshops ", and don't mind if you workshop your poem.  You are effectivley asking for critique when posting here or other forums, and hopefuly fine tuning your work.  Some of the e-zines and publishers will consider work that is simultaneously subimited to them and other publishers, some will not.  It's an individual thing.

I had a poem published by Poetic Voices Magazine.  Their policy was that workshoping was fine, and they excepted simultaneous submissions, but if some other publisher excepted it before they did, that you should notify them.  That did not mean that they would not publish, they just would not publish it at the same time the other publisher was running your work.  Also you should not submit a poem at the same time that it is undergoing the workshop process, only when in your mind it is a finished poem and no longer accepting critique.  Their rights to the poem usually are only of limited duration.  In Poetic Voices, their rights to sole publishing was for a two month period, as that was how long between updates on their website.

What you need to do is check out the policy of the publisher you are interested in submitting too.  They usually have their submission guidelines on their websites or in their magazine.  I hope this helps you out a little.

Again, welcome to MM and I hope you have a great time here!!!!! :pharoah2  

Best regards,
Morgan le Fay
Mistress of Magic