Ethical or Unethical?

[The Krause]

At college, I find that I don't have the time to honestly pursue a job and all the extracurriculars that I participate in. This summer led me to think of ways in which I could provide some sort of income so that I could finance my personal leisure activities other than writing. To cut to the chase: could I sell my writing?

I'm not talking about becoming published. I don't have illusions about that. But I have a feeling that there is a market for poetry among the student body of my school. I would be granting them all rights to the work in question in exchange for a fee. I'm just wondering how people feel about the ethics of selling the rights to ones intellectual property in such a manner.

[M4GNUM]

Apropos

At college, I find that I don't have the time to honestly pursue a job and all the extracurriculars that I participate in. This summer led me to think of ways in which I could provide some sort of income so that I could finance my personal leisure activities other than writing. To cut to the chase: could I sell my writing?

I'm not talking about becoming published. I don't have illusions about that. But I have a feeling that there is a market for poetry among the student body of my school. I would be granting them all rights to the work in question in exchange for a fee. I'm just wondering how people feel about the ethics of selling the rights to ones intellectual property in such a manner.

confused does it really matter what a bunch of faceless people think about your money making habtis? i really hope not. or you may not find yourself in any business of any sort. i'm liberal with the idea that, hey, it's your damn life, do with it as you must.

[The Krause]

goatcreature__MAGNUM

confused does it really matter what a bunch of faceless people think about your money making habtis? i really hope not. or you may not find yourself in any business of any sort. i'm liberal with the idea that, hey, it's your damn life, do with it as you must.

I've already made my personal decision about going through with this, I just figured that this pertained to writing and was curious as to what other people thought on the subject.

[Bastetti]

Honestly, I wouldn't. Just because if you ever DID get published and maybe accidentally used that poem, you'd be the one charged with plagurism (spelling??). I suggest you try to get published before selling your poem, etc...

As for it being ethical--for what would they be using it? If it's to turn in as their own--no. That would be considered cheating, and at most schools you'd be punished as well, if they ever found out...which they have ways of knowing. ninja If they were using them to read to their girlfriends...well, that would EXACTLY be unethical, but I know I would think that person was a total loser to buy someone else's poetry to read to me...

So...in short, I wouldn't do it.

(oh--and as for illusions of things being published: if "Left Behind" can be published, anyone's work can...)

good luck!

[Releashi]

What is this market you want to sell to? I mean writers do all sorts of lack-integrity stuff, as do most types of artists, to finance they serious work. I mean it might be a breach of your personal sense of integrity but I don't see an ethical issue unless you are allowing them to hand it in as their own.

[XanyKaos]

If you're selling poetry to people who will probably be using it for a class assignment, then that's leaning toward unethical. But if you feel that you've got poetry good enough to sell, there are probably some places/magazines that might be willing to buy it, if you search around enough.

[The Krause]

Bastetti

Honestly, I wouldn't. Just because if you ever DID get published and maybe accidentally used that poem, you'd be the one charged with plagurism (spelling??). I suggest you try to get published before selling your poem, etc...

As for it being ethical--for what would they be using it? If it's to turn in as their own--no. That would be considered cheating, and at most schools you'd be punished as well, if they ever found out...which they have ways of knowing. ninja If they were using them to read to their girlfriends...well, that would EXACTLY be unethical, but I know I would think that person was a total loser to buy someone else's poetry to read to me...

So...in short, I wouldn't do it.

(oh--and as for illusions of things being published: if "Left Behind" can be published, anyone's work can...)

good luck!

Academic Dishonesty would be out of the question. Your "Give It To Their Girlfriend" scenario is probably closest to the demand that there would be on my campus. And as for publishing. I'd be selling them the rights to the poem, meaning I'd get rid of all my copies of it after I turned it over to them. I'd treat the poems sold as if I had never written them in the first place.

[Jahoclave]

Apropos

Bastetti

Honestly, I wouldn't. Just because if you ever DID get published and maybe accidentally used that poem, you'd be the one charged with plagurism (spelling??). I suggest you try to get published before selling your poem, etc...

As for it being ethical--for what would they be using it? If it's to turn in as their own--no. That would be considered cheating, and at most schools you'd be punished as well, if they ever found out...which they have ways of knowing. ninja If they were using them to read to their girlfriends...well, that would EXACTLY be unethical, but I know I would think that person was a total loser to buy someone else's poetry to read to me...

So...in short, I wouldn't do it.

(oh--and as for illusions of things being published: if "Left Behind" can be published, anyone's work can...)

good luck!

Academic Dishonesty would be out of the question. Your "Give It To Their Girlfriend" scenario is probably closest to the demand that there would be on my campus. And as for publishing. I'd be selling them the rights to the poem, meaning I'd get rid of all my copies of it after I turned it over to them. I'd treat the poems sold as if I had never written them in the first place.

Sounds like a ******** plan to me, but hey, it's your life.

[Bastetti]

*shrugs*

Yeah, that makes sense--what you COULD do is make a booklet of "Sold Poetry" so that you're sure you never write it again...
The only reason is that whenever I write a poem and lose it, I think to myself, "what was that poem again?" and try to rewrite it...I know that if I were to sell my stuff, I'd end up doing that, with my luck xd and then I'd do something to get in trouble....oh well.

But wouldn't you be pissed if that person decided, "hey, this is good enough to get published" and then S/he sells it to hallmark and gets thousands of dollars?? Just a scenario...I dunno

[Bastetti]

And, actually, since you're selling them the rights, that'd be exactly what half of them will do, anyway (cheating, BTW). I mean, once you sell them the rights, it's their poetry, and you can't do anything about it...

[Trumierre]

I don't approve of the idea. Claiming another individual's work as their own, I feel, is completely wrong. (That is, if they are claiming your work as their own.) How will these people put it to use? If they edit your work, manage to get it published, will it have an impact on you? Will you regret doing it?

Plus, there are other ways to make money. Writing takes time, as well as everything else. I work at the Barnes & Noble on campus. I'm in Michigan, so I wouldn't know about the jobs offered at your college. sweatdrop

[The Krause]

From those that have posted, it seems that the selling of intellectual rights is considered to be extremely unethical because of the abuse (academic dishonesty and dishonesty on the purchaser's part) that could stem from it. Do I have that about right?

[Releashi]

Apropos

From those that have posted, it seems that the selling of intellectual rights is considered to be extremely unethical because of the abuse (academic dishonesty and dishonesty on the purchaser's part) that could stem from it. Do I have that about right?

To be fair I have no problem with people selling the rights to their intellectual property as long as they undersatand what that means. Also if you state clearly that on their 'buying' it is that you have not endorsed its use to cheat etc in anyway than the moral responsibilty is theirs.

I think you should do it if there actually is a market for it but I think it'll be a lot more time and effort than you thin it is and if you advertise too widely than the girlfriends/boyfriends will probably guess it wasn't their partners work.

[Bastetti]

Apropos

From those that have posted, it seems that the selling of intellectual rights is considered to be extremely unethical because of the abuse (academic dishonesty and dishonesty on the purchaser's part) that could stem from it. Do I have that about right?

Well...that and its really not a smart move: its YOUR stuff. Most of these kids at your school have just about as much money as you do, or even less. And for the kids who have more than you...well...its not as much as you could get by recieving roalties with your work...its like inventing something: you NEVER tell anyone about it until you get the patent for it, because it doesn't matter who came up with it, if they don't have a patent (copyright, etc) then whoever DOES get it, gets all the credit and money.

Like we've said, what if some lame a** boyfriend gets your poem for, say $5...(just a number I threw out)...or even $100...wouldn't you just piss your pants if you found out that two months later or whatever your "customer" is making thousands off YOUR poem that you got one lousy fiver for??

Its just not a smart move...sorry, but that's the way I see it.

[The Krause]

I'd like to thank everyone who provided their imput on the matter, in case anyone was wondering, I decided not to actually go through with such a venture due the the amount of effort that would be required to safeguard myself if someone did purchase a poem with the intent of using it to cheat, as would eventually happen. Those of you who would still like to imput your two cents on whether your feel the sale of intellectual property, such as writing, are still encourage to do so.