Sunday, I was poking around web sites looking for suppliers of Kertzer Super 10, and discovered that one local yarn store is running a pattern contest this summer:
Design - must call for yarn carried by the store (natch)
Prize - $40 gift certificate, publication in the store's zine
Cost - "Patterns must be the entrants’ original, previously unpublished work and all entries become the property of (the store), will not be acknowledged or returned and may be used by (the store) in any manner or media in perpetuity without compensation."
I don't think so.
If I come up with an original idea, make the object, and commit the pattern to paper, there's no way I'm giving that up for $40 and a modicum of publicity.
Surprisingly, you must relinquish copyright just to get into the game. Even Cell, Science, and Nature release manuscripts they decline so you can publish elsewhere.
That company is just nuts. The problem is - some poor souls would go there, reinforcing the company's belief that we're all suckers. Sigh.
I have been dying to try that yarn btw - did you get any?
Posted by: Claudia Dunitz | 26 June 2008 at 13:02
Just plain unfair.
Posted by: Judy | 12 June 2008 at 17:04
wow. all entrants? so gee, they get all these designs and give up only 40-120 depending on whether they are publishing more than one pattern?
what a rip. pah! stuff 'em!
Posted by: ihatetoast | 08 June 2008 at 03:36
Yeesh, some people think designers will do anything for a bit of exposure! That's a crazy request.
Posted by: Dorothy | 07 June 2008 at 08:47
and now those journals don't even get exclusive publication rights if the work is funded by the US government.
Posted by: Emily L | 05 June 2008 at 20:04
I wonder how many takers there will be for this competition.
Posted by: Rebecca H. | 05 June 2008 at 13:22
wow - that is a bit steep!
$40, that isn't much compenstation.
Posted by: heather | 05 June 2008 at 11:36