Dear Mandy,
How do I share my work without having it stolen?
The question isn’t really, how do I share my work without having it stolen? The real question is: What makes you think anyone wants to steal your work?
My answer: Oh, precious. Do you really think the word vomit you’ve dumped into your Google Doc is worth stealing?
Probably not. My rough drafts aren’t worth stealing either. As plenty of famous authors have said over the years, first drafts are garbage. (Or, to quote them more accurately, they’re shit.) You’re going to spend a long time revising that manuscript if you hope to make it worth reading. And if you’re sharing it with critique partners or beta readers, chances are you’ll be sharing it with several people who can all attest that the work is yours.
Continue reading “Ask the Author: How do I share my work without having it stolen?”