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Thu Jul 24, 2014 2:52 pm
lakegirls says...



Hi guys!

So I’m just wondering if anyone here has any knowledge on the rules of publishing? There’s a short story contest that I want to enter and normally most who enter get their work published in an anthology of short stories from across Canada. My problem: I want to enter the prologue from my novel as a short story. Which leads to my question, if my short story (prologue) gets published will I be unable to use it in my novel? I have the names changed in the short story but it is still basically the same thing as my prologue.

Sorry if this is confusing. Just comment if you have any questions!
Writing is the only thing that, when I do it, I don't feel I should be doing something else.
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Thu Jul 24, 2014 5:27 pm
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Rosendorn says...



Honestly, it could probably go either way.

Yes that prologue being published could hinder the novel's progress, but the whole novel's first publishing rights will still be in tact. On the other hand, it could help, because you can show "hey people like this I got published this is a less risky purchase".

But I'd ask you what stage your novel is at. Are you still revising, or are you getting ready to query? If you're still revising, then the likelihood that prologue can change goes up. If you're querying, then publishing houses will likely see the same thing.

All in all, it will make an impact. The type of impact depends on the publishing house and how much your prologue will change between now and querying.
A writer is a world trapped in a person— Victor Hugo

Ink is blood. Paper is bandages. The wounded press books to their heart to know they're not alone.
  





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Fri Jul 25, 2014 12:20 pm
lakegirls says...



Hey! Technically I'm revising, but really I'm rewriting. I had my entire novel finished but I didn't like my voice so I decided to rewrite the whole thing. It feels differently this time, like I know that it's right. I have never loved it so much which makes me nervous about entering in the contest because what if it ruins my chance of publishing using that prologue and I have to write a new one?
Writing is the only thing that, when I do it, I don't feel I should be doing something else.
-Gloria Steinem
  





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Fri Jul 25, 2014 6:07 pm
Rosendorn says...



Well... I can't speak for you, but in the process of rewriting my novel I've said "it finally feels right" about ten times, and I end up rewriting it anyway. When you send it to an agent/publisher, they often request edits (agents do, and so do editors). So feeling right doesn't necessarily mean no more rewrites.

You'll probably be okay because you still own the rights to the novel proper. However, some publishing houses could say they don't want any parts of the novel published, but that's very much publishing house by publishing house and I haven't looked into individual houses that much.
A writer is a world trapped in a person— Victor Hugo

Ink is blood. Paper is bandages. The wounded press books to their heart to know they're not alone.
  





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Fri Jul 25, 2014 7:09 pm
niteowl says...



A thought that might be "safer" (though Rosey certainly knows more than I do about publishing and such) is to write a story using some of the same settings/characters as your novel, but unrelated to the events of the novel itself. That way you get the benefits of publication without the possible risk.
"You do ill if you praise, but worse if you censure, what you do not understand." Leonardo Da Vinci

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Fri Jul 25, 2014 7:22 pm
Rosendorn says...



That would indeed be far safer.
A writer is a world trapped in a person— Victor Hugo

Ink is blood. Paper is bandages. The wounded press books to their heart to know they're not alone.
  








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