I recently began posting on a website called associatedcontent.com. I submitted some articles as 'exclusive' for upfront payment- they pay pretty well and it seems like a neat way to get exposure.

However, I decided to actually read some info on the site today, and found that by submitting my work for upfront payment, I'm basically selling the copyright to my work to the website. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

Basically, from what I understand, it basically just limits me from publishing the same work elsewhere- is that correct? Is there anything else I should be aware of before submitting more of my work?

I've only sent in a couple of things, but am considering trying to start up an online column, and thought this might be a good place to start and try to get some exposure- now I'm not so sure.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

It means by posting your work you don't have any right to it anymore. Its basically public property and no longer yours exclusively. I suggest you don't do that anymore, or pay to have any submission 'copyrighted'.

Associatedcontent.com may not accept it if you don't give them exclusive, permanent rights.

Any time you publish something online, a print publisher considers that "published". A lot of print publishers want first rights if they are going to pay you for your writing.

Can I still say that I wrote it? It appears that my name is associated with everything I've written- so that if I want to build a portfolio to obtain future writing jobs, I can just refer someone to my url at that website so they can view my work?

Or is it then possible that this company can publish and re-publish my work without giving me any credit for it? Or that I can no longer say it's my own? I'm not really putting out anything major on this website- just some things to make extra money on the side and get my name out there-

Also, is this any different from writing something and then finding a publishing company to publish it? Wouldn't they then own the copyright to my work also?

I read their copyright infringement statement. Supposedly your name stays with whatever you wrote.

Of course, anyone can copy and paste what you wrote and claim it as his own on some other site or in a term paper, without giving you credit. There's no way you can monitor that.

Your portfolio can certainly contain the pieces that you write for that site.

Once they own it, it is thiers to do with as they please, to resell it or to publish it. If they own the copyright, they do not have to give you further credit for the writing.