I see so many people openly sharing all of their beloved work onto this sight, while many people are here for more than good reasons I can't help but wonder about the lurkers that may or may not be here. Does this site protect against potential theft? I know a lot of people self-publish, but if someone's looking to get an agent to get those bigger companies could posting chapters--or even paragraphs--from current works cause potential harm in that area? Thank you all in advance
Are you most concerned about theft of work, or is your greatest worry that an agent might consider your book already published because you workshopped a chapter on this site? There are threads about the latter issue, some of them recent. You can look them up. Regarding theft, you have to log in as a member to get to the Workshop. And even if someone stole your idea, they'd still have to write it up, and that takes work. I'd say most of us have enough projects going to keep us busy already. Besides, ideas are a dime a dozen. It's what you do with them. And on the slim chance that someone should take your chapter and insert it into their book, there's copyright protection for that. The dates on your files should show it was yours first. But that would be a very difficult way to produce a saleable novel.
I have an agent and publishers, and I post bits and pieces of my writing wherever I feel like it. I really don't think it's an issue. (Don't post your whole novel, just a couple chapters here and there)
