Can anyone point me at the site's guidelines for safeguarding writing we upload to this site from plagiarism? I'm new and have been having a look around the site, but haven't yet found anything specific on this.

I gather that if I join a group then I can choose to make my uploaded writing available only to members of that specific group of up to 15 people. Is this correct?

I also gather that there are experts on site who sometimes comment on work uploaded to groups, and I presume that if you only make it available to the group members then it is not available to the experts for their feedback? So we have to make that choice.

Sorry to sound paranoid about this. You all seem lovely people but the internet is a big big place with lots of faceless people and I just wanted to know how things stand wrt this.

Many thanks for any answers or general advice on this...

Deb

Hi Deb, and welcome.

It’s natural at first to worry about this sort of thing but, in all honesty, it rarely is a problem. However I would strongly advise you not to make your work visible to everyone – that’s the first option in a list of four which you’ll see when you upload – because then it’ll be visible to search engines right across the internet.

Either click on ‘Writewords Members Only’ or ‘Only my writers’ group’, whichever you feel more comfortable with. (there’s a fourth option where you can make your work only visible to yourself, which is handy if you want to take something out of the archive without losing the comments you’ve had on it)

Most of the site experts belong to one group or another, so yes, they’ll see and comment on your work, but of course no-one outside the group will be able to see it. It really depends on which group you choose, and incidentally, there’s no compulsion to join any – you might prefer to browse around and get to know them for a while. Read as much uploaded work as you can, to get a feel for which other writers you think you would gel with.

Hope this helps. Anything you want to know, just ask. Nik Perring and I are site hosts and will be happy to help you find your way around – and so will most members.

Dee

Thanks very much Dee - that really helps and is very reassuring.

Deb

Welcome, Deb.

You could also take the decision not to upload chapters chronologically, be more random about it - and don't upload scenes with what you consider to be your best ideas.
The downside to this is that it makes it more difficult for people to comment on eg the progression of your plot and characters.

If you join a group, if you upload to all WW members first, after receiving a couple of comments outside of your group you can then change the setting to group only.

Just a few ideas.

Good luck with it all!

Casey

I do the same as Casey, out of paranoia a little, the chances are slim, but still.

Thanks both.

So you don't think a publisher in the future would have a problem with you sharing parts of your novel with a group of 14 others online who you didn't know outside the forum?

(Sorry - I know I'm being paranoid...)

Deb

Just to add to this, in light of the discussion on another forum...

As Dee says as long as your work is not visible to anyone on the internet (ie just wwmembers can view it) it is not considered published.

As far as being worried about people stealing your ideas... I wouldn't worry. I've never heard of it happening.

You own the copyright to the work as the author. And if someone was to steal your work the file on your computer will be dated as will the ww entry.

If anyone's REALLY worried, send a copy of your work by recorded delivery to yourself. Don't open it when it arrives though!

Nik.

You can also upload it onto here - mark it visible to yourself only, if you don't want anyone to see it - the upload will be dated, and can be used as proof that it was in your ownership on that date. No need to worry about subsequent changes, even fairly major ones, so long as the draft you use to establish copyright is substantially the same as the final version.