I've wondered this for a while. I want to submit one of my short stories which I posted here for a magazine competition. Can I do so? Will it already be counted as being published? I can not submit published work. Say, I edited it and change a few words but not the plot, will it still be classed as published?
there's no fits-all answer... you must check the entry guidelines of each competition... some may preclude posting on writing sites or anywhere on the internet, others may not...
@mammamaia is right. It depends on the publisher. I recommend against posting anything for critique in a forum that you intend to later submit to a market for publication.
This is a quote from how to enter the competition: Eligibility [a] Entry is open to any writer and entries must be original and unpublished work of the entrant which is not currently submitted for publication nor any other competition or award, end quote. How would you interpret this?
Probably worth asking them the question. It comes down to what they mean by "unpublished." Some publishers consider works posted on password-protected forums for critique as being "unpublished," and some do not. Technically speaking, it is "published" when you post it here, but interpretations differ.
Posting your work jeopardizes that piece's marketability to publishers. Te degree of jeopardy varies depending on the size of the excerpt, how popular the site is, and the publisher's representative's judgement. It will almost certainly never improve the marketability of the piece. And it will not give you the boost afforded to a "published author."
as steerpike suggested, you should be asking the contest-holders, not us... for the reasons he provided...
