I'm writing a novel and want to publish it on the web and don't know what to do?

Question

I have been writing a novel and I want to post it on a website with stories like fan fiction sites. But it isn't a spin off of anything and if on the off chance it is good I don't want anyone else taking credit for my work. If I get good reviews I'm hoping it will motivate me to finish it and possibly someday get it published. What do I do and where do I start?

Answer 1

Earl... posting your work online is about one of the stupidest things you can do. It proves nothing NADA except that on a certain day you were in possession of a certain piece of work. It in NO WAY establishes that you are the original owner of it.

To prove that to a class one day, I mailed a bunch of unsealed envelopes to myself. Several weeks later, I had them write an essay. I took their work, put a copy in a stamped envelope and sealed it. I explained that I now had proof I owned the papers before they even wrote them. I then took their disks, backdated my computer about 20 years and burned new disks. Proving I owned the work before they were even born.

It means nothing. And as you said yourself - and I say it here at least 25 times a day. NO COPYRIGHT IS WORTH A DARN UNLESS YOU HAVE AN EXPENSIVE BADASS LAWYER TO DEFEND IT.

Let's say you live in Kansas and post work online. Someone in Cairo Egypt steals it. Where would you suggest having the trial? Somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic - halfway in between? Get the idea through your head. Plagiarized work is gone - no longer yours.

And if you believe that major publishers don't have this problem, I assure you they have legal depts. that work night and day protecting their books and their authors. Just ask Dan Brown.

The only way you can ensure your work is not stolen is by not posting it online anywhere. More and more publishers are stating in their submission guidelines that they will NOT consider work previously posted online. Because it is not worth it for them to go to the expense of proving original ownership - especially for a first time author. They'd do it for Dan Brown - they won't for you.

Even writers' groups are notorious for plagiarism. What makes you think people who join writers' groups at Barnes and Noble once a month are any different from the people with the "It Sucks" comments online? Trust me - they aren't. Most of them are just as unprofessional. That's why they are in FREE writing groups and not at home writing for publishers.

If you truly want an honest and valid opinion of your work, have it edited. Pay an editor to do what they do best. They will not only check spelling and grammar but they will provide you with margin notes that give their opinions. They do this every day for successful authors. They know how to fix a book so it sells. They get about 3-5 dollars a page based on 250 words per page, but it is the only safe and genuine way you can get an opinion.
----
They're, Their, There - Three Different Words.

Careful or you may wind up in my next novel.

Pax - C

Answer 2

No, this is not correct; there are no absolutes in publishing. If you're talking about posting the whole thing on a website like worthy of publishing it's considered first publishing rights and to be honest, I don't think publishers care for them as much as some people think. If your novel is entertaining and pretty well written (no grammatical and spelling errors, for example) then it can be published by a publisher. Though, if you're trying to publish it's in your best interest not to post it on the web and if you want someone to read the full manuscript and give you feedback then email it to them or post it on a secure network that only you and your writing group have access to. If you're talking about publishing it as an ebook then this makes it much harder and publishers will want to see verifiable sales of the ebook before they'll consider republishing; you'll need to sell thousands of copies. If your novel is publishable, marketable, and the publisher feels it can sell well then they'll publish or republish it. It's hard to know what kind of "publishing" you're talking about, though. I suggest you read the writers digest quarter magazine and some literary agent blogs to see what their opinions are - their opinions vary.

Answer 3

Don't.

1. Publishing online destroys what is known as First Time rights to your work. What that means is that potential publishers that require first time rights when they buy a book will NOT even consider your book.

2. Most online critiques are going to be either of the "OMG KEEP RITING DONT STOP" variety or the trollish "You suck lol". There are few worthwhile online writing communities that will give honest feedback. Many of them are rather incestuous, so to speak, with little cliques of non-talent wanna-bes telling each other how great they are.

3. Once it is on the internet, people think it is OK to copy it. Not that anyone would try to steal your work per se, but people just share stuff they find online. Unless you want to spend hours of your life policing the internet for copyright infringements, it just isn't worth it.

If you want real feedback, join a real writer's group or take a local writing course. Most community colleges offer writing seminars at various points of the year. And if you go to your local library or bookstore, chances are the bulletin board will have listings of writing groups. Generally, people who are willing to take time out of their lives to meet in person and read each others work are going to give more honest feedback than anonymous posters over the internet.

Answer 4

theoretically, people can steal your work once you post in online.

however, in real life, i fully doubt anyone will if you post a "legal copyright" in front of every chapter that warns against copying your work. use legal terms like "according to _____, paragraph ___". seriously, people won't copy your work if you do this because no one is going to actually verify that the laws are real.

next, use fictionpress.com it's like fanfiction.net, but for original pieces of work, and it has a huge community of readers. all you have to do is save your work on your computer in a microsoft word/similar program and upload it onto the site once you've created an account [free]. it's SUPER easy and will take twenty minutes [including starting a new account and uploading]. email me at [e-mail] if you have any questions though.

a lot of writers at fictionpress have gotten published, and all they do is once they're guaranteed a printing, they take it off the site [you can do this in minutes] and write a quick note to fans announcing the book and encouraging buying.

example: http://www.fictionpress.com/u/67875/

good luck!!!

Answer 5

actually posting it with copyright notice will help secure your statutory rights

Understand YOU must pay lawyers and sue to keep and get your rights no matter what. There is no free copyright police unless you're Warner or Fox or MGM.

Answer 6

Go to WWW.WETPAINT.COM and make a website. Post it there.

Answer 7

you should check out

www.writerscafe.org

it's really good.