Rights question

[melissajm]

Just for fun, I wrote a story based on a cut scene from the novel that's currently sitting in DAW's slush pile. It quotes from a wanted poster in the book and is about the novel's main character, although it doesn't mention his name.

I saw a market that might be a good fit for this story. Am I allowed to submit the story to magazines now that I'm shopping the novel, or is that a no-no? Thanks!

Comments

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

If the scene has been cut and the only thing you quote is the ad from the book, then I don't think there's a rights issue. All of it is your property and you aren't "double" selling anything, since the majority of the short story is not included in the novel. Essentially, except for the sentence or two in the ad, it's new material, right?

[melissajm.livejournal.com]

All but 10 words, where a character's skimming the Wanted poster. It's not even the whole poster. The character and situation would be recognizable to anyone who read the book. (if the book were published.)

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

Then you're fine. Submit!

[mallory-blog.livejournal.com]

I think it's a definite YES YES!!!

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

I certainly don't see any problem with it!

[safewrite.livejournal.com]

You can...but if you sell the book to DAW, do you want to - yet? Look at how Allan Steele pushed his Coyote books and how Charles Coleman Finlay increased interest in his Maggot stories ( The Prodigal Troll, etc.) with strategic releases of related short stories.

Just a thought.

[melissajm.livejournal.com]

Hold off a bit, you mean, until the book's actually out there? That's a big IF...
(But wouldn't it be fun? ;))