I have wanted to ask these questions for some time but kept feeling embarrassed by it. But then the more I thought and researched about it, the more I was confused. So I’m giving it a go here.
As a writer, clearly, we are always on the look out for publishing opportunities. One of the venues is to post our writings in our blogs.
My questions are:
- Since a lot of publication requires the story never published before, is it better off if I don’t post my stories in my blog at all?
- And if I choose to post my stories in my blog, would I lose my publishing chances and would I be considered as an amateur?
- Are there any general guidelines?
Any comments and / or respond are welcomed.
14 comments:
Well, I don't know the answers to your questions but if you wanted to email me your stories, I would be happy to read and critique.
Have you heard from Grammy about this
http://artwreckage.blogspot.com/
We could host our challenge through here!
I wonder about this, too. Also, I'm a little scared of the story being stolen by someone.
Here's another person saying she doesn't know the answer to your questions...but I'm wondering if a blog would even count. It's in the public, yes, but only for those who come to look for it. To me, a blog is more of an on-line journal. I'm not certain it constitutes as being seen before.
As to it being stolen? I'm certain there's got to be some way to prove that it's yours and when you put it up for your own amusement.
Try Google search....I'm sure you've already done that...
I doubt you have worries since I do not think something is published unless you specifically say that it has been published. i.e. state that something is in the public domain.
Law US and most others, say that most writing is copyrighted the moment it is posted. Just to be sure, you might want to email a copy back to yourself.
Everytime you send something to a publisher does not mean that something is published. It might mean that it is not secret any more but It is not mean that it is published.
I think before something can be published someone has to write back to you and ask you if you wish to publish something and that your writing are subject to the rules relating to something else published.
The copyright is always yours but I'm not sure about the publishing side of things. My stories are on the net. Have you pursued legitimate Internet Publishing? You might find the rules on one of those - they're all publishers, Internet or otherwise. Good luck.
Yet another "i don't know" but I do know that for some publications of poetry - blogs count.
As for copyright - I've noticed some bloggers using myfreecopyright.com. I've been looking into myself.
I dont know for sure.. but I had a feature in American Artist Mag and they had me send a notorized statement that photos of my paintings had never been published.. anywhere..I had many from regional art shows, that had been in newspapers.. ..then a few months ago I found someone offering prints of the paintings that were in the magazine on EBAy.. I wrote and threatened them an turned them in to
Ebay.. but didnt persue it.I have been under the impression that once viewed in the public format ie BLOGS..it is considered published...
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for offering to read / critique my writings. Will take up your offer when I'm ready! ;)
Hi Barbara,
Yeah, I share the same feeling of written being "stolen".
Hi Holly,
A lot of material I read on publishing right stated that posting on blog count as published. Blog = public domain.
Safeguard online copyright is still a tricky issue.
Hi Garry,
Blog = public domain or not ... that's where I got confused. Some said no and some said yes.
And yes, you're right that not everything we send to a publisher mean it is published. It's only until the publisher notify you that it is published or you find that it was published on site / blog / journal etc.
Hi Val,
Legitimate Internet Publishing - I've researched some of them and also posted my questions to them. Most of them ask for "never published before" i.e. not even in your own blog! But some of them said something like depends on the final version, i.e. if you post a "draft-type" story on your blog but send "a final version" to the site, they would consider!
Hi Kim,
I'm using COPYSCAPE. Roll down to the bottom of my blog and you could find the link there.
Hi Judi,
That's what I got from most of my research - Blog = Public Domain = Published.
Sorry to hear about your paintings being copied and sold. This is a very important lesson for us to learn and be careful of how to protect our own right.
Last but not least, THANK YOU for all of your comments. Though I haven't yet got an answer, but your various comments and questions confirmed that internet copyright and internet publishing remained problematic. I'll continue my search. :)
I don't think publishing on your own blog counts as being published... well not to me anyway. I put my stories up on my blogs all the time and I've never worried about it.
Hi Hybrid,
Sorry, it's taken me a bit to respond to your comments on avocado and lemon.
As far as I'm aware, the general rule is that if you've published the words online on your blog, it's officially considered published, so any magazines etc who ask for first-publish rights won't consider it.
A way to get around that, apparently, is to attach a password to any posts where you're publishing something you might want someone to later publish in print or elsewhere on the net. Because it's got a password it's not considered 'public'.
What I publish on my blog/s is only a very, very small part of what I actually write. Or it's the story in its very beginning stages. I would never put something on my blog that I think I might want published elsewhere, but I have no problem with publishing bits and pieces of something I'm working on, or something that's only the very beginning of something I might work on later.
Does that make sense?
As for copyright, it's assumed. Which is not to say that someone might not use your stuff, but I guess if you can prove that you've published it first, and that they've used a large proportion of it then you'd probably have a case. I don't normally worry about it, for all the reasons I mentioned above.
Have you ever thought of adding Creative Commons conditions to your stories if you publish them online? Creative Commons is like copyright, except you decide the conditions under which someone else can use your work. I, for instance, have no problem with someone using my work, as long as they reference me and don't make any profit on it.
Sorry, long comment!
I agree with Sophie. Everything I've read says that what is published on your blog is considered officially published. If you are looking for some feedback on your writing, you can get a few critique partners (Me! Me! Me!) and/or join one of the online writing communites like urbis.com, editred.com and webook.com. If you join one of them, remember that if you want to get something published eventually, keep it marked as "private" so only the members of the online community can see it. If it is public, and even nonmembers can see it, it will be considered as published.
If you join editred.com or webook.com, let me know! I'm a member of both communities. :)
After reading all your replies, it seems I can now consider myself a published author... Wonderful! Actually if someone wants to borrow one of my stories I don't mind, in fact I think I would be proud that they liked it so much. You can tell it's not money I'm after. The one I reposted on line just this morning actually has been published but I made one or two alterations to the text. I wonder if that changes things.
I am in agreement w Sophie too on things...and Pamela gave out some good ideas...not knocking anyone else--just didn't want to take up too much space....excellent question though and one that has been going through my mind as well....
Hi Amanada,
How nice to have you drop by again! I'll be looking forward to read your writing in your new blog! :)
And to the generous Sophie,
You have my deepest thanks for clearing the matters. I'm now having a better idea how to post my writings in my blog.
And the sweet Pamela,
Thank you for your continuous support and I'm sure I'll call for your critique group when I'm ready. (Need to work harder on STOS to get it to critique stage!).
Hi Valerie,
Congrat to a publised writer, Valerie! Well Done! ;)
Hi Tabitha,
Glad that you found both this post and the responses helped to answer some of your questions. :)
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