Who owns the short stories

I write, and would like to take some story arcs, characters I've developed in the short story contests/forum and use them elsewhere.

But I wanted to ask? Does ATS own them first?

Many publications ask if the story was previously published as part of their screening process.

Thanks,

DB

a reply to: DBCowboy

Your stories are ours now. OURS!

And you'll have none of that. NONE!

a reply to: DBCowboy
I do.
I eat your words.
Then I eject them as poopwords but they are better than before.
And I get in trouble for talking sh!t.

a reply to: DBCowboy

i was pretty sure that somewhere your posts become property of the site.
and at the bottom of the forum page it says it is copyrighted.

All content copyright 2023, AboveTopSecret.com

and from T&C page,

6) Use Of Content; Copyright. All content created by Users of TAN website are governed by an "Attribution - NonCommercial - NoDerivs 3.0 Unported" Creative Commons Deed (hereinafter "Creative Commons License"). Users can share, distribute, copy, and transmit the work Users find on TAN websites provided Users provide proper attribution that includes the name of the Website User, the name of the Website, and a link to the content thread. These usage rights do not apply to any commercial use of the content found on TAN websites, and such use is strictly prohibited without prior written authorization from TAN. These usage rights also do not apply to derivative works, and such use is strictly prohibited without prior written authorization from TAN. Each post of each thread contains a "copyright" link that clearly specifies the method in which the material may be shared, distributed, modified, or used.

You will not copy, distribute, display, or publicly perform material from the Websites to Post on other websites or quote in offline research in a manner that does not comply with the Creative Commons License that specifies the author's member name as a member of AboveTopSecret.com, includes The Above Network, LLC and the member as owners of the content, provides the title of the thread, and a full URL to the board thread. 


a reply to: BernnieJGato

So ATS owns the rights to my crimefighting characters Captain Hero and his perky sidekick, Bren Dover?

a reply to: BernnieJGato

it appears so, but i would think it would be just stories that you have posted here. new ones that have never posted should be good to go.

originally posted by: DBCowboy
a reply to: BernnieJGato

So ATS owns the rights to my crimefighting characters Captain Hero and his perky sidekick, Bren Dover?

Yes
And they now identify as x/xyx and cuz/broski

a reply to: DBCowboy

No, they can use your material but you do not loose any rights to your material.

Somewhere in the threads I read this example: ATS could make a book that contains your poems because you agreed by T&C that ATS can use your material.

You could publish your own book, ATS would not get revenue from that, your rights are not infringed.

Something like this.

I will post my threads on a forum I created before I post here, but I imagine that service has a similar copyright agreement and so no protection. My creative writing projects, the ones I made a thread about here (ATS LINK), should be copyright protected as I own that website and it has my copyrights agreement.

It doesn't cost much to buy the domain name and website, about $80 a year with the server I use. Don't use GoDaddy or ones like that. I code my pages by hand but many servers have a WYSIWYG website design program you can use pre-designed formats and drop and drag files into it.

a reply to: BernnieJGato

I'm no lawyer, but I read that to mean work of other members or material from other websites.

I believe that the author of any artistic composition, be it written or digital, retains the credit for the work and should be able to publish said work outside of ATS.

As to if the work can be considered published, when you're asked by potential editors, I think is a grey area. My wife once enquired for a poetry competition, as she had made some memes with excerpts of her poems, and they replied it would be OK. They were more worried about commercial publication.

I could be totally wrong, but I don't see how the legitimate author of fiction can lose their ownership of their own works.

Let's see what the Moderators have to say about this.

a reply to: Encia22

neither i'm i, i did say like it appears so. but it also says this which seems a bit contradictory to me,

from the T&C part i posted,

These usage rights do not apply to any commercial use of the content found on TAN websites, and such use is strictly prohibited without prior written authorization from TAN.

then this at the very bottom,

to Post on other websites or quote in offline research in a manner that does not comply with the Creative Commons Licens
You will not copy, distribute, display, or publicly perform material from the Websites e that specifies the author's member name as a member of AboveTopSecret.com, includes The Above Network, LLC and the member as owners of the content, provides the title of the thread, and a full URL to the board thread. 


and i agree, mods or owners should clarify

a reply to: DBCowboy

creative writings are owned by the author the moment that the words are on paper, saved on a hard drive or published on the internet. You don't have to do anything else at all to copyright your work. You own it by law and there is no amount of little lettering on any website, including ATS, that can change that.
It is yours from the moment you wrote/typed it, until 70 years after your death (in most countries, some even longer)

a reply to: DBCowboy

No. You retain your work, and allow it to be placed (and therefore used by the site in perpretuity you posted. But get a copyright anyway. I have over 300 from 1969.

Literary Copyright Holder-3 books, 70*stories/blogs...and dozens of single and shared musical copyrights.

I recieve $$$ Quarterly worldwide from sales and plays.

Good Luck

Matter of fact DB? Got questions going forward...I got answers and New York, LA and London atorneys. Copyright and Trademark. Can always PM any questions.

It's up to the creator to protect their intellectual property. I keep my stories/.poems etc. in the Cloud and always print out a dated hard copy.

www.copyrighted.com...

a reply to: olaru12

NEVER PUT ANYTHING IN ANY "CLOUD"! OMG...think about it. Buy a $29 external drive, put your whole C drive on it...and toss it in your underwear drawer.

But up in someonelse's "CLOUD"? No...no.....noooooooooooooooooo! My stuffs wayyyy too important. Please think about that.

Cloud disappears...so is all your stuff. Get an external, throw all your stuff in it each week, or day. God bless, Jesus Saves

a reply to: DBCowboy

Hey DB? You know its even possible for you to release say "THE BIBLE" or "GONE with the Wind" by DBCowboy?

Yep...totally legal...buuuuuut? It can be registered as your VERSION of it. It gets tricky requiring permission on the original if you sell yours, promote yours or get any $$ for it...youd owe the original owner, and may not even GET permission.

But any attempt to sell it for $$, will bring on the lawyers for their clients cuts. Hopes this kinda helps you.

a reply to: mysterioustranger

Hard copies, thumb drives, and the Cloud.....WGA as well.

originally posted by: mysterioustranger
a reply to: DBCowboy

No. You retain your work, and allow it to be placed (and therefore used by the site in perpretuity you posted. But get a copyright anyway. I have over 300 from 1969.

Literary Copyright Holder-3 books, 70*stories/blogs...and dozens of single and shared musical copyrights.

I recieve $$$ Quarterly worldwide from sales and plays.

Good Luck

Matter of fact DB? Got questions going forward...I got answers and New York, LA and London atorneys. Copyright and Trademark. Can always PM any questions.

Thanks, will do!

a reply to: BernnieJGato

Those are from the general terms of use, members have a second section.

As a Contributing Member of these websites, you agree to the following...
Your membership in the Websites indicates your acceptance of the above Terms and Conditions for Use as well as the following Additional Terms and Conditions of Membership. These terms and conditions are subject to change without warning, so please review them regularly.

Point 17 states:

17) Rights In Posted Materials: By posting on this message board, you relinquish all exclusive copyrights to any materials you Post and furthermore, you grant TAN non-exclusive, non-revocable worldwide, royalty-free rights to copy, distribute, display, reproduce, modify, adapt, create derivative works, and publicly perform the materials in perpetuity in all forms. This license applies to all works of authorship including, but not limited to, written materials (e.g., text), audio, audio-visual materials, graphics, and images (including, but not limited to, graphics and images used as avatars). You also grant all third parties the right to copy, distribute, display, reproduces, and publicly perform the materials you post under the terms of the Creative Commons License. TAN has the authority to decide to display your postings or not, and you grant TAN the right to modify your posts, remove offensive material, modify your post title to accurately reflect content, remove vulgar comments, remove insults, or delete any other content deemed inappropriate, all at our discretion.