Submission Fees, Disability, and Poverty

According to the 2016 Disability Statistics Annual Report (in the US):

• 39.5% of disabled adults ages 18-65 are employed, while 76.6% of able-bodied, neurotypical people are employed.

• Disabled people earn about a third less than their peers when they do work.

• The percentage of able-bodied, neurotypical people living in poverty is 13.1% compared to 20.9% for us.  

I'm going to be bold and say the percentage of disabled people living in poverty is higher.  Why?  Because the report claims disabled people are only 12.8% of the population, and the CDC disagrees (click for link).  I realize the studies are two (maybe three) years apart, but the gap in time wouldn't account for such a drastic increase. 

We equal about half of the people living in poverty in the United States and the United Kingdom.
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Entry fees are no longer an indication of a literary contest scam, and the average fee is $20.  Yes, fee-free contests still exist, but nearly all "prestigious" ones are pay-to-play.  At least most contests charging fees give entrants a copy of the winning book or a magazine subscription.

Literary magazines charging submission fees are also more common.  While no hard numbers exist, I'd guess around 25% of "top-tier" literary magazines now have a mandatory $3 toll (sometimes more, rarely less) writers must pay in order to traverse the road to publication. Writers receive nothing except a decision for their cash.  The vast majority of writers receive more rejections than acceptances.
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Right now, I have twenty-nine submissions out to literary magazines and presses.  If the pattern of percentage holds across all literary magazines, I would have paid $21.75 just to see my work safely to editors' doors.  I'm also the not-so-proud owner of over fifty rejections for 2018 (so far).  I don't have enough money to waste on someone else's "no".

Disabled people are the world's largest minority group.  In many of the "First World" nations, we are a big chunk of the population in poverty.  Less money means less opportunity to submit our work.  Submission fees are just another way disabled people are kept out of publishing and literary communities.
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A few final notes:

1.  The percentage of literary magazines charging fees might be wildly incorrect.  I took a few lists of top-tier magazines and counted how many required fees.

2.  Poverty also intersects race.  Our non-white siblings are at an even greater disadvantage, though I couldn't find definitive numbers evidence indicates this is truth.

3.  I did look into other countries' statistics, focusing on the "developed" ones.  I used more resources for my figures, but I didn't wish to bore anyone with lists.  For anyone truly curious, I'll provide them if you ask.

Writers, Always Read What You're Getting Into!

I began a series of tweets yesterday to talk about copyrights and publishing.  As I started going through the terms of one particular essay contest, I realized just how difficult explaining everything in tweets might be.  So, here we are...

Most writers who write in the short-form genres (poetry, short stories, flash nonfiction) don't think much about rights.  The vast majority of them are never going to be showering in cash.  But rights-grabbing happens... a lot!  And you don't even have to sign a contract.
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A popular magazine is having an essay contest.  It's been annually occurring for the better part of a decade and has a fairly normal set of rules.  Until, that is, you get further down the page.

It starts:   "In addition, by entering, Entrant grants to Sponsor and its affiliates..."
First, the following applies to anyone entering the contest, not just the winners.  So, just by submitting your essay, you agree to grant the magazine whatever comes next.  And, how many "affiliates" does this magazine have?  Two?  Two hundred?  How many people now have access to utilize what they're asking?

"...nonexclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to edit, publish, promote, and republish at any time in the future and otherwise use Entrant’s submitted essay..."
Nonexclusive is fairly harmless.  You're free to publish your piece elsewhere.
And they're free to publish your essay, too!  Without compensating you at all... ever.

They also have the right to edit your essay in any way they want.  If your story was about the love you had for your pet goldfish, they can change it to say you ate said goldfish.  On the plus side though, your name is still on it!  So your neighbors (if said magazine publishes your piece a year from now) will know what a nasty elephant-eater you are!  I know I said goldfish, but, welcome to the world of editing!
***I know the above example is basically libel.  But they can change the whole tone of the piece and add tremendous amounts of typos legally.  They can wreck your reputation as a professional.  Plus, most of us don't have the cash to sue a huge company that can just print a microscopic "correction/retraction" months later.***

Oh, that "anytime in the future" part can mean a year from now.  Or two, decades, that is.  It's a surprise!
Don't forget that "and otherwise use" part, either.  Who knows what uses they could think up?  Could your essay become an article?  An expert quote on those who suffer from polar-bear-snuggling addiction?  An inspirational calendar sold in their online store for $19.99?  You don't know.  You might not even have the right to know.

"...along with Entrant’s name, likeness, statements, biographical information, and any other information provided by Entrant, in any and all media for possible editorial, promotional, or advertising purposes, without further permission, notice, or compensation (except where prohibited by law)."
They can use your name to advertise.  They can use your picture in an editorial (it doesn't say the editorial has to be on the topic of the essays).  They don't have to even tell you what they're up to because you submitted.  Legally, as I said, they're not allowed to commit libel, but... they have plenty of other things they can do.
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Will they do anything unethical with those essays?  Probably not, to be honest.  But it's not a guarantee they won't use them somehow.  Without paying the writers, though they can afford it.  Without even letting them know.

Is it still worth it to enter said contest?  The decision is up to each writer.
Always read everything.  Ask about what you don't understand.
You can give away a lot in these modern times, with just one click.

SSI and Writing Contests by Jennifer Ruth Jackson

Image:  A hundred dollar bill in pieces, face up.

Entering a writing contest can be a boost to any writer's career.  It can gain a writer more readers, gravitas, and even some cash (depending on the contest).  But money becomes a tricky thing on Supplemental Security Income.

I know there are concrete answers out there, but I'm often told different things when it comes to SSI benefits.  Some people say you don't have to report, say, the fifty dollars your uncle gave you for your birthday as income, and some do.  If you were to win one of the huge writing contests with a thousand bucks as a prize, it is illegal to not claim that as income.  But what about the small prizes?  Is it ever legal to not claim money you get, no matter how little an amount?

And receiving a fair-sized award (probably more than the aforementioned thousand but go with me on this) would throw your benefits out of whack for a month or two.  What happens then?  Do they take away your medical insurance for that month?  What if they are too slow with reinstating your regular payment?

I've been researching these things as far as I can remember and haven't come up with definitive answers.  Maybe some of you can help me with all this.
All I really know is winning is rare and should be something to celebrate, not cause more anxiety.

So, readers, can you give me insights into all this?

**Just a note:  I understand many disabled and/neurodivergent people have jobs, or are on a different kind of benefit program, etc.  I'm not saying everyone is on Supplemental Security Income.**