Thread: Posting work looses your unpublished status?

I remeber reading somewhere that if you were to post up a short story for people to give feedback on, then you have technically self published your work and may encounter problems finding someone to print your work as a result.

Is there any truth in this? I ask becuase I am what I like to refer to as a militant writer. I write because I enjoy it, I enjoy it becuase it could pay for a decent weekend away. I know some people out there think that unless you write because its a passion then you're off to a bad start, but I don't agree with this at all. Yes you should enjoy it to write well, but just like going to work every day, you're going to do it if you're enjoying it or not if its still paying the bills.

Any input would be fab!

If you scrawl your work onto the wall of a public toilet, you've been published. If we want to delve into the minutiae of what constitutes publication, that is. Then there's a nasty little bugger called 'first rights' which rears its ugly head. Technically, when you post a story on-line you forfeit your first rights. We have a way around that here, though. It's called the Writers' Workshop, a sub-forum which only members can view. This protects your first rights.

To answer your question honestly: Yes, there is truth to it. If publishers agree to buy a new story from an unestablished writer, I sure you can appreciate that they might be upset if said story can be found on five different writing sites. It means it's not a new story. If we want to get technical about it, that is.

What they don't know won't hurt 'em.

Originally Posted by philistine

What they don't know won't hurt 'em.

Until they find out - but then it hurts you.

Originally Posted by shadowwalker

Until they find out - but then it hurts you.

Even God doesn't know everything. I don't put much hope in the average publisher.

Originally Posted by philistine

Even God doesn't know everything. I don't put much hope in the average publisher.

NO! Don't mention God! What have you DONE? Have you not seen the recent threads that are full of rancour, poor arguments, and cheap paste-ups from wikipedia?

Originally Posted by Potty

I remember reading somewhere that if you were to post up a short story for people to give feedback on, then you have technically self published your work and may encounter problems finding someone to print your work as a result.

I think this is accurate. My understanding is a publisher would not take on a story that is available free on the internet. So if you intend to write a story for publication, you either have to post it in a place where your rights are protected, or do not put it online at all.

Although I think it is acceptable to post small excerpts.

That's what I think too. About the excerpts I mean. After all, it's likely they will change, or even be struck out of the final product. It's what I did, I only took down my excerpts cause they will change somewhat and I didn't want to be tempted to change them here as well, heh.

Hi all,
If you post stuff out in the wild then a publisher will think twice about taking it on.

Inside the writer's workshop however is not public. Just us little old helpful members in the club. So if you think something has commercial possibilities, stick it in there. If you are just looking to get your name out, or just dicking about, put it amidst the hurly-burly and enjoy the moment.