Experimenting With Writing Site Skrawl

Thanks to Skrawl community manager Allie Daniel reaching out to me, I have just discovered the free online writing platform Skrawl.com

After Allie answered some questions of mine (some of the answers I will be sharing below with permission from Allie), I decided to give Skrawl a tryout even though I have been using Wattpad.com for work-in-progress writing.

And so far, with Allie’s help on my questions, I have been enjoying Skrawl, on which I have started a brand-new serialized fantasy story, ROAD TO ZANZICA, created just to try out Skrawl.

Note: As in all cases when you are posting your writing online, be sure to carefully read the copyright and other information in the terms agreement.

How Skrawl works:

Skrawl has two writing options: you can start your own Skrawl and decide whether you alone (“just me”) can write “bits” (chunks) or let others write “bits” of your Skrawl (either a private group or the whole community). Or you can write “bits” of other people’s Skrawl in a process that includes a set writing time and a voting procedure for those “bits” of a specific Skrawl.

There are three Skrawl categories for writing:

stories & scripts
articles
debates

Regarding editing: While once you “publish” your Skrawl “bit” you can’t currently edit that “bit,” Allie assures me this option will be added later.

Here is more information from Allie:

PZM: Who owns the copyright?

Allie: The writers will always own their work. However, if they collaborate with other users on a writing competition, they share ownership with the other contributors. Also, in the coming months, we will be discussing publishing capabilities. If a user would like to get their work published, Skawl will then have part ownership in the form of commission.

PZM: What are the optimal dimensions for an uploaded cover photo for a Skrawl?

Allie: We recommend 400 px x 400 px. The photos must have a minimum width of 200 px, and the branding (Skrawl Tile) will stretch to accommodate any height.

My Skrawl story ROAD TO ZANZICA:

I’m writing the serialized fantasy story ROAD TO ZANZICA, and it melds fantasy tropes with the themes of authors Georgette Heyer and Jane Austen (translated: sword fighting and romance). The photo accompanying this post I bought from istock.com to use for the photo cover of my Skrawl story.

Note that I have chosen the option “just me” for who can add “bits” to ROAD TO ZANZICA so that I can retain the entire copyright.

Click here to read my Skrawl “bits” so far of ROAD TO ZANZICA. And, if you like the serialized story, I would appreciate it if you would share this shortened link on social media — http://budurl.com/RoadToZanzica

Phyllis Zimbler Miller (@ZimblerMiller) has an M.B.A. from The Wharton School and is the author of fiction and nonfiction books/ebooks, including HOW TO SUCCEED IN HIGH SCHOOL AND PREP FOR COLLEGE and the romantic suspense spy thriller CIA FALL GUY, as well as newly written books not yet published. She can be reached at pzmiller@gmail.com