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/lit/ - Literature

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17974028 No.17974028 [Reply] [Original]

Let's say I submit a book to a publishing house. There's no such thing as a "literary agent" in my country so you deal with them directly.
Let's say they will not publish my book, but nothing prevents them from saving the digital copy, picking out some good parts and then having another writer create something based on the ideas from my work.

If push comes to shove, will I be able, as "a small man" with no money in resources, fight such a case in the court with the digital proofs?
That's when it also gets tricky, though. I can show that the email with my manuscript was sent some time before they published the re-working, but they could just call it a coincidence that my story elements overlapped with "theirs".

Yes, I know it's a grey area between /lit/ and /legal/; yes, I know that no one will probably care about my shit so much. But hypothetically speaking.
I'm in a paranoid mood.

>> No.17974054

>picking out some good parts
There first need to be any before this can happen

>> No.17974089

>>17974028

Stop being paranoid you autist, you are just creating more reasons to avoid sending your (incomplete) manuscript to publishers

Also, just publish abroad then. It's all zoom meetings now anyway.

>> No.17974191

>>17974089
Oh, I will not hesitate to send them.
Like I said, it's a hypothetical situation caused by living in a third world country corrupt through and through. Publishing abroad is indeed an option, though.

>> No.17974202

>>17974028
Apply for an ISBN number beforehand. You can do this for free in most countries, and it will show a clear demonstration of ownership.

What sort of book are you looking to publish anyways?

>> No.17974208

>>17974028
I am scared of this also

>> No.17974232
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17974232

>tfw you steal another unfinished manuscript from /lit/, pay an English major $50 to edit it, and publish it under your own name to the acclaim of your many fans

>> No.17974273
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17974273

>>17974191
You sound like a pretentious faggot

>> No.17975029

>>17974273

No, he doesn't.

>> No.17975277

>>17974028
https://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-prereg.html#what_is

Preregister your MS.

>> No.17975313

>>17974028
Use this paranoia to write more

>> No.17975371

Just publish on amazon and market it yourself. You are a nobody. No one cares. If you can make a little success yourself, then maybe you can gain some respect of traditional publishers.

With Google, you can place targeted ads for your book. It's pretty easy nowadays to get your book in front of people.

But keep in mind that the dream of becoming an author for a living, especially in these times, is most likely out of reach for someone like you.

Every author thinks his book is absolutely amazing. They are our children. Have you ever seen a mother fawn over an absolutely ugly baby? Well, that's what most authors are like.

Don't take it too seriously. You aren't going to be immortalized by your book. Do it for the sake of the art or not at all. Your book is not your life. Don't look at it like it is or you will be utterly disappointed.

Think of death every day and remember that no book will be around in a billion years.

Cheers.

>> No.17975548

>>17975371
Most of this is already well known by most of /lit/ and honestly seems like something you need convince yourself in, not the others, but thank you.
>Just publish on amazon and market it yourself. You are a nobody. No one cares.
If you cannot find a publisher for your book, then your book is so shit it doesn't even reach the tier of the YA trash you can find on the front shelves of Barnes and Noble.
Unless you already have a following of at least a couple of thousands, you book will go unnoticed no matter how much you pay for the ads. Look at Gardner. I doubt he sold more than a hundred copies. All of the self-publishing authors will suffer the same fate.
Amazon's self-publishing platform is a last resort either complete hacks who will be pleased enough to have their book "published" in any way (nice conversation topic, though far from actual truth) or people devoid of any business and market sense.