:) I do understand that about sending to online groups if you want help and/or crit  -but what about things that are finished?

What about this example; (just an example, nothing that have happened to me in reallife  -but I do fear it)

I have an poem or story in Swedish online - then Mr Smith from US comes, he reads some of my written work (course he also know Swedish :)) Then he translate it, send it in to the U:S Copyright office and register his tranlated version has his.

1 year later I (by some way) finds my work somewhere, where Mr Smith is making huge money from my poem, that he have translated. (even if it is tranlated I do see it is mine, course if someone steals they propberly don't care of making much altering, and I think most artist recognice their work even when small changes have been done - but that is another matter :))

So I take contact with lawyers  -and the whole process, but here is the thing, my only proof is some handwritten pages in a poembook. And the coart of U.S means that he did register the work before me. I lose course I can't prove I created the orginal before Mr Smith.

So how does I protect this from happened? (Yeah I know don't make things avalible online)

Well some stories does I still have the paper I wrote them on, some I can proberly track down the teacher taht gace me grade on some other of my writings  -but what about the rest?

Ok I'm maybe too carefull, and "stupied" when it comes to reading all those copyright pages - but that is the darn thing  -most are in English  -Sweden is lightyears behind when it comes to copyrights. I mean it wasn't until this year filesharing become illageal.

Love Jenny