Legally, copyright exists the moment you finish writing; proving it is something entirely different. The simplest way to establish proof of copyright is to mail a copy of the story to yourself by certified or registered mail and file it away unopened.
Originally posted by Fallen Angel: Wordmage glad to see you here and appreciate the advice. With most of the writers amateurs including me, it is always good to hear from the pros.
Any advice on how to try and sell stories or where?
Thanks, Fallen Angel. Sure. Always happy to help, if I can. First, if you're talking strictly erotica, you'll need to do some research to find out what pubs or sites will accept it and what they pay. Writer's Market is a wonderful resource, but they caved in years ago and refuse to publish contact info for porn publishers. Still, many of the publishers take erotica, it's just not their primary focus. All this assumes you have a manuscript that's as good as you can make it, of course. Spell checks and grammar checks are fine, but I've developed a list of readers to help me know if it's good enough to submit. English teachers are a good source, if you know any. Proofing is a must. I usually do three before sending to a reader I can trust. If someone is going to pay you money (no matter how little), they're not going to allow you to be sloppy. If you want to be a pro, you have to submit material that doesn't give the editor an excuse to say "no."
Hope this helps.
