Hi all, just a warning about sharing work. I am in a writers group at my local library, and as my novel is in the final stages of "our" editing, before letting an editor near it, I let anyone in the group who wanted to, take a look through dropbox. The week before last the young woman who runs our group, pushed a self published book over the desk for me to look at. later she said I think you need to take a look at the story. Then said I don't think she has done it deliberately. She was being kind. My story had been woven into a quite sexualy explicit story which she had told us someone had told her to make it less explicit. Not only making it less explicit she has woven into it a large part of my plot which is so clear that when I spoke with the young woman who passed me the book to read said, I know I'm sorry she has stolen your work. So people, don't trust anyone with your work, I have no idea what to do. Regards Paul.
Thank you Lorraine as always good sound advice. I am going to leave it but the fact that someone brought it to my attention shows that those links were recognisable. she is a prolific writer but from what I can make of it it is as if she is writing her life and using it as a sort of therapy. I may be wrong but she does talk about her stormy and from what she says must have been quite steamy past. But Hey Ho we must keep o keeping on, what is is. Again thank you.
Regards Paul
Paul, so sorry to hear this. You feel betrayed and undermined and invaded. The young woman who did this is nothing more than a thief. You could challenge her on it, if you want to, but it's such an emotional thing to have your work abused in this way that you may not feel up to it.
Bear in mind that people who have published their books through Amazon have had the same thing happen after publication, and Amazon have had to force the thieves to take down their work.
However, unless she has included recognisable things from your book - names, places, settings - it's unlikely anyone who reads yours is going to read hers, let alone spot the links. She is trying to attract a far different readership with her sexy novel (if it's good enough to get any readers at all). If she can only write other people's plots, she's not going to get very far.
Go ahead with your own work, safe in the knowledge that yours is of a better standard and quality, that you've put your heart and soul into it, and that you can prove that all the hard graft was yours, not hers, should anyone ever query it.
I think the answer is, never, ever give the whole book out wholesale: the first three chapters are enough for a reader to get the flavour and to judge the quality. If they beg for more, you've succeeded (and they can be your first sales!)
Chin up and carry on.
Lorraine
Hi Barbara. I think her book probably won't attract too much attention, aia will monitor what is happening with her sales and only if things look like my work could be damaged will I take any action. Sometimes least said and all that!
Thanks for all the comments and as they used to say at the beginning of Hill St Blues (most here will be too young) Let's be careful out there!
Regards Paul