I had an approach from a site called 'ReadWave', via this site, asking if I would like to put one of my short stories on their website: "...in order to build up a fanbase online, and then use your fanbase to market your novel."

Anyone had any dealings with them? If so, how did you find the experience? Is it just another site that benefits from your hard work, and where the return is bugger all (or very little) to the authors concerned? I say this, because you have to donate your story to their site, which goes somewhat against my Yorkshire grain.

If I spend a day writing a short story, and a writing site wants to use it, I quite like the idea of getting paid for it. But do I belong in Jurassic Literary Park with this attitude?

Colin

I've had a similar approach. I had a look at the site and quite liked the quality of the stories.

No, I don't think there is any payment, simply somewhere to advertise the author's name.

I don't know how I feel about it, because I haven't done anything with the story, although it is not forgotten,and could be developed at some future stage.

Any other views?

Well, I automatically deleted the email and didn't touch the link as it sounded dodgy. Especially as they referred to the piece I'd uploaded (Images) as a short story and "fiction". It is not a short story and it is not fiction, they obviously hadn't read it. My brother advised me many years ago that if your writing is good enough to use then it's good enough to be paid for and it's still a rule I go by.

Sorry I haven't been much around lately, just been really busy. Colin, I noticed you've uploaded a new work on the Older Writers' Group, haven't had time to read it yet, out tomorrow and need to get an early night. Hope to catch up with everyone on Wednesday!

Maria

Colin, if you like the look of the site and you think the quality of the stories they have there already is good, you could consider giving them the right to reprint a previously published story.

Personally, I would never give anyone a new, unpublished story for free.

Catkin and Maria: thanks, sounds like good sense to me.

Colin

Hello Colin,

I got the same email yesterday. It looks like the guy is trawling for stuff to put on his site. I had a quick look at it and, while it looks genuine, I'm of the opinion that it that it could be a vanity project(on his part and ours if we sent anything in!)

Billy

Thanks Billy. I agree about good looking nature of the site, but I just don't believe it will do much good for the writers concerned - apart from getting their name online. But so what these days? Getting your name in cold print - and getting paid for it - seems a more rewarding outcome to me in an increasingly fevered (and easily dismissed and deleted)online world.

Colin

I got it too!

I had a feeling that other's would have received a WWmail too. They've also approached writers on at least one other writer's site I know of. The ReadWave site does seem genuine, but I still find it odd to be approached in such a way. Then again, if you've already had a story published and been paid for it, I don't suppose there's much harm having it appear somewhere else for exposure.

I've been sent it as well. Is he just sending it to everyone who has work uploaded or something? What I have up isn't even a short story, it's an extract from my novel.

<Added>

In fact, I've just discovered it isn't even an extract from my novel. So far as I can see the only thing I have uploaded at the moment is a brief summary, posted in Fast First Draft last autumn. Hard to see how the man from ReadWave could have got all that much enjoyment or insight from that.

Unless I don't understand how the archiving of previously uploaded work works, which is entirely possible...

I got it too. Haven't looked at his site as thought it was spam.

Don't give your work away free.

That's like asking the plumber to fix your leaky tap for nothing - you can imagine what he'd tell you to do!

Seems to me like they have nothing to lose and all your stories to gain, whilst you get - zilch!

I got this message as well, but they mentioned an anthology as well as putting work on their site. While i'm not sure about just giving my work away, the idea of seeing it in print is tempting.
What do people think about being published over being paid?

Yep, I got one too, regarding Delve, which is not a short story so he couldn't have read it. And yet somehow enjoyed it.

Well, that's put me off Lorraine. He'a not making any meaningful assessment from the sound of it.