Apologies for the delay in posting anything. Health issues, so the doctor upped a medicine, and now pain has been replaced by drowsiness. So, posting this has been difficult.

I was intending to post the next part of Fevered Fuse, but I began to wonder what effect that would have on my publishing rights. Although I’m posting on my own website, it seems a publisher is likely to consider that excerpt too long and therefore ‘published’. That means I’ve given up my First Publication Rights.

Or have I?

I’ve already posted 13,000 words, which is about 18% of the novel’s total word count. The percentage some say might be acceptable is 5-10%, which I’ve exceeded already. However, although I have over 900 subscribers, the most ‘Likes’ I’ve received is 8, which is 0.9%. So, surely posting Fevered Fuse chapters has yet to dent future sales.

Nevertheless, before the novel is submitted, it would be advisable to change anything I post online, or instead I could explain in my submission letter that few people read those chapters.

Unless I switch focus onto revising Fates Maelstrom, which follows in chronological order from Fevered Fuse in the Snowdon Shadows series, and which one beta reader felt had a stronger opening in the first three chapters, so far.

I realise I decided to serialise after the responses to my January IWSG post, though I didn’t fully understand the consequences. Does anybody have any further comments?

Do my eight plus faithful readers want me to continue the serialisation of Fevered Fuse? An alternative is that I send a copy of the current draft to anyone as if they were beta readers. If you would like that, post a request with your email address in the Contact section.

The following are the posts I referred to, although opinions vary on the pros and cons:

Posting Writing Online Is Dangerous If You Post Too Much: https://kidlit.com/post-writing-online/

Let’s Address a Common Misunderstanding About Author Websites: https://writerunboxed.com/2016/02/22/author-websites/

Stop Being Afraid of Posting Your Work Online *: http://writerunboxed.com/2010/04/23/stop-being-afraid-of-posting-your-work-online/

What Writers Should Know about Copyright: https://www.copyright.gov/engage/writers/

Is it a Good Idea to Post Chapters of Your Novel On-Line to Build Your Platform?: https://authorkristenlamb.com/2010/04/is-it-a-good-idea-to-post-chapters-of-your-novel-on-line-to-build-a-following/

Should You Post Your Novel Online for Free?: https://www.writersdigest.com/questions-and-quandaries/should-you-post-your-novel-online-for-free

Posting Writing Online: https://www.goodstorycompany.com/blog/posting-writing-online

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Please note that I continue to follow events in Ukraine daily. I am trying to work on Episode 49 of Freedom Flights, set in September 2025.

Slava Ukraini

Heroiam slava!