Hi Forum. I've recently started writing short stories and poems more regularly. I've had some luck getting published in e-zines and online lit journals (and by luck I mean a few stories and poems.) I've noticed a lot of other writers link to their own websites and blogs, where they publish their own work after it's appeared on other lit sites. I was just wondering what peoples take is on this. I don't have much to advertise but I guess I'd still like some of my work to exist out there on cyberspace. Let me know what you think
If it is something you have already published, and it doesn't violate your contract with that publisher, I don't see why not. I would think twice, though, about showing your first published works that way. Every writer has much to learn after that first acceptance, and you might not want to be known by those breakout pieces when your style matures a bit. It's harder to get rid of the past on the Internet. Out of print magazines get forgotten or used in fireplaces, but they get archived and indexed six ways from Sunday on the web.
Just make sure you have the legal right to put them on your website - ie, your rights have reverted. The journals I've looked at seem to hold the rights for 6-12 months, after which the author can do what they want with the stories.
Both shadowalker and Cogito are right. I put my first writings on my blog, I was just writing for fun, and they became really popular. But as I progressed in my craft, I started feeling embarrassed by them. When I was contacted by a publisher, I was embarrassed to accept the offer (also, it was inconvenient). Now, 5, 6 years down the line, I'm still getting requests to make it into an e-book, which I'm doing, but the point is, those early writings can come back to haunt you, be prepared for that if you publish them in any way
ditto all of the good advice offered above... if the pieces have been published on freebie websites that take on anything sent to them, and not respected pro sites, just make sure your work is good enough that you won't be embarrassed by a reader pointing out typos or more serious goofs and glitches... sad to say, most of what i see on free and low-paying sites is so poorly written and sloppily edited, i'm sure the authors will wish they'd used a nom de plume for them, five years hence...
Thanks for the advice everyone. I have had these exact concerns and as I said, my experience and knowledge in publishing is little to none. I might reconsider jumping into the writer's blog world until I have a little more experience and knowledge behind me. Thanks again.
The advantage I have found in posting published work to a blog/website (or even just a hook from the piece with a link to where it's published) is that it becomes a place for people to conveniently come across other pieces of yours that they otherwise may not have. Likewise, it's easier to get your work out there on Facebook or whichever networking sites your friends use. If you post an article one friend likes, they may pass it onto someone else who isn't so fond of that piece, but finds another on your site they like. Also a website/blog gives you a better idea of how many people have seen your piece, which can be encouraging (or discouraging!).
I created a separate page for "creative work" on my blog and, in lieu of reprinting short stories that have been picked up by a lit mag, I link to each story from that page (LinkedIn also has a "publications" feature that allows you do to this). Assuming that you have links to your work, you can create a kind of digital portfolio.
There are good points raised regarding the permanence of the net. That could be a good thing too. It can be fun to review a writer's early work. There are many authors that I wish I could read what they wrote in their formative years.
I would recommend you to publish them on your own site unless you do not have any copyright issues with your publisher. I'd love to visit your website. Posting on websites doesn't only make others recognise your work, but share, critique, and relate to them. You might become famous some day, who knows!
