Stolen Work Problem

[Daicos]

Ok so I did something very unwise, I asked someone (over the net) to like read my story, I sent them some of my more important stuff (which I know figure was very dumb!) and I have heard back from them in weeks.
If they did decide to steal my story... What can I do to prove it's mine...?
Like for one of the main pieces is actually posted on here so I don't have to worry about that but like, the piece that I've been working on for ages, I don't have much proof that it's mine other than showing teachers and friends at school.
Help would be much appreciated!
Thanks in Advance

P.S Sorry if this belongs somewhere else wasn't really sure where to put it so thought here would be best.

 

[Miz]

Ok so I did something very unwise, I asked someone (over the net) to like read my story, I sent them some of my more important stuff (which I know figure was very dumb!) and I have heard back from them in weeks.
If they did decide to steal my story... What can I do to prove it's mine...?
Like for one of the main pieces is actually posted on here so I don't have to worry about that but like, the piece that I've been working on for ages, I don't have much proof that it's mine other than showing teachers and friends at school.
Help would be much appreciated!
Thanks in Advance

P.S Sorry if this belongs somewhere else wasn't really sure where to put it so thought here would be best.

All works you create automatically have a Copyright, that belongs to you, and there are many ways to prove that is it yours. You can literally get "copyright" by printing the paper out with a date and time, or posting it on a site like this with a date and time. However this will do little in court. You can get a free Creative Commons, which is an extension to your private copyrights, that tell people how they cause use your work. (How they can share it, etc.). Of course Creative Commons never guarantees legal control, you can get lawyer to help you if need be, as creative commons can be used for that.

There is, of course, if your work is truly finished and a master piece you can always go for filling out a real copyright form at the copyrighting office, but of course there is a small fee to that. http://www.copyright.gov/

 

[DogOfHavoc]

I hope you didn't plan on publishing, because publishers are very hesitant to accept any work that has been posted anywhere on the web. Insofar as proving its yours, without a copyright, there really is no clean way to do it that I know of. Sorry.

 

[Ninva]

Keep all your work to yourself. That's what I do. There's no need to show everyone your material. Make everything as professional as possible. Never post any story you intend to publish online. Critics who don't reply to you immediately are usually bored with your story for one reason or another. I've been a volunteer critic for a few years now. People still send me stuff for review. I rarely give anyone a full summary anymore, and I've just flat out ignored some requests even when the person sent me the whole manuscript. We critics don't have time to study every piece of amateur work. We're still amateurs ourselves.