Forum / Newbie question

  • Picture_73.thumb
    Teresa Houle
    Aug 13, 03:29pm

    So I'm still getting to know Fictionaut and I have a question. I've only posted three previously published pieces so far and I have a couple more that I would like to add but they are due to come out in re-print within the next year. Should I hold off on posting those until the re-prints are done or is this site safe because it's restricted access and such?

    Also, I really like this place. :)

  • Author_wide.thumb
    Jürgen Fauth
    Aug 14, 06:51pm

    Hi Teresa,

    After a story is published the rights usually revert back to the author. Depending on your specific agreement, it should be fine to post them here, even if they're being reprinted elsewhere. If you're not sure, you might want to check with the respective editors. It's also a good idea to use to author's note to acknowledge where the stories were first published and republished.

    For the moment, Fictionaut is invite-only, and only members can see what you post. When we open the site for public viewing, there will be areas that allow you to keep stories visible to members only.

    Hope that helps --
    Jürgen

  • Picture_73.thumb
    Teresa Houle
    Aug 15, 01:15am

    Thank you Jurgen,

    That was very helpful.

    I will be posting more soon!

    Teresa

  • Stephen_stark_web2.thumb
    Stephen Stark
    Aug 17, 05:23am

    I'm curious about the whole business of putting up already-published work here. I've only put up stuff that hasn't been published, reasoning that it's what needs comment and criticism.

    So my question, if that's what it is, is what are people looking for when they post previously published work? That would be helpful to know if/when making comments.

  • 2626131459_1f98286ed1.thumb
    Robyn Detterline
    Aug 17, 05:40pm

    I have a question along similar lines. I am brand spankin' new here, so forgive me if this notion has already been discussed. But just looking around at the stories, I've noticed that the majority of them have already been published. What I hope to use Fictionaut for is an arena to post unpublished work that I can get constructive feedback on. Conversely, I would like to help others out who want feedback. I am less interested in using this site as just another online journal where I comment on how great a story is and brag about my publishing credits. I want to get down and dirty with stories and help others become better writers.

    So, my question is, could there possibly be an easy way to filter stories that have not yet been published, and for which the author is actively seeking criticism? Maybe you could add a "Unpublished" tab or something like that?

    Another idea is to have a forum section for Unpublished stories. A writer could post her name/story title in the thread heading, and people could read the work and have constructive dialogs in the forum, as opposed to the comments sections of stories, where it seems to me back-and-forth dialog would be difficult.

    So those are just some initial thoughts as I look around the site. I'm excited to be a part of it!

    Cheers.

  • Author_wide.thumb
    Jürgen Fauth
    Aug 18, 11:22am

    Thanks for the feedback, Stephen and Robyn, it's much appreciated.

    We're trying to make Fictionaut as flexible as possible so people can use it for different reasons. Stories that appeared in back issues of print journals can be difficult to find, and Fictionaut is a place where writers can post their previously published work and make it easily accessible. But writers can also post work in progress for feedback and criticism.

    For the time being, you can use the author's note to let the community know what you're looking for. You might just want praise for a previously published story (and that's ok), but with a new piece, you can ask specific questions or invite criticism & suggestions. (You can also use tags to identify a story as "published" or "unpublished".)

    In the next few weeks, we'll be rolling out groups, which will let you form sub-communities dedicated to a particular purpose (i.e., "Get down and dirty.") Each group will come with its own forum, and by adding a story to a group, it'll be obvious that you'd like it to be workshopped etc. We're excited about the possibilities groups will open up, and we hope you can make do with the author's notes in the meantime.

  • 2626131459_1f98286ed1.thumb
    Robyn Detterline
    Aug 18, 01:10pm

    Sounds good! I look forward to using the group feature.

  • Picture_73.thumb
    Teresa Houle
    Aug 19, 01:51am

    I would love to use this site for work shopping. I was under the impression that it was for previously published sharing.
    Having separate areas would be fantastic.

  • 100_0652.thumb
    Carl Wooton
    Aug 19, 10:25am

    Have you had any conversations with editors of literary magazines (especially print mags) about whether or not "publishing" in Fictionaut makes the work ineligible for submission to a magazine that insist on "previously unpublished work only"?

  • 100_0652.thumb
    Carl Wooton
    Aug 19, 10:28am

    Oops--Note should read "to a magazine that insists"

  • Zack_8_28_08_002_small.thumb
    Zack Wentz
    Sep 30, 02:07pm

    Also curious re: Carl's question.

  • Author_wide.thumb
    Jürgen Fauth
    Sep 30, 02:18pm

    Hi Zack and Carl,
    there was a pretty interesting discussion about this question in the Wigleaf group:
    http://www.fictionaut.com/groups/wigleaf/threads/15

    My response is about halfway through -- basically, the answer is up to individual editors. The hope is that having a popular story on Fictionaut will become as rewarding as having it published in a traditional magazine. Until then, we're trying to give you the tools so you can respond to different editors' ideas of what "previously published" means.

  • 009_07.thumb
    Shelley Ettinger
    Nov 03, 04:53pm

    Regarding why post a published story: I just joined and that was the first thing I did, and here's why. In my limited experience, once a story is published I have no idea whether it ever actually gets read and what anyone who does read it thinks about it. So this seemed to me to be an opportunity to perhaps get the story read some more and perhaps hear what anyone thinks of it should anyone be so moved as to comment. No, the comments won't go toward revision work since this is a finished, published story, but somehow I'm guessing/hoping they will be helpful anyway as I work on new writing.

  • You must log in to reply to this thread.