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Original poster

Poetry copyrights

21 replies

Janstar · 08/06/2004 08:41

No one is replying to my emails!!

I read somewhere on the site that all postings become the property of mumsnet. This is a concern for the creative writing club. I and I'm sure, others, would like to own our own poetry, etc, even if we have posted it on mumsnet. I'm reluctant to post any more of my work if there is an ownership issue. Can you clarify this please?

OP posts:

Rachel (mumsnet) · 08/06/2004 14:08

Hi Janster

We don't appear to have received any emails from you on this subject - were you sending them to [email protected]? If not, it may be that it was not picked up by tech, who is away at the moment.

We can assure you that we have no intention of using the material from the creative writing club. The claim of copyright is for the advice posted by mumsnet members and we certainly don't intend to publish an anothology of your creative writing or anything else of this nature (although I'm sure it would make great reading!) If you would like to discuss this further with us, please do write to us at [email protected]

With best wishes

Rachel, Carrie and Justine

Original poster

Janstar · 08/06/2004 14:20

Hi Rachel

The email I sent was to tech and it was something like 10 days ago (I think!)

Thanks for that clarification. I thought that would be the case but just wanted to confirm it, for peace of mind for all the budding poets! Now they have no excuse not to post their poetry

OP posts:

tech2 · 08/06/2004 14:22

I've not received anything on this janstar, sorry!

Original poster

Janstar · 08/06/2004 14:29

Wouldn't it be interesting to find out where all these unreceived emails go? There is no doubt that a good proportion of emails (everywhere, not just on mn) never reach the recipient - they can't be stuck at the bottom of a pillar box, where are they? Somewhere in hyper-space perhaps? A friend of mine reckons the government reads them all and confiscates some (but he's barking anyway!)

OP posts:

SueW · 08/06/2004 15:15

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at OP's request.

Original poster

Janstar · 08/06/2004 15:24

How does a spam filter determine what is and isn't spam?

OP posts:

gothicmama · 08/06/2004 15:26

Apparently all emails sent are scanned for dubious words / phrases- there was a guy in the paper who got arrested for txting song lyrics to other band members that conveyed the impression of a hijack /terriost attack (an old CLash song)

bettys · 08/06/2004 15:30

If copyright belongs to Mumsnet (apart from the creative writers' club) what about the people who ask for help writing their books? Is that advice then the property of MN or the would-be author??

Original poster

Janstar · 08/06/2004 15:35

I guess advice can't really belong to a person like their creative writing does. After all, when you give advice you hope it will be repeated if people find it helpful, don't you?

OP posts:

expatkat · 10/06/2004 11:19

Janstar, it's so hard to get a poem accepted/published ANYWHERE that I highly doubt anyone would be interested in stealing poems from here just for the hell of it. What on earth would/could they do with it, given the raging popularity of poetry as a genre ?

Original poster

Janstar · 10/06/2004 11:24

You're right, it is difficult to get poetry published. However, some people do manage it. And if I am ever one of the lucky ones I don't want to find that I have carelessly given away the copyright to my work.

I was 99% sure that I would receive the answer I did from the team. But I felt I had a responsibility to other people who post their poetry on my poetry workshop thread to have the issue clarified.

OP posts:

Original poster

Janstar · 10/06/2004 11:26

Can I also add that no one ever suggested poetry would be 'stolen'. It is purely and simply a copyright issue.

OP posts:

expatkat · 10/06/2004 11:46

Sorry, janstar, I was being very tongue and cheek & poking fun at the lack of popularity of the genre, not you. I knew what you meant. I was hoping you'd share a "knowing laugh" with me.

Original poster

Janstar · 10/06/2004 11:50

Sorry, I felt as if you were laughing 'at' me rather than 'with' me. But if you say you weren't that's good enough for me . Another case of the missing tone of voice and facial expression when chatting on the internet I guess.

Did you plan to post poetry at all? I know you posted in the creative writing club.

OP posts:

expatkat · 10/06/2004 12:13

No, I don't think I'll post, Janstar, , though I think what you're doing is great. I can't take on board another form of procrastination , particularly as these exercises would take me FOREVER. (I'm not a natural wit, unlike you guys). Really I just popped in to the creative writing club to say that I'm willing to help anyone with the practical side of publishing: what to say in a cover letter, etc, because I have a little experience with that kind of thing.

Original poster

Janstar · 10/06/2004 12:16

I think I remember you posted once that your boss is a poet?

OP posts:

expatkat · 10/06/2004 12:25

Yeah, I work for a small lit magazine devoted to poetry, so all my bosses/colleagues are poets. Have worked for 2 others in the US, too, and also for the American equivalent of the Poetry Society--so, yes, I know my share of poets! I've spent a lot of my life trying to get people to actually read poetry, hence the earlier jokes that were not so well-received. In fact, this magazine I work for hasn't paid me for the last three issues, and I guess that's partly because no one reads poetry and therefore no one subscribes to poetry magazines! It's quite sad, really.

Original poster

Janstar · 10/06/2004 12:47

Do you not think that it is becoming more popular?

OP posts:

expatkat · 10/06/2004 13:25

I don't know the statistics, but I don't really think it is .

Original poster

Janstar · 10/06/2004 13:33

It's just that over the last couple of years I've seen a lot more poetry reviews in the Times than previously. Also people seem to be starting more poetry groups and stuff. It's image seems to be shifting slightly - where a lot of people used to regard it as starchy and schoolroomish I think more and more are beginning to enjoy it. I thought maybe some of the TV programmes and book clubs etc may have helped too.

OP posts:

expatkat · 10/06/2004 13:53

Well, that's good news!

The opposite is true in the US, in some ways. In the old days the NY Times used to review poetry collections; now they almost never do. Same is true of the other major papers. It's a kind of dumbing down--or something.

But in a paradoxical way, poetry (thereand here too?) has gotten a lot more popular due to the proliferation of creative writing degree courses at universities. So the number of "poets" in the US have increased exponentially, but I don't think the number of "readers" has increased that much IYSWIM. And I guess when I think about the popularity of poetry, I think as much about readers as writers. Because, in the end, the reason it's so hard to publish is because not enough people read it, so the publishing houses make no money on the books they put outand their response to that poor demand is to drop their poetry lists etc. Which they've been doing A LOT in this country. Similarly, lit mags fold (or don't pay their employees grrrrr ) because people just don't read them very often.

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