Normally I don’t feel the urge to respond to something posted elsewhere with a full post of my own. But one this morning in a lit mag blog has me pulling my hair with frustration. Oh, it’s a simple question—is it ethical to resell a previously published work without disclosing prior publication? Especially if prior publication was in a small online venue that a.) didn’t pay and b.) folded.
It’s not ethical to submit previously published work to those who don’t want it. The only “it depends” answer appropriate here is *if* previously published work is allowed, it depends on what rights you still have, which to your point, is a legal question not one of what the writer feels entitled to.
Speaking of STORY, I won the Harvey Swados Prize at my MFA program and Martha Foley was the judge. The story was then published in Redbook and launched my career as well as making me--for a grad student, a ton of money.
I’m browsing the comments on the Lit Mag News post that inspired this and am also surprised by the variety of responses: https://litmagnews.substack.com/p/is-it-unethical-to-submit-previously/
It’s not ethical to submit previously published work to those who don’t want it. The only “it depends” answer appropriate here is *if* previously published work is allowed, it depends on what rights you still have, which to your point, is a legal question not one of what the writer feels entitled to.
Speaking of STORY, I won the Harvey Swados Prize at my MFA program and Martha Foley was the judge. The story was then published in Redbook and launched my career as well as making me--for a grad student, a ton of money.