Interest
MyAnimeList, Honeyfeed Web Novel Contest Removes Controversial Submission Rule After Backlash
posted on by Kim Morrissy
Anime database website MyAnimeList and web novel platform Honeyfeed announced an English-language web novel writing contest on Saturday. In addition to cash prizes, the top three winning entries will be sent to manga publisher Kodansha to review for a possible manga adaptation.
The original submission rules (archived here) attracted criticism because they included a paragraph suggesting that authors would waive creative rights through submitting their work, including royalties and licensing. The paragraph, which was later removed, read as follows:
By submitting any novel or other content as part of this contest, you expressly grant, and you represent and warrant that you have a right to grant, to Sponsors a worldwide, sublicensable, transferable, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, license to use, reproduce, publish, list information regarding, translate, publicly display, and make derivative works of all such novel(s) and content in whole or in part, and in any form, media or technology, whether now known or hereafter developed, without any further consent, notice and/or compensation to you or others.
MyAnimeList announced the updated rules on Sunday. In a forum post, a MAL representative stated: "A paragraph suggesting contestants waived all rights was included by mistake and is now removed. The previous version of the rules stated that winners would receive a new contract, should their novel be chosen for adaptation, and this remains. We apologize for any alarm caused by our poor review and thank you for bringing it to our attention so that we could correct it."
The Frequently Asked Questions section of the rules clarifies that for losing entries to the contest, "the restriction from posting on other websites will be lifted after December 12, 2021."
ANN sent an inquiry to Honeyfeed regarding the terms of the new contract that would be given to winners, however Honeyfeed did not respond for comment.
Entries for the competition will be open from July 5 to September 5.
