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Young Writers Society


Posting Your Stuff Online



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Tue May 17, 2011 5:29 pm
ofir says...



Ever since I was introduced to YWS, I feel that I have evolved so much in my writing! It has been a huge help, and I appreciate it so much!But now I am facing a problem of some sort...

I have a novel that I have been working on for nearly two years - it's very dear to me, and I've worked hard on it. Of course, one day, I'd love to see it published.

But, see, my novel has got to slim down. Too many scenarios, too many unnecessary characters and plot twists… all in all, this is exactly the point where I'd turn to YWS, yelling, "Save me!"

As said, this novel is so very precious: I get nervous thinking about it being online… where someone could "steal" it, or misuse it somehow – what can be done about that? I also want it to be published. Would publishers not want to publish it, after it was online? Would that diminish it value?

What are the answers, or at the very least, what keeps all of you calm about posting all your stuff?
"if you were waiting for the opportune moment... that was it." - Captain Jack Sparrow
  





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Tue May 17, 2011 5:50 pm
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Kale says...



There's an option when you go to post your work that will allow only logged-in members to view it. Down near the bottom of the page, just above the Special Formatting options, is the checkbox "Allow only registered members of YWS to view this topic". Put a check in it, and you'll be good.

In any case, if someone were to steal your writing, you can use the post dates to prove that you are the original writer in addition to providing copies of the original files. You can also remove the text of the work at any time, and even request that quoted excerpts in reviews be removed, if you're really that worried. :)

Now, as far as publication goes, it depends on the publisher. Some publishers will not publish works which have been posted online. Other publishers don't care, and there have been several cases of very popular works on publicly viewable writing sites like FictionPress getting picked up by publishers. In general, most publishers are okay with work that has been posted online, but with restricted access, such as being viewable by only members.

As for why I feel comfortable posting my works online, I'm in it for the fun and not really the publication. If I do get published in the future, great, but it's not one of my goals.
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Tue May 17, 2011 6:44 pm
Dynamo says...



I used to be afraid of posting chapters of my novel online for critique for the exact same reason, but now I'm thinking of doing it. As long as you have all the pre-planning stuff you did for your novel I don't think anyone would be able to steal your idea. Take me for example. I've got about 3 different re-writes of earlier versions of the novel I tried to write, character bios, bestiary, overviews of the world's countries, their governments, religious practices, a map of the story world, and even an old hand-written story I wrote in highschool almost a decade ago that takes up the space of three duotangs that was my first attempt at writing anything. With all that evidence on my side, I don't think anyone could get away with stealing my story in a court of law even if they tried.

Of course, even if you have all that on your side I still would never recommend getting cocky. There's a lot of slippery con men in the world. If somebody wants to steal your idea enough, they will find a loophole somewhere. So, do what Kyllorac suggested and make it so only YWS members can see your stuff.
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Wed May 18, 2011 1:32 am
RacheDrache says...



Making it members-only is a great idea.

Also helpful, especially if you're looking for help on more overall stuff (like trimming down plots and characters) would be to find a beta reader from YWS who you trust and who would be willing to read the entire thing as a Word (or other) doc and who'd be helpful. My first couple novels were all read and beta-ed through that way.

If you don't know anyone who meets that criteria, or you don't want to ask someone that rather large favor, why not post the first few chapters only? You'll get critiques on the first chapters, the most important arguably (especially because those are the first an agent will read...), and the people who stick with it until chapter 4 or so are likely to be ones interested in the story. Someone who cares about it usually makes a better beta.

Take confidence in the fact that no one will be able to write your story as well as you.
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Fri May 20, 2011 7:58 pm
EloquentDragon says...



Here's the hard thing. If you post your novel anywhere (even here with the "member's only" option) on the internet, you are publishing it. So if you want it to get published and in bookstores, don't post it.
However, you can ask specific members that you trust on here for a private review, which you can do via e-mail, and it's not considered "publishing." (Don't worry about them stealing your idea. Usually people are like, "yeah, whatever, I could do better than THAT" and then they go off to write their own stories. I've never actually heard a bona-fide case where somone stole someones uncopyrighted work. Usually if it's not good enough to copyright/publish, it's not good enough to steal. Though I'm not saying your story is like that... :shock: :smt003 ...man, I sure need better people skills...)
If your novel is long (20 chapters) you can post 1-3 chapters and publishers will generally still accept that. But this varies from house to house, so you should check first.
You can also find "editors" who can critique your work--for a price. Avoid doing this through the internet though, there's a lot of other people out there who aren't there to critique your work, but they'll take your money anyway.)
No more countin' dollars... we'll be countin' stars.

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Sat May 21, 2011 2:53 am
Rosendorn says...



EloquentDragon wrote:Here's the hard thing. If you post your novel anywhere (even here with the "member's only" option) on the internet, you are publishing it. So if you want it to get published and in bookstores, don't post it.
However, you can ask specific members that you trust on here for a private review, which you can do via e-mail, and it's not considered "publishing." (Don't worry about them stealing your idea. Usually people are like, "yeah, whatever, I could do better than THAT" and then they go off to write their own stories. I've never actually heard a bona-fide case where somone stole someones uncopyrighted work. Usually if it's not good enough to copyright/publish, it's not good enough to steal. Though I'm not saying your story is like that... :shock: :smt003 ...man, I sure need better people skills...)
If your novel is long (20 chapters) you can post 1-3 chapters and publishers will generally still accept that. But this varies from house to house, so you should check first.
You can also find "editors" who can critique your work--for a price. Avoid doing this through the internet though, there's a lot of other people out there who aren't there to critique your work, but they'll take your money anyway.)


NOTE- This is only if you live in the UK, or countries with the UK's publishing laws. In the UK, anything posted online is "published." In the States, anything that is *removable* is not published. So YWS= not published, but facebook= published (By US laws. In the UK, even YWS would be considered published).
A writer is a world trapped in a person— Victor Hugo

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Sun May 22, 2011 12:35 am
EloquentDragon says...



Thanks Rosey.
(This is why one trusts experiance and hard-core research as opposed to some snobby, british book. *kicks book across room* ;) )
No more countin' dollars... we'll be countin' stars.

Enter, if you dare.
  








“Hope” is the thing with feathers - That perches in the soul - And sings the tune without the words - And never stops - at all -
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