How to improve

I want to improve my prose writing, specifically short stories. Someone recommended I join You Write On.com, from what I understand you post stories and other members critique it, does anyone do this? I don't think I would trust complete strangers to read an unpublished story of mine, it's unlikely they would steal it but it would play on my mind.

The other way I thought I could improve is by reading more short stories and how to..books, does anyone have any good suggestions what I should be reading?

Thanks and if anyone has any other suggestions (other than go away) please tell me

I don't know about that site, but good critique sites in general are very useful. No one's going to steal your work. You can learn just as much from reading and critiquing their work as you can from their reviews of yours.
Or join a real life writing group, if you're into that sort of thing.

I have to say. if someone steels your stuff then you know it was good

I agree with zooo about joining a writing group - this can be invaluable. Don't agree that nobody will pinch your work - this once happened to me in a 'real life' writers group since when I guard my writing as if it's gold (though it's probably crap). Maybe I should be honoured that it was stolen by the writer-in-residence who has a lot of credits to his name.

Quote: keewik @ September 15 2012, 10:18 PM BST

Maybe I should be honoured that it was stolen by the writer-in-residence who has a lot of credits to his name.

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How bizarre!

Well, fair enough. It obviously has happened. But the odds are so wildly enormous it's probably rarer than being struck by lightning. I don't think there's any point worrying about it. (Though I understand why you would be a tad wary, Keewik!)

I'm sure you're right. Another writer I know reckoned that writers are too vain to steal other people's stuff. Unfortunately I know otherwise. The thing that really annoyed me was that I'd no longer be able to use that piece in the future (it was a short story).

What a bastard. How did it all come about? Did everyone else in the group find out? What happened in the end? (So many questions.)

on a personal level I would hate to think that some people would be prepared to steel your work. I like to think if someone liked what you did then they should man up and team up rather than take credit for something they couldn't think of.

The thought of someone doing that pains my head.

Quote: zooo @ September 15 2012, 10:30 PM BST

What a bastard. How did it all come about? Did everyone else in the group find out? What happened in the end? (So many questions.)

View original

I was reading his latest novel ( by this time the group had folded) and there were my words. About 60 pages later, there was a piece written by somebody else in the group. I did nothing because he was the acclaimed writer and I was nobody. Also he'd acknowledged, in a general way, people in the arts group, so he probably reckoned that covered him.

Well, it's not the worst thing that can happen in life, is it?

Yikes. What an arsehole.

Should've outed him.
That's really low.

How do you do that without a whole messy and expensive court case?

I too think it is niave to believe your material won't be stolen.
I'm not saying it's rife but it does happen.
When I first joined this forum I told a tale of plagiarism that happened to me.
And it was from someone who is or was big in the industry.