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rjzeller · 07-11-2005, 12:58 AM

A few things:

1) The irony is deep but I don't mind it at all. There are published authors (bestsellers and hugo award winners) who post typos all the time when they participate in chats. So be it. Of course, since your post does have to do with potential publication, ML has a very good point!

2) Presumably you've written this on your computer first. Take the the file date of the original and compare it against the date the webiste lists for the posting -- I assume the site lists the date you presented it, most of them do -- then you parents and teacher at least should know it was truly yours.

3) Write a new peom, show it to your parents and teacher first, then post it under your psuedonym. Since presumably only you have the right password for that profile, only you could post a poem under it. When they see that, they should have no reason to doubt you (unless you're a grade-A hacker).

4) Write the publishing bit off. Publishing companies are notoriously fickle, and do not like to stick their necks out for anyone or any reason. Theirs is a low-profit industry where only a small percentage of books truly makes a resonable profit. They are not going to take any more chances than they have to. If they see something that's already been published -- and in most cases a public web page is analoguous to publication in their minds -- EVEN IF IT WAS UNDER YOUR NAME, they very often will NOT publish it. Webzine authors (of which I am one) run into this all the time. They come up with a story or serial that sells, they write or compile it into a book, and the publishing house dumps it the instant they find out it had already been published. It doesn't matter if it was in print or not. You usually can get away with printing the first 10-13 lines of a piece, but beyond that you can forget it. And with poetry the limits are usually only a line or two, maybe a stanza.

As far as they're concerned, the work is already published.

I say forget about it. If you've truly got the talent, you'll come up with another poem to publish and yet others to post. And if you're not talented enough for that, then chances are you're dealing with one of those "poetry.com" scam companies that are just out to get you to buy their book, in which case you're better off not publishing with them anyway...

my 2 pennies....

07-11-2005, 12:58 AM	#7 (permalink)
rjzeller Forte User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Rochester, MN Posts: 1,212	A few things: 1) The irony is deep but I don't mind it at all. There are published authors (bestsellers and hugo award winners) who post typos all the time when they participate in chats. So be it. Of course, since your post does have to do with potential publication, ML has a very good point! 2) Presumably you've written this on your computer first. Take the the file date of the original and compare it against the date the webiste lists for the posting -- I assume the site lists the date you presented it, most of them do -- then you parents and teacher at least should know it was truly yours. 3) Write a new peom, show it to your parents and teacher first, then post it under your psuedonym. Since presumably only you have the right password for that profile, only you could post a poem under it. When they see that, they should have no reason to doubt you (unless you're a grade-A hacker). 4) Write the publishing bit off. Publishing companies are notoriously fickle, and do not like to stick their necks out for anyone or any reason. Theirs is a low-profit industry where only a small percentage of books truly makes a resonable profit. They are not going to take any more chances than they have to. If they see something that's already been published -- and in most cases a public web page is analoguous to publication in their minds -- EVEN IF IT WAS UNDER YOUR NAME, they very often will NOT publish it. Webzine authors (of which I am one) run into this all the time. They come up with a story or serial that sells, they write or compile it into a book, and the publishing house dumps it the instant they find out it had already been published. It doesn't matter if it was in print or not. You usually can get away with printing the first 10-13 lines of a piece, but beyond that you can forget it. And with poetry the limits are usually only a line or two, maybe a stanza. As far as they're concerned, the work is already published. I say forget about it. If you've truly got the talent, you'll come up with another poem to publish and yet others to post. And if you're not talented enough for that, then chances are you're dealing with one of those "poetry.com" scam companies that are just out to get you to buy their book, in which case you're better off not publishing with them anyway... my 2 pennies.... __________________ There are 10 kinds of people in the world: Those who understand binary and those who do not.