To share or not to share?

Recently, I learned an acquaintance was writing a book. Excitedly, I asked, "Oh, what's it about?"

Is there a more glorious moment when someone takes an interest in your novel, wanting to know what you're writing about? Not for me. I'm more accustomed to people muttering, "That's great," their eyes glazing over like fasnachts on Fat Tuesday. My experience has been that people only want to hear about your books if you have a track record for publishing them. When someone asks me about my novels, I can't wait to try my pitch out on them. What if I get stuck in an elevator with an editor from Berkley Books, and she says,"What's your book about?" I have to be ready.

So, I practice my pitch. I write it and write it again. As I am wrapping up a book, I revise my logline. I've entered assorted contests--pitch, premise, first page, and novel-in-a-paragraph--seeking feedback on my pitch--my hot idea. You need as much practice as you can get. Not to mention, that sometimes by defining and honing your logline or your premise, you realize your book is getting off track in time to steer it back onto the rails.

"Sharing your pitch is important," said Rick Fellinger, a fellow Wilkes University Creative Writing program alum. "Do you know how many ideas for story content I've gotten when I've told people what I'm writing about?"

"I'd rather not say much about it," the woman said. "I don't want to give it away."

I had asked about her book--in earnest. I was giving her the chance I live for. But she didn't want to talk about it. I asked a follow-up question, and she disclosed a few vague details about her book.

Why didn't she want to talk about her book? Did she think I was going to steal her idea? That's not usually how it works. I can't write her book or anyone else's. Most people can't. Maybe that's why I've experienced very little theft of my intellectual capital despite participating in lots of online writing communities and contests. My god, you're lucky if someone in a position to advance your book sees your book, and its potential. Period.

Hillary didn't get my vote...
and I didn't get a column

Once I submitted an idea for a column to an online magazine with the headline, "Hillary or Bust?" the premise being a sardonic one: Society expected me to vote for another female Democrat because I was a woman, but Hillary wasn't my candidate of choice. The publication didn't accept my column--apparently they were voting for Hillary. However, in the very next issue one of the headlines of their articles was, "Hillary or Bust?" In almost six years of furious writing and submission, that's the worst case of idea theft I've ever experienced. And I never submitted a column idea to them again.

So, what do you think? Are you reluctant to share your writing? Your pitches? Your premises? Do you see the value in sharing them or do you think I'm being too trusting, which I've been known to be? Has anyone ever stolen your writing--premise, pitch, copy?