# Google has my First Two Chapters



## Quester (Aug 7, 2013)

To begin with, it's my fault for not thinking through a couple of submissions elsewhere on this site.  I did a google search, and found two chapters of my book available on the internet.  
I am so stupid...I submitted the first chapter on a different writing website for a contest, but if they do a search on the content, it will look like I plagiarized my own story.

Is there a way to scrub google so this won't happen?


----------



## Terry D (Aug 7, 2013)

I don't think so. Once it's out there, it's out there.


----------



## Quester (Aug 7, 2013)

I wonder...If the two Chapters are out there, totaling around 1400 words, would a traditional publisher reject my novel of 150,000 to 200,000 words, because of those two chapters?  I've worked so hard....I feel like crying.


----------



## Greimour (Aug 7, 2013)

On whichever site you posted on, if you remove the post google wont find it.

Also, it's not a reason to get rejected. Many authors have Chapter 1 excerpts posted online. As one example, look for Trudi Canavan' Magicians Apprentice. You can read chapter one online at her official site... granted its not two chapters, but 1,400 words is no biggie considering how large the story is. Have you broken it down into 2, 3 or 4 books?


----------



## Deleted member 49710 (Aug 7, 2013)

It looks like you posted your chapters in the public Fiction section. In the future, you could post your work in the Workshop section, which is password-protected and doesn't show up in Google searches.


----------



## Quester (Aug 7, 2013)

Yes..I know this now...


----------



## shadowwalker (Aug 7, 2013)

I don't think a publisher will reject you for having two chapters out - it's like an excerpt. The whole book - yeah, then you'd be out of luck. (Plus there's always the idea that what's out there and what gets submitted are quite different, once the editing and revising are done.)


----------



## Greimour (Aug 7, 2013)

Quester said:


> Yes..I know this now...



Know what, about where to post?

Love the signature Shadow: 

I'd rather be a could-be if I cannot be an are; because a could-be is a  maybe who is reaching for a star. I'd rather be a has-been than a  might-have-been by far; for a might-have-been has never been, but a  has-been was once an are. - Milton Berle

<3


----------



## Quester (Aug 7, 2013)

Greimour said:


> On whichever site you posted on, if you remove the post google wont find it.
> 
> Also, it's not a reason to get rejected. Many authors have Chapter 1 excerpts posted online. As one example, look for Trudi Canavan' Magicians Apprentice. You can read chapter one online at her official site... granted its not two chapters, but 1,400 words is no biggie considering how large the story is. Have you broken it down into 2, 3 or 4 books?



I was planning on one book, actually.  I have about 26,000 words written now, so am just guessing the number of words.  I plan to have a few sequels


----------



## Quester (Aug 7, 2013)

shadowwalker said:


> I don't think a publisher will reject you for having two chapters out - it's like an excerpt. The whole book - yeah, then you'd be out of luck. (Plus there's always the idea that what's out there and what gets submitted are quite different, once the editing and revising are done.)



Thanks you, that's encouraging.


----------



## Quester (Aug 7, 2013)

Greimour said:


> Know what, about where to post?
> 
> Love the signature Shadow:
> 
> ...


Yes....There is a place that password protected on this site, that Google can't capture the data..Workshop?


----------



## Greimour (Aug 7, 2013)

shadowwalker said:


> I don't think a publisher will reject you for having two chapters out - it's like an excerpt. The whole book - yeah, then you'd be out of luck. (Plus there's always the idea that what's out there and what gets submitted are quite different, once the editing and revising are done.)





Quester said:


> Thanks you, that's encouraging.



Lol. I said the same thing three posts above. And yeah about the password protected section - how did the competition go by the way, or is it not over yet? ^_^


----------



## Quester (Aug 7, 2013)

Greimour said:


> Lol. I said the same thing three posts above. And yeah about the password protected section - how did the competition go by the way, or is it not over yet? ^_^



Sorry.....The competition is closed in a week.  It's for a $1,000 dollar first prize, and a session with a literary agent.  When I was in college a couple of years ago, there were  programs the profs used, to check for plagiarism that were very good (let alone complete chapters found in a google search).  I am concerned that I might be rejected without questioning me about the situation.  

I wanted to win really badly, but it's more important to finish the novel and not have it's future ruined by a couple of chapters on the net.


----------



## dale (Aug 7, 2013)

it depends on where you put it. i had a story i put up on my yahoo writers account when i was green and ignorant. the story got
accepted elsewhere, but the publisher wanted the story not anywhere on the internet. i was able to delete that story from the yahoo
account and it didn't show up anymore on a google search. the publisher was satisfied. other places? i'd bet if you put the chapters
up in the "fiction" section of this forum, the mods would probably remove it for you if you asked. i'm not speaking for them or anyone else,
but posts CAN be removed. and a lot of places are reasonable about things like that.


----------



## Quester (Aug 7, 2013)

dale said:


> it depends on where you put it. i had a story i put up on my yahoo writers account when i was green and ignorant. the story got
> accepted elsewhere, but the publisher wanted the story not anywhere on the internet. i was able to delete that story from the yahoo
> account and it didn't show up anymore on a google search. the publisher was satisfied. other places? i'd bet if you put the chapters
> up in the "fiction" section of this forum, the mods would probably remove it for you if you asked. i'm not speaking for them or anyone else,
> but posts CAN be removed. and a lot of places are reasonable about things like that.



It was here in the fiction section.  I have been told that google may cache the chapters, even if they are deleted here.
I am feeling very green and ignorant right now...lol


----------



## dale (Aug 7, 2013)

Quester said:


> It was here in the fiction section.  I have been told that google may cache the chapters, even if they are deleted here.
> I am feeling very green and ignorant right now...lol



yeah. i was lucky i was so "green" when i 1st came here. i was actually ignorant enough to believe the section called "workshop" was for beginners.
so nothing i ever placed there went to the search engines.


----------



## PiP (Aug 7, 2013)

Quester said:


> To begin with, it's my fault for not thinking through a couple of submissions elsewhere on this site.  I did a google search, and found two chapters of my book available on the internet.
> I am so stupid...I submitted the first chapter on a different writing website for a contest, but if they do a search on the content, it will look like I plagiarized my own story.
> 
> Is there a way to scrub google so this won't happen?



Hi Quester,

It may be worth trying How to Ungoogle Yourself by 
wikiHow. 

I'll also speak to a friend who works in digital forensics to see if he can offer any suggestions.

PiP


----------



## Quester (Aug 7, 2013)

pigletinportugal said:


> Hi Quester,
> 
> It may be worth trying How to Ungoogle Yourself by
> wikiHow.
> ...


Thanks.


----------



## PiP (Aug 10, 2013)

Hi Quester,

I'm not sure how far you have progressed. Here is a little further information which you may find useful.

Although your “chapters” have been indexed by Google, it is my understanding, that 

  once you have deleted your chapters the cached results will not be available after a period of time – whether this is days or even weeks.

  If this is not successful you will need to contact the site administrator and ask them to use the “Webmaster Tools” to remove the URL and cached URL from the index.


  Please let us know if you are successful.

PiP


----------



## bazz cargo (Aug 10, 2013)

Easy plan 2

first, change the title and first few sentences. 

Second, ask a member of staff to move the thread into the workshop.

Third, relax.


----------

