What are the chances of my work be stolen?
A. Between my website and the critique group I run, I get this question all of the time from new writers. Some fear entering any contest, joining any critique group, even doing one on one critiques…because they just know someone is going to take their work. I’ve even gotten messages from some who are afraid to send work out to an agent or publisher, because they fear that agent or editor will copy it too. First, I’ve never heard of a story being bought that hasn’t ever been seen by someone else. (Smile) Second, plots and ideas aren’t under a copyright, and I don’t think there is one left out there that hasn’t been done a million times at least. We just all do them a little differently. And lastly, actually taking a novel from someone and passing it off as your own, or passing it on to another writer to then pass off as her own, is as one of my characters says…about as rare as hens teeth. (Smile) After all, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Q.
