I need some advice! A new lit mag from the UK "copy edited" my 250-word flash story beyond all recognition, without my permission, without letting me see the final version before it went to print. I posted the tale on my blog . I have had wonderful, supportive messages on all my online groups - but also two experienced writers and editors have told me that actually, the magazine was fully within its rights to do this, that when a story is accepted for publication, the journal "owns" it and can do what it likes, despite the fact that I didn't sign a contract.

Help! Is this true?

Tania

Editors fiddling with the copy is pretty much de riguer in the newspaper industry, titania - that's why they're editors. And editors in the book industry can & do make authors rewrite their novels to a greater or lesser extent, and if the author refuses they are likely to find their ms will not be published (and even though the writer does the bulk of the rwrites, often copy editors will go on to make small changes prior to publication), so I'd have to say go with the flow and move on.


- NaomiM

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And I'm putting magazines on a par with newspapers here.

Thanks, Naomi - but is there any limit to what an editor can do? They made so many changes, I feel that it isn't my story any more. Can they do whatever they want? In contrast to journalism (I used to be a journalist), where the newspaper or magazine commission the story, I write it for them and then it is theirs to do what they will - in this situation, the literary magazine has accepted a story I did not write for them, is there nothing that takes into account the fact that they accepted it in a certain form and they cannot change what they accepted beyond a certain measure? This seems crazy to me.

I'm sorry you've experienced the meaner side of publication, titania. It seems you've come up against the age old conundrum of artistic integrety v's publication. Editors have a strong tendency to think of their readers first and their contributors second - and they consider themselves te first in line when it comes to the readership. If a contributor makes a fuss, they won't want to work with that person again. The only sanction you have is not to submit to them again, everything else is a moot point.


- NaomiM

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If you're asking me if I would be annoyed, then, yes, probably, for a moment or two, but I would also take the money and run, and seriously consider contributing again.

I think I was almost more annoyed at the condescending, dismissive emails I received from the editor-in-chief in response to my very politely worded concerns. Anyhow, here is what the UK Writers' Guild told me:

In this country there is a moral right not to have your work subjected to 'derogatory treatment', but unfortunately the moral right does not apply to publication in newspapers or magazines. For what it's worth, treatment is 'derogatory' if it amounts to 'distortion or mutilation or is otherwise prejudicial to the reputation of the author'. Although the right is not enforceable in relation to magazines, one would expect any professionally competent magazine not to subject a writer's work to such treatment.

So, it seems that a writer does not have any legal rights... it comes down to a magazine choosing to behave in a moral and ethical way. And all the recourse we have as writers is to vote with our feet and not to submit to magazines who do not behave in this way - and perhaps to warn others about this too. Ah well, a lesson learned!

Hi Tania,

Sorry to hear what's happened. Mystified as to why they'd do that...

I think you can request, as part of the deal in accepting a publication offer from small press mags, that you have final say on copy, and that you check it prior to it going to print. They can then say yes or no to this, but if they do agree, you have comeback if they then alter it beyond recognition. It is quite common to show authors the proof before printing, to get their approval. We used to do it when I ran a small lit mag.

Very best wishes

Cherys

Thanks, Cherys. Yes, this is definitely something I will do from now on. Best to be cautious, eh?

Tania