Contributing to other websites

should I tell the owners which other sites I contribute to?

[timchuma]

Recently in the space of a week I was asked to contribute to two seperate websites.

They both host movie reviews, but one is a regular review type site run as a hobby by a couple of people. The other is for a screening night for short films that is run on more professional basis.

They will both be getting different content, but I was wondering if I should tell either of them if I am writing for the other. (Rather than let them find out through Google or from someone else.)

Thanks.

[chrisnrae]

If they are both getting different articles, I don't see the issue. If they would have contacted you about two different movies, would you feel the need to tell them? As long as you are giving them both quality, unique - yet uncontradicting - content, I don't see the issue.

But, I would be sure to check any "terms" they may have given you or have available on the site for writers just to make sure there is nothing in regards to this already expressed on their sites.

[rogerd]

Freelance writers are generally under no obligation to report other assignments as long as they are unrelated - but be sure to read the fine print of any agreements. Usually, freelance agreements preclude selling the same article (or a substantially similar one) to other publications. If you don't have your own agreement, you might want to develop one. With a proper agreement, you can control the rights you offer and retain the ability to make money on other uses of the content. (Publishers, on the other hand, will try and keep as many of those rights for themselves as possible.)

Beyond legalities, you may want to consider your relationships with the sites/publishers. If you have a particularly strong relationship with one, or hope to be working with that one in the future, you might say something about your other assignment purely from a courtesy standpoint.