tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15174206.post6899297411682941267..comments2009-05-03T05:19:20.151-07:00Wylie Merrick Literarynoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15174206.post-58740504736945637882009-05-03T00:07:00.000-07:002009-05-03T00:07:00.000-07:00I would have to say it's probably not all that common for people to think this, considering this was the number 2 hit on "agent steal manuscript" on Google...and there's two comments. Just saying...Anthonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08008535097297114838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15174206.post-84201275738580871282008-08-29T18:13:00.000-07:002008-08-29T18:13:00.000-07:00I don't worry about agents or other publishing professionals stealing manuscripts or ideas. <BR/><BR/>What does concern me, however, is the online "critique groups," "query crits" and "novel workshops," where the novel or at least its core idea is posted for anyone to see, before it is published. While I'm not paranoid about having my ideas stolen, I also don't feel the need to be overly loose with ideas and concepts in a business where ideas and concepts are commodities to be bought and sold. Yes, the execution is just as important as the concept, but still--why give away half the product for free?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15174206.post-67868304606204996932008-02-09T14:05:00.000-08:002008-02-09T14:05:00.000-08:00The main reason I don't worry about agents or publishers stealing my work is that it is just easier and cheaper for them to buy it from me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15174206.post-89720761845452848322008-01-30T16:07:00.000-08:002008-01-30T16:07:00.000-08:00I have heard of dumpster diving into agent's trash to find scripts, but it seems to be just an urban myth. It's more likely that a phoney agent might pull something so they can get ideas for TV and movies, especially when those scripts could make a million, but if that happened then there should have been at least one lawsuit reported. It's not that art theft doesn't occur (teachers have been know to sell ideas created by their students), but a writing theft would be just too obvious.<BR/><BR/>What's worse is when you've just written a manuscript for a story then Hollywood (or another writer) comes along and decides to make something similar to what you've written. It's hard to convince people that you didn't steal the idea, even though it was coincience. And coincidence seems far more common than plagerism.Patrick McNamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10425009866240928347noreply@blogger.com