Anything wrong w/ posting the 1st chapter online?

I think you're probably fine with posting the first chapter (just makes it an excerpt, after all). I would not, however, get your hopes up too much for someone to call up their editor at three in the morning going 'Ye gads, have I discovered the next Charles Dickens! Take down this web address!'

So sayeth me.

mylightshines said:

ah ye underestimate my amazing talent.

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Nah, I just have to be blown away before I'll admit to anything. When you post it, if you post it, send me a link so I can read it, mmmkay?

mylightshines said:

oh kayyyy but there is no blood, blade, or thruster in the first chapter. and not even a hint of ancient history.

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It is entirely possible that I have bookshelves of things which involve none of those things either.

Anyway, hope that answers your question.

I personally am leery of posting my own unpubbed stuff online, but tons of other authors do it and find it useful.

PeeDee said:

I would not, however, get your hopes up too much for someone to call up their editor at three in the morning going 'Ye gads, have I discovered the next Charles Dickens! Take down this web address!'

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Well-saideth, and so agreeth me.

I actually put the entire rough draft of my last novel online- did it like one of those nifty serial novels. Some people read it, mostly friends, and once it was finished, I took it down to edit and now I'm shipping it to agents. I've had a couple positive responses from agents, and in my query letters, I was very up-front about the book's origins.

So what I'm saying is, no phone calls probably, but I don't think you'll get in too much trouble or anything.

I personally would be leary of posting the entire novel. The internet rarely gives up it's dead.

Posting a chapter though, I guess I see no real harm in that. I just wouldn't expect a whole slew of agents and editors to come pounding on your door the next day.

Shadow_Ferret said:

I personally would be leary of posting the entire novel. The internet rarely gives up it's dead.

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Well, it's a zombie novel, so I guess that really is a problem.

But seriously, you've said that before, and while it's certainly not a choice I'll be making again in the future, I don't think I've ruined myself quite as badly as you suggest I have. Maybe if I was better known, or if the novel had been online longer (I had it up for about a month and a half), I'd be in trouble, but I really don't think I'm all that doomed.

Sorry, I don't mean to be snippy or anything, but you're kinda wigging me out a little.

There's no evidence that leaving a novel up, in full, even while it's available in stores, hurts sales. There's some evidence that it helps.

The only question is how publishers will look at it, as a prior publication or what.

Well, fingers crossed I guess.

The moral of this story: be very, very careful, whatever you do.

mylightshines said:

OH man, you guys have me scared. But what's the worst that could happen? Someone sees the first chapter and does what? Steals it and tries to write the rest of the book? I thought it would help garner intrigue and interest. You guys already know that once someone knows you wrote a book, they always want to know about it.

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I think the point was that posting a chapter isn't a problem, but putting up the whole thing might count as previous publication. So in your case, you shouldn't be scared.

Even Marlowe's novel, since it seems to have been just posted to make it accessible for friends to read, might not run into too much trouble. But to be safe, I wouldn't post more than a chapter or two.

I put up a chapter of my novel, it was on a free website I made and one day for fun went online to google myself...sure enough...lo and behold...my page popped up and with my full chapter.

I promptly deleted the website and it has not been in google again.

Jo Scott said:

I put up a chapter of my novel, it was on a free website I made and one day for fun went online to google myself...sure enough...lo and behold...my page popped up and with my full chapter.

I promptly deleted the website and it has not been in google again.

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Ah yes... but I married a computer nerd who found the web site he made in college, over ten ago, on an internet archiving site. Nothing electronic ever dies my friends. Nothing. You put it out there now and your grandkids might find it hidden away somewhere sixty years from now.

You put it out there now and your grandkids might find it hidden away somewhere sixty years from now.

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Don't knock that. My great-grandad self published his own novel back in the 19th century and I found a copy of in the British library a couple of years ago.

I asked my agent whether posting WIP stuff on-line was gonna be a problem down the road--I do it a lot, just to help keep my enthusiasm, and to get some idea of reader reaction and whatnot, (and, in all honesty, because I live on the frickin' internet)--and she made dismissive hand-waving gestures and said "Go for it, not a problem."

So I don't really worry about it anymore.

UrsulaV said:

I asked my agent whether posting WIP stuff on-line was gonna be a problem down the road--I do it a lot, just to help keep my enthusiasm, and to get some idea of reader reaction and whatnot, (and, in all honesty, because I live on the frickin' internet)--and she made dismissive hand-waving gestures and said "Go for it, not a problem."

So I don't really worry about it anymore.

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Madame, you are my hero. Tonight, I'll be sleeping easy, I tell you. Easy!

Electronic thieves aside, post if you must but only for feedback, not in even a remote hope someone will fall in love with it and send an editor/agent your way.

They are too busy to look at stuff on line even if a published writer points you out. The first thought will be "Why doesn't this one go through the usual submission channels?" --if they spare it even that much attention. (I should know, being an editor on occasion.)

My second thought is usually, "Sheesh, it ain't rocket science. Why don't they learn?"

The third is, "Great, now an editor has more time to check out MY properly submitted stuff!"

The ones who contact you WILL be scammers. They have lots of time to spare trying to get your money. They LOOK for this sort of thing. Chances are great that they troll these forums for choice, unwary prey.

As one of my published friends has noted, posting your work on line in the hope an editor/agent will spot it is like tacking the perfect resume on your front door hoping your next boss will walk by. Ain't gonna happen.

I'm not saying lightning could not strike, but the odds are heartbreakingly against. The pros in the industry will be looking for another pro who clearly knows how to follow the rules.

Get your feedback because it IS important, polish, then send it in.

Good luck!

mylightshines said:

OH man, you guys have me scared. But what's the worst that could happen? Someone sees the first chapter and does what? Steals it and tries to write the rest of the book? I thought it would help garner intrigue and interest. You guys already know that once someone knows you wrote a book, they always want to know about it.

PeeDee, thank you, yes, you did answer my question and I did not mean to imply that you were only interested in BBT. Merely was trying to let you know that I did click on your link. Didn't want you to tell my mom.

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There are lots of good points here. I wouldn't be scared, though. If someone stole your first chapter (first, you must have been one helk of a writer) they still couldn't write your book. Plagiarism isn't the issue. The issue is whether or not it would intend publication. One Chapter...no. Whole book. It could, but a simple password would likely invalidate a claim like that, and I believe you are only risking electronic rights at that. I don't think it would be the publisher that would object but maybe an agent or editor that might suppose a potential problem that could waylay your success.

It doesn't hurt to lean toward caution.