copyrights

[capt367272]

Is there a danger of a story being stolen? Is there a need to have them protected with a copyright? Jim

[austinDm]

The short answer to this is "no." Most, if not all, editors will view copyrighting an unpublished story as an amateur move, which will likely sour them to the story right from the start, so it's best not to worry about it. There's no chance of a story being stolen, and just by writing it you legally own the copyright to it anyway.

Hope this helps!

[capt367272]

It does. Thanks.

[jkenton]

I think the only remote chance of someone "stealing" a story would be some kid who wanted to turn it in for a class or somesuch... The communities of writerly and fannish sorts all seem decent sorts, and in practical terms, it's easy to prove your the original author should someone manage to sell a "stolen" story. My work bounces between 4 and 7 betas, friends from other forums. A couple of them are betas for Jim Butcher and other published authors. Plus, I have my Bible with all it's worldbuilding info, character notes, my little charts showing how this story correlates with that event or reference in another work, etc.


So it's a remote possibility, in my opinion, but extremely unlikely, plus in the event of a publishing conflict, you should be able to demonstrate what was yours. And keep your "sent" folder, that alone could demonstrate you sent "story A" as an attachment on the Eleventwelvety of febtembuary to this or that person.

[capt367272]

Thanks again. What is a Beta?

[gower21]

Thanks again. What is a Beta?

Alpha readers and Beta readers are just slang for the first or second people who read your work and then give comments, critiques, editing suggestions. Sort of like your running your story by them for a test on how well you hit all the points you wanted in your story (like a Beta test or when something is in the "beta stages" of development).

[s_c_baker]

One of the best break-downs of copyright I've seen is at Scribophile, a writers' workshop site I used to spend all my days and nights on. Link here (http://www.scribophile.com/academy/copyright-and-the-independent-writer)