# question about content published here publication rights



## CraniumInsanium (Feb 17, 2016)

I saw this and had a few questions. I usually post in general fiction, so that would be where my content is visible
*
 "Be aware that fiction posts in this forum are visible to non members and  search engines. If you wish to retain exclusive or first publication  rights to your works, you should post them in the appropriate Workshop."*

-If I've posted a story here in the past, and since it's original posting have edited it in any way, from title name to small content tweaks and revisions or a complete overhaul does that still negate any first publication rights? 

-Just wondering if any kind of revision between an original and current work has differentiation. 

-Does deletion of content, and thus removal from the internet restore my ability to exclusive or first publication rights?


Any feedback appreciated. Hoping I don't sound too ignorant, just want to be more careful in the future. Also hoping anything I've put here or on any other forum is still publishable, and gotta go through stories which would have to be essentially scrapped if this prevented me from publishing them.


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## Jack of all trades (Feb 17, 2016)

I think if you're upfront about what and where it's been published, the new, prospective publisher can decide if it's an issue.

It's quite common for published short stories to be bundled with a couple new ones and published as a book and collection of tales.

If you want to publish a short story that was once posted here, having been deleted and edited, some might publish it, others won't. You'd have to test the waters on a case by case basis. Note : I have no practical knowledge and am only theorizing.


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## CraniumInsanium (Feb 17, 2016)

Well, after this post I removed all my fiction content that's been posted online. After googling my name, and name with several different stories attached, I only got one hit. The google preview (where it lists a snippet of the website showed part of a story) but when the link opened showed my revision. Not sure if that answers my question since the content has been removed. 

Let's say I posted a short story, and later it gets turned into a novel. Since any information at all was posted, not sure if that means I still would lose first publication rights.


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## Cran (Feb 17, 2016)

CraniumInsanium said:


> I saw this and had a few questions. I usually post in general fiction, so that would be where my content is visible
> *
> "Be aware that fiction posts in this forum are visible to non members and  search engines. If you wish to retain exclusive or first publication  rights to your works, you should post them in the appropriate Workshop."*
> 
> ...


Edits or tweaking a story won't make any difference. To reset any publishing rights, you would have make a substantive change to the original story - in other words, you would essentially be writing a new story incorporating elements from your original story. The two stories are then considered independently. This does happen when a short story is expanded into a novel length story. 

As for the effect on publishing rights caused by posting in forums (as distinct from social media platforms) or online groups: this depends a lot on the level of visibility. If the work is visible to anyone (ie, non-members of the group) then it is considered published in law. If the work is visible only to members of the group, then it is treated in the same way as beta groups or writers workshops - the works are not published in law but are in a pre-published shared environment for the purposes of checking and improving the work.


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## CraniumInsanium (Feb 17, 2016)

Hmm thanks for the info. I think most of my stuff was probably in the public section smh. Oh well


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## CraniumInsanium (Feb 17, 2016)

Then again, I wonder how that affects my ability to self publish on kindle, amazon, smashwords or wherever.


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## Jack of all trades (Feb 18, 2016)

These are just guesses, but here's my opinions.

I think turning a short story into a novel constitutes substantial changes.

I don't think it limits your ability to self publish in the least.


My understanding of the first rights issue is that some magazine and book publishers only want to publish new material, that is to say never been published before. Some will publish reprints. Scholastic, if I understand correctly, does not, or rarely does, accept new material. Scholastic prefers to see a proven sales record before taking an author on. For example, Scholastic bought the rights to Harry Potter from the original publisher.

Writingforums, if I understand correctly, does not own the rights to the works posted here. However those posted in the general forums are available to guests (just about anyone), and so pieces posted there count as published. 


So, if I were you, I'd delete the postings and move forward with my projects, especially the novel you intend to self publish.


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## Terry D (Feb 18, 2016)

CraniumInsanium said:


> Then again, I wonder how that affects my ability to self publish on kindle, amazon, smashwords or wherever.



It has no effect whatsoever. Self-publishing houses and print-on-demand publishers don't care what you submit to them as long as it meets their content guidelines. You retain all rights when you self publish. The work is, of course, considered published, so your 'first rights' are gone.


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## Cran (Feb 18, 2016)

CraniumInsanium said:


> Hmm thanks for the info. I think most of my stuff was probably in the public section smh. Oh well





CraniumInsanium said:


> Then again, I wonder how that affects my  ability to self publish on kindle, amazon, smashwords or  wherever.


Well, that depends. 

Are you the sort to refuse to publish something because you no longer have the first release rights for the work because you already put it somewhere public? 

Would you tell yourself, "no I'm not going to publish this story because I can't make that bit of extra from a world first exclusive release. Now go away and don't bother me again unless you've got something truly new."?

Are you going to look into the mirror and say, "No."?


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