Author Topic: What counts as a reprint?  (Read 4035 times)

MokalusOfBorg

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on: May 30, 2013, 01:44:57 AM
Hi, all,

I'm a bit new to the whole publication scene, so please forgive my ignorance in advance. If I have a flash piece I posted to my blog ages ago, and now I've had it critiqued and reworked it a bit, would it still count as a reprint if I took it down off the blog before submitting it for publication? The blog is very low-traffic - I have more neighbours than site visits per month - so it's not as if my stories have been widely circulated yet. Does that even matter?

Mokalus of Borg

PS - I'm happy to try and sell as a reprint if that's what has to happen.
PPS - But obviously I have more options if it counts as the story's first publication.

Tomato is a fruit, watermelon is a berry, banana is a herb and everything you know is wrong.
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Scattercat

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Reply #1 on: May 30, 2013, 02:25:27 AM
Nothing is ever deleted from the Internet.  Not completely.  If you once posted it publicly, it's a reprint now.  You might be able to negotiate something with a particular editor at a given market, but as far as offering it for sale, you should basically specify everything you just said and clearly indicate that you're offering a reprint rather than first worldwide rights.



MokalusOfBorg

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Reply #2 on: May 30, 2013, 04:03:27 AM
Fair enough. I kind of figured that would be the case, but it's good to know for sure.

Mokalus of Borg

PS - I should probably concentrate on new work anyway.
PPS - But that old stuff is just sitting there, doing nothing.

Tomato is a fruit, watermelon is a berry, banana is a herb and everything you know is wrong.
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Windup

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Reply #3 on: May 31, 2013, 12:38:05 AM

PPS - But that old stuff is just sitting there, doing nothing.


There is always the option of adding some new material, rewriting a bit, and marketing as an eBook to readers of the blog.  I've noticed a surprising number of blogs do this, and I've even bought a couple. 

"My whole job is in the space between 'should be' and 'is.' It's a big space."


MokalusOfBorg

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Reply #4 on: May 31, 2013, 02:44:02 AM
There is always the option of adding some new material, rewriting a bit, and marketing as an eBook to readers of the blog.

I thought about that at one time, but then I did some calculations about how many stories I'd written, screening out 90% of them for quality and figured I just didn't have enough material yet. I'll keep it in mind for the future, though.

Mokalus of Borg

PS - Plus, for the time I'd spend and the readership I've got, we're looking at maybe making five bucks.
PPS - I guess five is bigger than zero, though.

Tomato is a fruit, watermelon is a berry, banana is a herb and everything you know is wrong.
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Windup

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Reply #5 on: May 31, 2013, 03:06:59 AM
There is always the option of adding some new material, rewriting a bit, and marketing as an eBook to readers of the blog.

I thought about that at one time, but then I did some calculations about how many stories I'd written, screening out 90% of them for quality and figured I just didn't have enough material yet. I'll keep it in mind for the future, though.

Mokalus of Borg

PS - Plus, for the time I'd spend and the readership I've got, we're looking at maybe making five bucks.
PPS - I guess five is bigger than zero, though.

Well, a lot depends on the value you assign the experience.  If it's something you think you'll only do once,  it's probably not worth it.  Like the first time at anything, it will probably consume too much effort, cost to much money and you'll almost certainly screw it up to some degree.  At least, that's what the self-publishers I've heard tend to say. 

However, if you're seriously considering this as a channel, or just want to publish books the way some people like to work on cars, build furniture, cook fancy meals, etc. then you might as well get that first one out of the way.  Or maybe use it as a vehicle to discover that dealing with editors is actually much less trouble than you previously thought.   ::)

Disclaimer: I'm still at the "accumulating material" phase of this process, so you should probably take me with a large grain of salt.  :o

"My whole job is in the space between 'should be' and 'is.' It's a big space."