Question about paid publishing outside Lit

[Voboy]

Mod. LOL.

When I had a publisher interested in a story here, I felt the ethical thing to do was to pull the story off Lit entirely so that my publisher could have control of the older, previously published bits in addition to the new material I'd been planning to add. I published quite a few novellas with her, and at no point did it even occur to me to post any of that content here, for free.

To me, it's about ethics even if that risks profits or readership. My feeling is that Lit content is Lit content, paid content is paid content. That was the only way I felt I could give each outlet its due.

I don't write commercially anymore, largely because the churn wasn't something I felt I could sustain. But none of what I wrote for profit will ever show up on Lit, or vice-versa. I did mention my commercial work, briefly, in my author profile, but mostly so that I could tell my readers where that first story had disappeared to (it was quite popular here until I yanked it).

YMMV. Some of this is governed by rules, either on Lit or elsewhere. More of it, to me, is an ethical question that all us writers should answer for ourselves.

 

[JohnDavidSmith]

I'm not sure it would be inherently unethical. I mean, as authors we hold the copyrights for our works, and publishers only have the rights we give them. We're not ethically bound to do whatever helps the publishing company's bottom line for no other reason than because they're publishing the book. If we were, then self publishing an ebook on multiple platforms would be a mortal sin.

If the publisher has you sign a contract granting them exclusive rights, then going against that is unethical. If the contract specifies that it be unpublished everywhere else, then it needs to be done.

IMO, making decisions based on the idea that the publisher inherently deserves maximum control over the published work (above and beyond the actual contract) is granting the publisher far and away more credit than they in reality deserve. They're providing a service. They're entitled to their fair share as agreed upon in a contract, but nothing more.

 

[ElectricBlue]

As far as the Lit policy on not posting incomplete story teasers where the conclusion is only available somewhere else, does anyone know where that is stated? I know it exists because I remember reading it somewhere, but I can't find it again. It doesn't seem to be in the Lit faqs or any of the forum stickies or rule lists, unless I'm overlooking it.

I mostly just want to read over the actual rule again, to make sure that my idea (turning a complete, self-contained Lit story into a series outside of Lit) would be ok. I at least want to make sure it wouldn't be outright breaking a rule.

Any mod input on this would be appreciated.

If your story here is self-contained and complete, you're okay in terms of Lit policy.

You're over-thinking this, I reckon. I'm also not sure what you're expecting of yet another incest novella in the marketplace - what's your story got that the other thousand don't? Poor punctuation, for starters - learn how to punctuate dialogue properly before you take it anywhere, would be my advice.

 

[JohnDavidSmith]

learn how to punctuate dialogue properly before you take it anywhere, would be my advice.

Solid advice (not just on dialogue, but grammar & style in general).

 

[Voboy]

I'm not sure it would be inherently unethical.

Nor am I. To wit:

“I felt...”
“To me,...”
“My feeling is that...”
“YMMV”
“..., to me,...”
“...that all us writers should answer for ourselves.”

I don’t think there’s an answer, and I’d CERTAINLY never presume to put words into anyone’s mouth on an ethical question.

So? You’re left to your own judgement, just as you were before you started the thread. Good luck.