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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/8256
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/8256
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

[Critters](http://critters.org), one of my favorite workshopping sites, [addresses this question](http://critters.org/c/faq.ht#Q29):

> **Is sending through the group considered publication?**
> 
> In a word: No. Editors recognize the utility of critique groups and that many authors belong to them. Being seen by a restricted set of other authors is not publication ("publication" means available to anyone, i.e., "the public").

I know for a fact of stories workshopped on Critters have gone on to be published by the biggest magazines in the field, so I'm inclined to believe 'em.

In general, a good rule of thumb is this: **if you can find the actual text of the story using Google,** e.g, by searching for the title, for the author name, or for a line or two from the text, **then consider it published. If you can't, you're in the clear.** So, for example:

- A forum which is locked behind any kind of password should be OK. 
- Publicly sharing a link to a temporary document which you can take down after getting feedback should also be OK. 
- Emailing text directly to a limited group of online acquaintances is fine.
- Posting your entire piece on a public forum - not OK.
- Posting your entire piece to your personal blog - not OK.

An additional crucial point is to **check the terms and conditions of the site you are posting on.** Some sites and forums claim ownership or the right to re-use any posted content (the Stack Exchange network, including Writers.SE, is [one such site](http://stackexchange.com/legal/terms-of-service#3SubscriberContent)). If anyone besides yourself, the author, can claim ownership or re-use rights over your text, that can be a significant problem, and can conceivably render your work unpublishable.

Original score: 2