Nathan Bransford - The Forums

I have a question about beta readers. I posted an excerpt from my story/MS, and with some help, I have changed it, hopefully for the better. My question comes about with regard to things like exposing a story prior to publication. What pitfalls should be thought of before putting your hard work in another person's hands for review. I like to be trusting, but I want to keep myself covered at the same time.

mark54g wrote:I have a question about beta readers. I posted an excerpt from my story/MS, and with some help, I have changed it, hopefully for the better. My question comes about with regard to things like exposing a story prior to publication. What pitfalls should be thought of before putting your hard work in another person's hands for review. I like to be trusting, but I want to keep myself covered at the same time.

I'm not sure that there's much cause for worry. Great books are all about execution not about the originality of an idea.

Thanks.

I wasn't so much worried about someone lifting the concept, but how would it look to a publisher, or anyone else, if someone else had a copy of the book, even in a much more raw form, that they could disseminate before some action could be taken against them?

mark54g wrote:Thanks.

I wasn't so much worried about someone lifting the concept, but how would it look to a publisher, or anyone else, if someone else had a copy of the book, even in a much more raw form, that they could disseminate before some action could be taken against them?

Ah, no, can't imagine this would be an issue.