Tia M.

I have been a member of Fanstory.Com since 2011. Fanstory is a community of poets/writers ranging from novice - professionals. It gives the opportunity to have your poems or stories read and reviewed by Fanstory members. Fanstory members have a chance to rate each poem/ story they read, on a star system ranked from 1 star to 6 stars ratting. Fanstory also holds competitions from prompts, challenges and monthly reviewer rewards or poem or story of the month.
You only win fanstory credits (Member dollars) from prompts and challenges and can win up to a max of 90.00 member dollars, but other contests created by fanstory/Tom, you can win cash prize for 1st place of $100.00 USD, 2nd I think is member dollars and 3rd prize is: 10.00 member dollars.

You also have the opportunity to Self publish your book and sell them at amazon.com.

Other positives of this site is you are able to get positive/helpful reviews off other poets which can allow you to grow as a poet.

There are also poetry and writting courses that can be taken with professional teachers for a fee of $90.00 USD you can learn grammar and punctuation, how to write stories, sonnets, Haiku ETC.

My experience on this site has been positive until a few days ago. When a poet named: Dean Kuch was caught plagiarizing on a recent fanstory Write a Dr. Seuss style sonnet contest, where his poem (Dr. Suess on aging. By Dean Kuch) which was a copy and paste (plagiarized poem) of this bellow. Copy and paste it in your browser and then press enter and you will see the poem.

Http :// www.google. Com. Au/search? Q=Dr.+Seuss+on+aging.&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=slWUUcaDNMeTiQeB4YCACQ&ved=0CDwQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=683#imgrc=vR546wqPsyV9XM%3A%3BEZeyJqDhvmG8MM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.woodriverfire. Com%252Fimages%252Fdrsuess. Jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.woodriverfire. Com%252Fdrseuss. Htm%3B478%3B366

He has used this poem on several other poetry sites and have won and got placings, including Fanstory.

Fanstory owner Tom was notified by a poet who hosted the poetry contest, same day contest ended which was may 9th 2013, then yesterday morning 15th of May 2013, I did my quick 2 second log in to find that he had received a reviewer reward and nothing been done so I congratulated him for the reviewer reward and getting away with plagiarism. And a link to evidence and let him know i was aware he used the same poem on other sites, he latter logged in, went to all the sites including WritersCafe.org, WritersCarnival etc and removed them, some it appears he has deleted his whole account. After I contacted Tom yesterday, The reward of split pot of the 90.00 fanstory credits went to the 4 deserving poets in 2nd place. No idea what happened with the 90.00 credits given to Dean, he had several days to spend it.

I got a warning as it's against fanstory regulations to expose a cheater or plagiarist publicly on their or your own page or to write a poem about it. He obviously got a warning even though he didn't just break Tom's little rules which punishments seem to vary depending on person. I have seen other honest and talented writters such as Indie, Tammy Gail and others banned for far less offense then plagiarism which isn't just morally wrong or breaking one of Tom's rules but AGAINST THE LAW. Yet he is still aloud on the site and gets a small slap on the hand (warning.) and a reviewer reward on top.

If he has done it numerous of times before and yet again in the last week, who's to say he won't do it again? He's gotten away with it so many times.

FANSTORY also has the ability to add copywrite/protection to your poems.
Don't actually think they hold any validity, just a pretty pic.

Here is my final letter to Tom after I received a warning...

Original Message
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So does he get a warning to? After he has gotten away with the same poem being posted on several other sites and won with the same plagerized poem?
It's not just morally/ethically wrong or breaking just fanstory rules but breaking the laws as well. Is that aloud?

Regards
Tia_____________________________________________________________

Toms reply...

Yes, he did not win. The site stepped in.

Tom____________________________________________________________________
So basically Tom removed the poem after Dean disabled the poem after we caught on. Then he and I get a warning mine for exposing him, his for plagiarizing. He gets a reviewer reward on top and I'm meant to shut my mouth and let him get away with it.

Also A talented poet is able to get on front page by getting 2 x 6 stars minimum. But you may purchasing credits, I've never done it myself. You can earn credits from reviewing poems which comes free which is what I do. I think it's a waste of real money to purchase them, If your work holds any worth, it will get there on it's own merit.

It's other branches that Tom owns is poetrydances.com which is another great site and is all fixed up now, providing helpful tips on how to do various forms of poetry from Tyburn to sonnets.

Also Fanartreview.com where people can post their created art work.
I would have given 5 star rating to fanstory if it wasn't for the allowance of plagiarism. It should be exposed, dealt with severely, not just a slap on the wrist and certainly not praised.

Also there is a fanstory membership from monthly fee of $6.95 month, $48.00 for 1 year and $67.00 2 years subscriptions.

Regards
Tia