Which website should I post my stories on?

[Kuro]

As much as I'd like to be published, I can't see that happening anytime soon. I'd still like for my stories to be read even if I don't get paid for it, however. So I'd like to post them somewhere online.

What I'm looking for is a popular website with things like copyright protection and disabled right clicking. I would prefer for it to allow all stories of all ratings, as I feel like anything else would limit my creativity. That's probably the biggest reason I'm shying away from Fictionpress, in fact.

[garza]

The Prose Writer's Workshop here is protected from non-member viewing, so presumably first rights are protected. Read over the rules and you'll see that they are fairly liberal. Also you are likely to get some good feedback.

'Disable right click' doesn't exist for anyone who knows a bit about computers, so that's something I wouldn't worry about. Even if you could block anyone from directly copying, there's nothing to keep someone from opening Notepad and retyping what you have, or using print-screen to take pictures of your pages, then using OCR software to produce a text file.

[qwertyportne]

Yes. Even if your stories are the brightest needle in the haystack, it's very difficult for readers to find them at websites like Amazon or Smashwords. My view has gradually become that the writers here at Writing Forums are actually a better audience for my writing than a paying audience.

There's a better chance they will appreciate my writing than would a general audience and a better chance I'll get feedback about what works, doesn't work and why. Selling your writing can be like putting your heart and soul into a bottle and tossing it into the sea.

Have you investigated opportunities at your local library? Some are eager to accept self-published books in both print and e-book formats. Most are especially receptive to local authors. The requirements vary, of course. Some accept comb or spiral bound books and some do not. Some require an ISBN number.

I published print versions of my books using Fed Ex (Kinkos). I create my own covers using artwork at canstockphotos.com, then sequence the pages for back-to-back printing from a PDF file. Kinkos does a beautiful job. Card stock covers, heavier-weight paper so the print on the back can't be seen on the front. Plastic sheets on the front and back covers. Even if you don't do your own covers, there are many artists who will make one for you for less than $100.

An even less expensive approach is to offer your books to your library in the e-book format. Most use Over Drive to make your books available to library patrons.

If any of this interests you, send me a PM and I'll make a step-by-step guide available for download at my website.

Cheers!

[jonw]

If I actually got around to writing fiction but wanted to publish for free I would build myself a website / blog.

Why? If people like your work they will share it and you will build up a fan base. Ask readers to subscribe to a newsletter. If you get enough fans you could then try to sell to them.

I was thinking of doing this with a series of short stories - get people hooked with a free one and then charge a minimal fee for the next.

But, alas, I am still waiting to get started!

[aj47]

I agree about the blog. My pseudonym has her own blog and a few dozen followers -- which is pretty good for a poetry site that's been up for only some months.

I'm not even working at increasing the following. Just making posts when it suits me.

[Greimour]

My two thoughts :

1. Prose workshop here.
2. Blog

Everything you create is automatically yours and copyrights belongs to you. The only problem comes later when you prove it was yours. As your post/site will out-date anything they have it is fair to assume you can at least part way prove you are the owner. Though there are no doubt ways to forge a time-stamp on something, the evidence will be there in almost all cases. I wouldn't even worry about it. If you put the full story on view though, it won't be published anyway ... and if you add a copyright disclaimer at the bottom, people aren't likely to steal it.

Why would someone steal to sell a piece of copy written work when it could end up costing them everything they earn?

Naturally such people do exist, but the likeliness is small. Don't stress over copyrights. The moment you create/craft something your self - it is automatically yours. Like I said: if anything, it is simply a question of proving it.


~Kev.

[kat170]

Hey,
Making your own blog is a lot of work. Especially when it comes to generating views and things like that. I found Jyrno.com to be incredibly useful. They already have an active follower base so it's pretty easy to get your work out there. Plus they have a chatroom where you can get advice on any articles you are going to publish. It's pretty useful.

[CoenW]

If you like to try some alternatives www.penana.com is a good option. You can also access it on your mobile device by m.penana.com. It has a quite modern feel to it.

[Lilith K Duat]

I've heard Wattpad gets a lot of eyes, but apparently the things posted there tend to skew toward younger writers. I don't use it myself so this is all hearsay.

[krishan]

Sites like Wattpad, DeviantArt and FictionPress all have an existing audience floating around looking for something to read. If you're looking to find a lot of readers, one of these sites would be a good way to go. Once you've posted up some work you can significantly increase the number of views you might get by reading the work of others, posting comments and generally contributing to the community.

It might be slightly harder work to find a wide audience through Amazon or Smashwords, but you would have greater control over how your work was presented. It can be quite difficult to drive traffic to a blog, but if you were planning to go this route I would recommend Tumblr, as it's generally better-connected than other blogging platforms.