[Commonmind]

What are the odds this gentleman would steal your work? What are the odds that if he did steal it, he would present it to a publisher with the intention of selling the work? What are the odds the publisher will like what I assume is an unpolished draft? What are the odds that if the publisher does like the work that this gentleman will be able to edit or cut parts of the manuscript per the publisher's request, not understanding the work as intimately as you do yourself?

How often do we hear examples of writers having their work stolen and published? Not very often, because the odds of it happening are very slim.

Writing is no way to get-rich-quick, and I think potential thieves will interest themselves with other, more lucrative endeavors.