Email chain into story?

[kwmurf2000]

Hello, all.

First, let me say how much I respect and admire all the authors on lit. There have been many nights where you have all kept me great company, and I owe you tremendously.

I have just had the pleasure of exchanging some very hot emails with someone I met through the forums. Unfortunately, I have also had the displeasure of having her stop mid-story, apparently never to return again (it's been over a month). I get why that happens (anonymity is a good thing) but still, it is frustrating. I would like to finish the chain as a story and submit it, so it will get out of my head - and so I can get that "first submission" out of the way.

I understand the story posting rules that say that any work must be yours and yours alone. However, any email exchange would have to be edited heavily to work it into a readable story. My question is: how far do I need to go, in order for it to be "mine"?

Obviously, names should change to protect the innocent, etc - I get that. But do I need to entirely change the situation in the story, as well? Or is just making it coherent as a "story" enough to make it submit-able?

Thanks in advance for any guidance.

 

[blamafire]

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[Stella_Omega]

Spamatrons aside, you most certainly can do that, and depending on how much you edit and rewrite, it can be perfectly legal to do so. Truman Capote was famous for telling intimate details out of his friends lives-- sometimes ex-friends after that, of course...

The question is, how YOU feel about it. Have you asked permission from your correspondent? If she says yes then it's clear sailing, consciencewise.

 

[damppanties]

Spamatrons aside, you most certainly can do that, and depending on how much you edit and rewrite, it can be perfectly legal to do so. Truman Capote was famous for telling intimate details out of his friends lives-- sometimes ex-friends after that, of course...

Was he using written works from his friends? What I suppose the OP is going to do is use those emails as they are, just editing them and submitting them as his own work. I'm not quite sure that counts as original work.

Asking permission, as Stella noted, is good. Could also ask the correspondent if they'd be willing to be added on as a co-author.

 

[kwmurf2000]

Thanks

Thanks, guys.

Unfortunately, the correspondent is MIA, or I most certainly would ask her permission. if I weren't trying to "follow the rules" all I would really have to do is edit the story and post it. I'm trying to make sure I do it "right" the first time.

That said, there is much to flesh out (so to speak) in the correspondence in question before it is worthy of being posted. I suspect that, by the time I'm done, the story will only vaguely resemble the original emails.

Perhaps the best course will be to edit the story and send it to her, asking for permission to post it and offering her a co-author spot. If I don't hear back in a reasonable amount of time, I will post it, and at least have the email as cover.

Thanks again.