[Writers Services] Chapter One Promotions - Page 2

BenPanced · 08-28-2008, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nieglesnush

We've established that Chapter One Promotions is an excellent place to get a professional opinion on your work provided you a) don't mind if it's not really a professional opinion; b) can wait a few years to hear back and c) have pounds to throw around.

Since I meet none of the above requirements I'm still looking for a place that I can get a constructive and useful critique on my manuscript before going forth to be rejected by oodles of publishers. Any ideas on where to start?

Our Share Your Work area is a good place. Helpful critique and friendly advice abound.

stitcherama · 05-01-2009, 09:19 PM

Hi, I've just been told I'm a runner up in their International competition, I'm beginning to wonder what this means given the trail of comments, has anyone had good dealings with Chapterone?

CaoPaux · 05-04-2009, 09:51 PM

A good measure of what it means would be to look up past winners/runners' up and see where they are now.

eastanglian · 05-15-2009, 04:57 PM

Yesterday I happened to check Chapter One's website and found I'd apparently won First Prize in their 2009 International Short Story comp. But no one has contacted me and the results seem to have been up for a couple of weeks. Now I've read all these awful postings about payment problems for prizewinners. Tried phoning them but no answer and they haven't returned my call. Any still unpaid prizewinners out there? Could be a case for Watchdog.

Dennie · 05-26-2009, 02:22 PM

Like Eastanglian, I had the same experience, checked the website 11th May and found I'd won third prize. I did manage to get hold of Johanna at C1P, after leaving a message, then emailing them as well.She did phone me back. The original posts about C1P date back to 2005 so they haven't learnt much since then as it's really bad practice to put something in the public domain and not tell the individuals. I expressed surprise at the practice and was told I'd get the contract this week - that got me suspicious too frankly as like many others I had some difficulty understanding what the organisation is about. I've had a letter today, just to tell me I've come 3rd, no contract yet, which I was told was to ensure that the writing was by me and not published elsewhere, also I assume there's stuff around the anthology which according to today's letter will be in 2 years time. I haven't found any short story collection on their website after the 2005 competition by the way. I'm seriously wondering about asking for my story back. The letter does not mention the prize money and when I asked Johanna, she said it would be some months before it's awarded. It may be worthwhile a few of us in the same position getting together and approaching them as a group for some very straight talking. It may well be that they're not trying to pull a fast one and mess with us in which case they're doing themselves absolutely no favours.

eastanglian · 05-29-2009, 04:34 PM

Dennie, I'd suggest that -- for the time being at least -- you don't ask for your story back. Let's give them the benefit of the doubt and see how things pan out. My experience mirrors yours exactly -- Johanna phoned me back eventually & I've now got a confirmation letter. But, as you say, no mention of prize money (the terms & conditions state "within 3 months of contracts being signed and returned"). And waiting 2 years (at best) for publication is frankly ridiculous.
I suspect that they're not scamsters but are simply strapped for cash and understaffed. Presumably they're still putting together the 2006 anthology.
I suggest we two keep in touch (via this site? not sure how to send personal emails via site) and update each other on progress. Even better if we could get second prize winner (or runners-up) onboard.
I was told to expect a contract 2 weeks after the confirmation letter, so let's see if they're true to their word.
btw, Congratulations!

Dennie · 06-07-2009, 05:11 PM

The weeks roll on and it looks like the winners of this year's short story competition remain in the dark. First we only knew we'd won from the website, which is a very poor show, and then a belated letter a few weeks later. Promised contracts haven't materialised, and I certainly haven't had a reply to an email I sent seeking clarification about various things a couple of weeks ago. I'm puzzled for instance that no short story anthology has been published since a collection of stories from the 2005 competition when you'd expect at least a couple more anthologies to have hit the shelves by now. It's clear from the letter I've had that the competition is a key part of Chapter One Promotions' self promotion, yet all they're getting at the moment is BAD PUBLICITY! Fortunately, we don't have to accept this kind of treatment and there are steps we can take individually or even better, together.

eastanglian · 06-09-2009, 03:05 PM

Ch1 are already advertising their 2010 comp (open from Sept) but I would advise anyone considering entering (£10 entry fee) to think carefully before doing so. There are too many things about their website that ring alarm bells -- not only, as mentioned above, the lack of any anthology of winning stories later than 2005, but even that title appears to lack an ISBN number, so how can anyone buy it except directly from Ch1? I also find it odd that this years's winning stories are not available on their website (good publicity surely?) and that no list of previous prizewinners seems to exist.
If these misgivings prove ill-founded, I'm more than happy to put the record straight on this site. In fact, there's nothing I'd like more!

eastanglian · 10-20-2009, 05:17 PM

It's now nearly 6 months since Ch1 announced the results of their 2009 story competition. Still none of the winners has received a penny in prize money. My own personal experience, as first prize winner, is a sorry tale of broken promises, breached contracts and bounced cheques. A legal claim for the prize money is now in progress. In my view the chances of any of the winners of the 2010 competition ever receiving any prize money or seeing their stories published by Chapter One are extremely slim.

Dennie · 10-20-2009, 06:17 PM

Like Eastanglian, and a third prize winner, I've not had a penny. C1P dragged their feet issuing contracts, then gave themselves up to 3 months to pay, and now they ahve breached the contracts they issued by not paying a penny. I haven't even had a cheque which then bounces, just a stony silence. It's clear that they expect to use the entrant fee of £10 to fund the previous year's prizes, except that it seems they can't even do that now. Please think carefully before entering the 2010 competition, folks. Whilst it might be in this year's prize winners' interests if you do as we might see some of our prize money, C1P are not people you should have to deal with. We're left with taking legal action.

Dennie · 11-07-2009, 08:01 PM

Chapter One update
As the 3rd prize winner - until confirming my withdrawal from the competition because I couldn't bear to do business with them anymore, any brave souls entering this year and winning a prize, be sure to send any signed contract by recorded delivery. I sent mine back in late June, and have now been told that they never received mine and therefore they can't be in breach of contract. At no point between then and now have they suggested this, so guess who's a stranger to the truth.

Eirin · 11-07-2009, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dennie

...and have now been told that they never received mine and therefore they can't be in breach of contract...

Whoa. That's seriously sleazy.

Susan Lanigan · 11-09-2009, 03:59 AM

Oh wow. I can't believe they're still doing this. I'm so sorry.

05-04-2009, 09:51 PM	#28
CaoPaux Mostly Harmless AW Supermod Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Coastal Desert Posts: 5,836	A good measure of what it means would be to look up past winners/runners' up and see where they are now. __________________ ICAO --------- Achievers strive for excellence. Perfectionists drive themselves to extinction. -- A Grapple A Day I've never known any trouble that an hour's reading didn't assuage. -- Charles DeSecondat 2008: I 2009:

05-26-2009, 02:22 PM	#30
Dennie New kid, be gentle! Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 4	Chapter One Promotions Like Eastanglian, I had the same experience, checked the website 11th May and found I'd won third prize. I did manage to get hold of Johanna at C1P, after leaving a message, then emailing them as well.She did phone me back. The original posts about C1P date back to 2005 so they haven't learnt much since then as it's really bad practice to put something in the public domain and not tell the individuals. I expressed surprise at the practice and was told I'd get the contract this week - that got me suspicious too frankly as like many others I had some difficulty understanding what the organisation is about. I've had a letter today, just to tell me I've come 3rd, no contract yet, which I was told was to ensure that the writing was by me and not published elsewhere, also I assume there's stuff around the anthology which according to today's letter will be in 2 years time. I haven't found any short story collection on their website after the 2005 competition by the way. I'm seriously wondering about asking for my story back. The letter does not mention the prize money and when I asked Johanna, she said it would be some months before it's awarded. It may be worthwhile a few of us in the same position getting together and approaching them as a group for some very straight talking. It may well be that they're not trying to pull a fast one and mess with us in which case they're doing themselves absolutely no favours.

06-07-2009, 05:11 PM	#32
Dennie New kid, be gentle! Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 4	Beware Chapter One Promotions Short Story Competition 2009! The weeks roll on and it looks like the winners of this year's short story competition remain in the dark. First we only knew we'd won from the website, which is a very poor show, and then a belated letter a few weeks later. Promised contracts haven't materialised, and I certainly haven't had a reply to an email I sent seeking clarification about various things a couple of weeks ago. I'm puzzled for instance that no short story anthology has been published since a collection of stories from the 2005 competition when you'd expect at least a couple more anthologies to have hit the shelves by now. It's clear from the letter I've had that the competition is a key part of Chapter One Promotions' self promotion, yet all they're getting at the moment is BAD PUBLICITY! Fortunately, we don't have to accept this kind of treatment and there are steps we can take individually or even better, together.

06-09-2009, 03:05 PM	#33
eastanglian New kid, be gentle! Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 4	CHAPTER ONE SHORT STORY COMPETITION 2010 Ch1 are already advertising their 2010 comp (open from Sept) but I would advise anyone considering entering (£10 entry fee) to think carefully before doing so. There are too many things about their website that ring alarm bells -- not only, as mentioned above, the lack of any anthology of winning stories later than 2005, but even that title appears to lack an ISBN number, so how can anyone buy it except directly from Ch1? I also find it odd that this years's winning stories are not available on their website (good publicity surely?) and that no list of previous prizewinners seems to exist. If these misgivings prove ill-founded, I'm more than happy to put the record straight on this site. In fact, there's nothing I'd like more!

10-20-2009, 05:17 PM	#34
eastanglian New kid, be gentle! Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 4	CHAPTER ONE SHORT STORY COMPETITION 2010 It's now nearly 6 months since Ch1 announced the results of their 2009 story competition. Still none of the winners has received a penny in prize money. My own personal experience, as first prize winner, is a sorry tale of broken promises, breached contracts and bounced cheques. A legal claim for the prize money is now in progress. In my view the chances of any of the winners of the 2010 competition ever receiving any prize money or seeing their stories published by Chapter One are extremely slim.

05-01-2009, 09:19 PM	#27
stitcherama New kid, be gentle! Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 1	Hi, I've just been told I'm a runner up in their International competition, I'm beginning to wonder what this means given the trail of comments, has anyone had good dealings with Chapterone?

05-15-2009, 04:57 PM	#29
eastanglian New kid, be gentle! Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 4	Yesterday I happened to check Chapter One's website and found I'd apparently won First Prize in their 2009 International Short Story comp. But no one has contacted me and the results seem to have been up for a couple of weeks. Now I've read all these awful postings about payment problems for prizewinners. Tried phoning them but no answer and they haven't returned my call. Any still unpaid prizewinners out there? Could be a case for Watchdog.

05-29-2009, 04:34 PM	#31
eastanglian New kid, be gentle! Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 4	Dennie, I'd suggest that -- for the time being at least -- you don't ask for your story back. Let's give them the benefit of the doubt and see how things pan out. My experience mirrors yours exactly -- Johanna phoned me back eventually & I've now got a confirmation letter. But, as you say, no mention of prize money (the terms & conditions state "within 3 months of contracts being signed and returned"). And waiting 2 years (at best) for publication is frankly ridiculous. I suspect that they're not scamsters but are simply strapped for cash and understaffed. Presumably they're still putting together the 2006 anthology. I suggest we two keep in touch (via this site? not sure how to send personal emails via site) and update each other on progress. Even better if we could get second prize winner (or runners-up) onboard. I was told to expect a contract 2 weeks after the confirmation letter, so let's see if they're true to their word. btw, Congratulations!

10-20-2009, 06:17 PM	#35
Dennie New kid, be gentle! Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 4	Chapter One Promotions: health warning to 2010 short story competition entrants Like Eastanglian, and a third prize winner, I've not had a penny. C1P dragged their feet issuing contracts, then gave themselves up to 3 months to pay, and now they ahve breached the contracts they issued by not paying a penny. I haven't even had a cheque which then bounces, just a stony silence. It's clear that they expect to use the entrant fee of £10 to fund the previous year's prizes, except that it seems they can't even do that now. Please think carefully before entering the 2010 competition, folks. Whilst it might be in this year's prize winners' interests if you do as we might see some of our prize money, C1P are not people you should have to deal with. We're left with taking legal action.

11-07-2009, 08:01 PM	#36
Dennie New kid, be gentle! Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 4	Chapter One update As the 3rd prize winner - until confirming my withdrawal from the competition because I couldn't bear to do business with them anymore, any brave souls entering this year and winning a prize, be sure to send any signed contract by recorded delivery. I sent mine back in late June, and have now been told that they never received mine and therefore they can't be in breach of contract. At no point between then and now have they suggested this, so guess who's a stranger to the truth.

11-09-2009, 03:59 AM	#38
Susan Lanigan AW Addict Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 261	Oh wow. I can't believe they're still doing this. I'm so sorry.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode