Publishing on Forums

[RobinHood3000]

Forgive me if this topic has been addressed before, but doesn't the posting of one's work on an Internet Forum constitute the relinquishing of first publication rights?

[starrwriter]

Forgive me if this topic has been addressed before, but doesn't the posting of one's work on an Internet Forum constitute the relinquishing of first publication rights?
I don't know, but to avoid problems with magazine publishers, I never tell them a story was published in a forum. What they don't know can't hurt you.

[RobinHood3000]

Fair enough. It's just that some contests accept entries only for first publication rights, and I was wondering if it might be an issue for some.

[starrwriter]

Fair enough. It's just that some contests accept entries only for first publication rights, and I was wondering if it might be an issue for some.
Not if you don't tell the contest judges. It's a jungle out there in the publishing world and if you act like Goody Two-Shoes, you'll end up at the bottom of the food chain.

BTW, never enter a contest that charges a reading or entry fee. It's a money scam. The losing writers pay the winners and the judges pocket the rest for doing what they would do for free if they were legitimate.

[RobinHood3000]

I don't think so--just because something charges money doesn't mean it's a scam. Just look at raffles for a prime example. You pay for the chance to win, and if you don't, the winners get a share. Likewise for the lottery and for any of a plethora of non-literary competitions. So why not writing contests? I've yet to see a legitimate writing contest allow free entry. Poetry.com, by comparison, charges no money for "entry" yet is one of the most notorious rip-offs anywhere.

And incidentally, selling rights that you don't own constitutes a breach of contract and could land you in jail.

[starrwriter]

I don't think so--just because something charges money doesn't mean it's a scam. Just look at raffles for a prime example. You pay for the chance to win, and if you don't, the winners get a share. Likewise for the lottery and for any of a plethora of non-literary competitions. So why not writing contests? I've yet to see a legitimate writing contest allow free entry. Poetry.com, by comparison, charges no money for "entry" yet is one of the most notorious rip-offs anywhere.
And incidentally, selling rights that you don't own constitutes a breach of contract and could land you in jail.

Writing is a profession, not a gambling game. If you want to wager, buy a lottery ticket.

Incidentally, no one except me owns my writing until they pay me for it.

[RobinHood3000]

From Writer's Digest Magazine's Online Q&A Archives (located here) (http://writersdigest.com//qadisplay.asp?id=1193&secondarycategory=):

Q&A: One-time vs. all rights
Q. I'm confused about rights. If a potential publisher says they buy all rights, does that mean that they will buy any of the various types of rights? Or does it mean that they buy first rights along with any other rights so that you no longer own the piece? How are one-time rights different from reprint rights, since they aren't first rights? Also, is it unrealistic to expect more than 1/2 of the original payment for an article that you are submitting as a reprint, if you were only paid $5-10 for the article in a small publication?
--Carol Kloskowski

A. If a publisher says it buys all rights, it means just that--all rights. You no longer own any part of the work. One-time rights may be first rights--that is, a publication may buy the right to use the work once, but specifically to be the first medium to use the work. One-time rights also may be reprint rights, if you are selling the work after it's been published once. The amount you can expect to receive for a reprint depends on the particular publication.
--Melanie Rigney, WD editor

Furthermore, a link (http://www.writersdigest.com/contests/) to contests that charge entry fees but are totally legitimate.

And how are contests not a gamble?

[rachel]

Robin to the rescue!
It is a jungle out there but it can be navigated with knowledge and your claws sharpened.
M'Lord pleeze don 't make us wear those dreadful shamrocky pants Night found. I am begging you....