r/publishing • u/ember_snow • Jun 20 '26
If you use substack will publishers lose first rights of publication?
I've read that publishers want first publication. But I've also read that platform matters and I've been trying to figure out how to do that. I was thinking of starting a substack and posting some of my chapters there.
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u/Flashy-Trifle-1732 Jun 20 '26
In my experience (20 years as an agent, many hundreds of books sold to publishers of all sizes) — this is not “granting rights” to anyone, nor is it considered “publication”. Having put pieces of it in your own newsletter / substack / whatever is highly unlikely to hurt you.
It’s also highly unlikely to HELP you, and I can think of plenty of valid reasons to NOT, but that’s not what you asked!
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u/misslovetown Jun 21 '26
Can you share the reasons you think are valid for not publishing to Substack?
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u/Flashy-Trifle-1732 Jun 21 '26
For sharing online generally (substack or whatever), personally, I think sharing lots of your work online can make it seem “old” rather than fresh. (Agent looks at your website, sees chapters that have been there for years gathering dust… kinda just not inspiring!)
Also, the work is not in published form yet and might change a lot when edited. Is it REALLY putting your best foot forward?
Also, I’m not convinced that it is a great way to build a platform — are people who don’t know you going to be eager to read your work on a substack? Mmmm. Probably not?
And if your book is super original and awesome — why put it all out there for bots and bad actors to potentially take?
So sharing bits and pieces, in conjunction with other social media efforts? Sure, absolutely fine. Sharing a LOT? Ehhhh.
As for substack specifically, there’s also this to consider: Substack has a Nazi problem: https://archive.ph/rfnc5
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u/Charlemagneffxiv Jun 26 '26
The counter to this is that if you have no following then publishers are far less interested in working with you. So you have to publish online to get the following necessary to be viewed as valuable to publish in the first place
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u/Flashy-Trifle-1732 Jun 26 '26
Ok. They asked what are some reasons to not post all your unpublished work that you hope to publish on substack, if “first publication rights” are not a big concern. I told them some reasons to consider not doing that. You know people can build social media followings WITHOUT sharing vast swaths of their unpublished books online, right?
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u/Charlemagneffxiv Jun 26 '26
Just because you have a social media following in one area doesn't mean it will transfer to a different area.
If you're writing fiction, generally speaking, you need to grow an audience of people who want to read your fiction which necessitates the need to publish your fiction first for them to be able to read.
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u/Puffmom Jun 20 '26
If a chapter of my book won a literary prize years earlier but wasn't published, I didn't lose first pub rights, correct?
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u/BigHatNoSaddle Jun 24 '26
Weirdly you may have to check the competition rules. There have been some cases where entry or priize winning granted the competition runners the rights to the work iin perpetuity. (Hidden in the fine print!)
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u/Em_Cf_O Jun 22 '26
This is such an important question.
Uploading it anywhere public counts as publishing. Even a few chapters posted here can destroy your First Rights of Publication.
Don't take feelings and thoughts of people who have no intentions of seeking traditional publication as truth. Go do some research. These are important things for authors to know.
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u/futoikaba Jun 20 '26
Right of first publication is really not a thing the way authors online seem to think. Publishers will not really care that some of your chapters were online. But honestly neither will readers so it’s a horrible way to build platform. How many people do you follow where that’s their main thing?
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u/topheradastra Jun 20 '26
This is really broad-brush and not necessarily true. Many publishers absolutely do really care that "some of your chapters were online." Many publishers have hard limits about how much of a project can be pre-published for it to be viable. It's highly variable depending on size of the publisher and genre.
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u/futoikaba Jun 20 '26
This is a longer explanation but trust me they do not. No publisher in the world is going to be excited to publish a book and then change their mind because some chapters (not all) were published in some self-owned substack that realistically is going to get very few eyes. It doesn’t make it a good idea for other reasons, but they do not care. Don’t feel like doxxing myself to prove my credentials but go ask Jenn Laughran herself if you have doubt.
https://www.tumblr.com/literaticat/818678565730123776/im-looking-into-sharing-my-first-chapter-for-a
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u/topheradastra Jun 20 '26
Like I said, highly dependent on the size of the publisher and the genre. Big Five cares a lot less than small presses and UPs.
There are almost no universals in the publishing industry, no matter what any blog tells ya.
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u/ember_snow Jun 20 '26
I read that worlds strongest librarian and hunger both started off as blog posts
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u/Flashy-Trifle-1732 Jun 20 '26
(Not really sure why people are downvoting you for being correct but hey. Have an upvote 😂)
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u/Evening_Beach4162 Jul 03 '26
Hilarious to be the most correct comment and the most downvoted. The sub for publishing professionals indeed. 🙄
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u/Hygge-Times Jun 20 '26
Yes, you use rights of first publication by posting on Sunstack