Competition query

[LA Thomas]

There is a competition which says entrants must not have been published by a publisher or self published. If you have stories in an anthology do you think you are excluded from entering?

Thanks

 

[Hannah F]

There is a competition which says entrants must not have been published by a publisher or self published. If you have stories in an anthology do you think you are excluded from entering?

Thanks

Published by a publisher, in everything I've seen, means no full-length fiction or non-fiction. Most actually explain that. I think it's fair to assume this competition means that too.

 

[LA Thomas]

Thanks Hannah

 

[Brayati]

Published means available to the public, and if your story is in an anthology, whether by you or another entity, means it's been published.
However, check with them on their understanding of published. Most want first publishing rights, which you don't have if it's been published elsewhere, in any format, that makes it available to the public.

 

[RK Wallis]

Published means available to the public, and if your story is in an anthology, whether by you or another entity, means it's been published.
However, check with them on their understanding of published. Most want first publishing rights, which you don't have if it's been published elsewhere, in any format, that makes it available to the public.

Yes, that's my understanding too ... as it applies to the work you're subbing. I've even found some agents say posting work on the internet is published. It pays to read the fine print for each competition/agent. They're all different.

 

[LA Thomas]

Thank you all for your input.

 

[Hannah F]

Yes, that's my understanding too ... as it applies to the work you're subbing. I've even found some agents say posting work on the internet is published. It pays to read the fine print for each competition/agent. They're all different.

Agents/publishers mean any published work. Competitions often don't but they usually stipulate what they mean by published. Many state it means full length works. If they don't stipulate, I'd say just pop them an email before you submit without stating which work you're submitting, that way you won't break the anonymity clause.

 

[Bloo✒️]

There is a competition which says entrants must not have been published by a publisher or self published. If you have stories in an anthology do you think you are excluded from entering?

Thanks

Are you sure they mean entrants or entries? I ask coz this sounds a lot like what Brayati described and RK clarified; they are looking for first-publishing rights. This applies to the specific work, not the author.

 

[LA Thomas]

good point thanks