Does posting work here harm our chances of being published?

Why is posting the first chapter so discouraged in this thread? They usually don't contain much info on the story's overall plot.

If it's a story about Kevin's quest for the diamond magic ring before evil Nikev destroys him and the first chapter is about Kevin waking up, going to school and discovering randomly that he has magic powers, that doesn't really spoil it for the readers or discourage them to buy the rest of the story, does it?

And even if it does start in mid-action with Nikev grabbing Kevin's throat to prevent him from getting the diamond, the reader is still left with questions regarding who and why and how.

Why would a publisher mind that part being online when 90% of the work isn't? The first chapter is what people read for free in a bookstore before deciding to by the book anyway, isn't it?

 

Since the concept is so fuzzy, does that mean the publisher gets to define it? If it does and you're in a situation where the publisher really wants to get back at you for some reason, could they consider the contract breached and claim payback because of only one sentence (or a few) of your work being discovered online no matter how unreasonable that sounds?

I guess I just find it strange that there wouldn't be at least a minimum of words/sentences to consider a work published...

 

where have you seen anyone here saying you shouldn't post the first chapter?

while posting more than a brief excerpt is strongly recommended, if the first chapter is short enough to qualify as 'brief' there would be no problem that i can see in posting it...

however, posting any complete chapter that goes beyond a 'brief excerpt' would not be a good idea, if you prefer to stay on the safe side...

 

I realize that sounded weird! It's both creative AND original but I didn't want to come across any issues if I ever decided to get it published in the future. It's a life goal of mine and it would suck if I weren't able to publish because it's already on the internet!

 

I'd go with @eliza490 here and say if you want to publish something, don't post it here. Instead, posts bits of writing that you produce solely for the purpose of critique and comment online, and not as part of a story you're hoping to sell.

 

I totally agree with Eliza. I have written three books, and one of the first things I learned as a beginning writer is to obtain critiques and reviews from private friends, workshops, co-workers, etc., and certainly never on a public forum such as this; because, besides what others have said, people will steal your ideas, and even the title.
LM

 

I understand the concern. I just don't worry about it because I strictly self-publish. I have read about traditional publishing, but I have no experience with it. What I did learn discouraged me from pursuing it. Average readers don't frequent writing forums, so posting a story here wouldn't affect my sales.

 

What an amazing question and subsequent responses. I suppose the lesson to be learned is to hold your cards close to your chest. Pick and choose the details you want to share with this community but save the main course for any playing client.

Makes sense

 

In my experience if you want your short story to be published through traditional publishing, if you put it online anywhere including this forum then it's generally already considered as published. But it would be best to read the fine print of where you're wanting to submit to (as some would possibly still accept it).

I'm not sure on posting parts of one's novel for critique if you want to go through traditional publishing; I'm personally erring on side of caution and won't post any of my novel online. Instead I have my husband, my mum, someone who knows the situation that I've based it on and my writers' group for critiques.

 

it's always best to err on the side of caution in this... even if the chances of risking your sale of 'first rights' might not be affected, posting an entire piece of work can still make it available to be read online thanks to google's crawler acquisition, so may deter publishers from wanting to pay good money for what can be read for free online...

despite the diverging opinions on the issue, it's better to be safe than sorry, imo...

love and hugs, maia

 

Does anyone know a good way to workshop your novel and get meaningful criticism without hurting your chances of publication?


Also, what if you posted a chapter of your novel a long time ago, and it has since undergone large-scale overhaul?

 

Instead of workshopping your novel, workshop your writing. Post up samples of other work you are not planning to publish, but put your best effort into those samples.

Any worthwhile critique will be applicable to all your writing.

Work that has changed greatly since being posted should not be a problem, but it's still best noy to post much of anything you are planning to try to publish.

 

Shit! Sorry for my outburst there! But I was going to post a cheaper for critique as don't really have any friends who would give me any valuable critique around here and no clubs or anything but im totally put off now. I feel like I have to keep it under lock and key. Maybe I can get my kids headteacher to critique it? But one of my pieces is in the erotica genre so it would be a bit embarrassing!!!!!

 

This is good advice. Most good writers/readers can tell by just a small excerpt if someone has any writing chops at all.

That said, you still need to have a couple of people read your work before trying to get it published. For me, I would surely like to know if I accidentally gave away the murderer in the second chapter. Any work of fiction should be double checked to make sure the story makes sense.

VG

 

Thanks for your advice there. Maybe I will write just a piece to post here on the for to get some critique. I mean so it gives a taste of what and how I write

 

As a new comer to this forum, in case it hasn't been mentioned, posting work here, is basically posting it forever, unless the forum admins agreed to remove a post. That's because a post cannot be edited after 25 minutes here. I was quite dissappointed to see that. A writing outlet, of all forums, should allow the end user creative control of their own posts, to infinity. I firmly believe this. I myself own a forum, and I do not take away editing rights of my members.

Basically, after 25 minutes, a post is no longer yours here, it's theirs. You may have ultimate copyright as having written it, but you no longer control it-

I edited this post to say, this will DEFINITELY have impact on what I am willing to write here.

 

How is this different from any other kind of publishing? If a story of yours appears in a magazine, you don't control it. If your novel is published in book form, you don't control it. What if you change your mind about the ending? Do you demand everyone who bought the book send it to you so you can tear out the last few pages and add in your new version?

Posting here is equivalent to publishing. If you want to retain creative control to infinity, you're out of luck. Sorry!

 

Well, to be honest, I wouldn't post anything I plan to publish officially, and I do not consider a forum post a official publication, sorry. I've owned a forum for over 10 years, and I don't feel that way at all.
Big difference in a forum post and a novel published by a publisher. Here, you receive nothing for it, that means some creative control should be retained. If I am paid to publish a work, of course, you relinquish control. It's published, officially. I have heard all the justifications for locking out someone from editing their posts, and I don't agree with any of them. Thats my opinion, which I am entitled to, and yes, I won't be posting my books or exerts from one here. Can't do it and give up control.

 

@photojazz: Generally, as I'm sure you've gathered reading this thread, people only post things here they don't intend to try to have published, at least not in the form they post. Members usually just post their practice work. If they post something they want to publish, it's either a very small excerpt or something they'll revise.

 

I read a few articles online about finding literary agents and publishers. They suggested that a writer should be proactive in getting feedback and enticing followers/fan base for the eventually final published product, by starting a blog and posting excerpts on forums.
Reading this thread suggests otherwise (or can be done once agreed by the publishing house) ???
I have just finished my own manuscript and was about to post a few chapters. I might rethink that now

 

I would not recommend posting a "few chapters" of anything in any forum, unless, as is always the caveat, but I feel compelled to say it, you plan to self-pub. A writing forum really isn't the venue for that much of a work, anyway. You'll meet people in such forums who'll be happy to look at that much off-sides, away from the forum, but within the forum proper, much smaller excerpts tend to be the rule. I don't think I've ever posted more than 1,500 - 2,000 words of anything.

 

@Wreybies is right. I usually don't bother reading a post that's much more than a thousand words or so, and I know others here don't, either. It's a lot of work to do a constructive critique of a longer piece, especially if you're doing a close, line-by-line critique.

If you want a lot of responses, and a lot of good feedback, keep your workshop postings pretty short.

 

Thanks @Wreybies and @minstrel I will follow your advice