So, some extended family members of mine have asked me to e-mail them the short story I recently sold--my first pro publication--because they are interested and excited and want to read it. I appreciate that I have a supportive (or at least curious) family, but...umm...the request made me incredibly uncomfortable. It would be different if the story was published online and free to read and I could send them a link, but it's not--it was published in print and the magazine is for sale. For me to go around handing out my word document version would be an utter betrayal to that magazine.
I think the problem is people not understanding what it means to have sold a piece of writing to a publisher who is now its distributor. I guess I'm wondering if anyone has dealt with being put in this kind of weird position? I now have to go draft a reply explaining why I can't/won't send them a free copy of the story, and I'm not totally sure how to go about it.
I think the problem is people not understanding what it means to have sold a piece of writing to a publisher who is now its distributor. I guess I'm wondering if anyone has dealt with being put in this kind of weird position? I now have to go draft a reply explaining why I can't/won't send them a free copy of the story, and I'm not totally sure how to go about it.