Writing Online

[Miladysa]

(This is the first time I have posted on this site so if I have put this question in the wrong place I apologise in advance.)

I have been posting 'a work in progress' over the past couple of months. It started off as a short story that grew and now I am being informed that I should do something with it. It is still a work in progress.

I am gaining confidence from the support and enthusiasm I am receiving online but on the other hand I am concerned that if I want to do something with what I am writing the fact that I have/am posting it online will work against me.

My question is should I stop posting online?

[Havlen]

Legally, you still have copyright no matter if you post it online or not. (At least, I assume this is true in the UK as it is in the US.)

But, yes, I'd advice not to post it in too public of a forum. You could join a writer's group -- either online or not -- and get the same type of feedback. The Absolute Write forums have a "share your work" section that is password protected where you can post your story with a little more protection than putting it in a completely open forum.

[Miladysa]

Thank you for taking the time to reply Havlen.

You are correct, I still have the copyright - even have a note to that effect on the site

An online writing group might be the answer for me too - thank you for the suggestion.

I confess I enjoy the readership I have built up so at the moment I am leaning towards continuing posting this one and keeping the next one off line lol

[Havlen]

There's nothing wrong with that. I've often thought of starting a blog and posting little short stories on it. I'm horrible at short stories, but I thought maybe posting a quick one every week might help out with that.

By the way, here's the link to AbsoluteWrite:

Absolute Write Water Cooler - Powered by vBulletin

I don't hang around the short story section much, or even the novels section much anymore, but the people there are usually pretty friendly. We also have quite a few form this board that go there as well.

[Miladysa]

Brilliant!

Thank you so much

[Pete Rebb]

Hi Miladysa,

The other way that I would look at that, is this: Even though you've posted online, you retain copyright BUT more to the point you're gaining feedback on your writing style/craft. So even if you did post the entire manuscript, the feedback and positive reviews are priceless! To get published, agents and publishers don't want a 'one off' anyway. They want you to write several books and have a few ideas. So, the long and short of it is; Why the heck not post it?! Get feedback, finish it, move on to the next and keep the second one a secret! Take what you've learned and make that your 'break through' Very few writers make it on their first novel anyway. The first few manuscripts are for learning the craft and learning how to create good prose.

Above all else, ENJOY!

Regards
Pete

[Miladysa]

OH Pete

I absolutely adore your perspective on things!

I feel so positive about continuing with blogging my story after reading this.

Thank you

[Pete Rebb]

Hey,

No problem, mine is just one view among many! Just enjoy the craft. I always think 'Enjoyment first, Commercial acceptance second.' Now go and write, write, write! heh! If you can touch even just a few people with your work, then your job is done.

Ooh, and where are you posting it?

Have fun.

Pete

P.S. Don't forget to come back with your second or third manuscript to this forum and say 'Hey guy's, I'm ready to start submitting my work' or better yet 'I'm published, woohoo!'

[Miladysa]

Pete

I don't think I am supposed to be a website address here as I have not posted here 15 times? However, Miladysa is the name of my blog so you could find it if you wanted to

[Havlen]

I'm sure you could PM him the address or, at the least, PM him the written-out address in the form of: www DOT yahoo DOT com. (You could probably post that here too, but I'm not sure how much the admins might frown on getting around the rules -- though those rules are no doubt in place for spammers.)

[Pete Rebb]

Yeah, I was meaning - 'How are you doing it? Your own website/blog?

[Miladysa]

Thank Havlen


Pete - Oops!

Yeah, my own blog. Started in 2005, mainly day to day stuff, gave it up in 2006 because I was no longer enjoying blogging and resurrected it at the end of Oct 2007 with the idea of posting fiction, poetry etc.

I have not found many bloggers who are actually posting fiction, lots of blogs with writers writing about writing though lol.

I have at least four published authors who visit and leave comments and I have found their feedback really valuable and encouraging.

I started to write because I enjoyed it and visitors keep saying I should "do something" with the story I am posting. When I lstarted to look into this [I have no idea where to start] I read that publishers are not interested in anything that has already been published online. Hence my question here.

[Pete Rebb]

Hey,

Hmmm don't know where you read that. Most publishers don't give a 'flying monkey nut' about online blogs. Some do though, i'm sure. It's like self-publishing, they shrug and say 'So?' Ha! Unless your blog has a million visitors a day, I wouldn't worry. As I said before, Blog the first one, keep the second a secret known only to the 'Chosen few'

Pete

[Havlen]

There are a lot of urban legends about publishers out there. As Pete put it in the other thread, Publishers are looking for something that would sell. They don't care if its been published online on a blog or self-published, so long as you have the publishing rights and they think it will sell, they'll be interested.

[Miladysa]

Thanks Havlen

I am really pleased to have joined you all here!