Am I rational to fear that my idea can be stolen?

i would be cautious and not post your work on any site like that. why can’t you email it to the proofreader?

@jca because I thought it was hard to find the link to the files so no one could see them. Yeah, I know I was stupid.

Now what should I do?

Try to remove the stuff from that site, and just in future, email it and keep it off that site.

@jca I removed everything right after I saw the numbers of downloads. But I’m still worried about being stolen…

Hey, I have not shared it with anyone. I would never betray your trust. But let me check to see if someone is looking over my shoulder.

I don’t see anything. But I don’t think anyone on here has your talent. Maybe they’re just curious?

@Adirondackwannabe that’s because I deleted all the files. But can the downloaders actually take my idea and make it their own?

No they can’t, because you and I have both worked on it and we have time references. It isn’t their word against you, it’s their word against us. And I will back you wherever we have to go.

There is an old fashioned way to protect your work. Before you post it publicly online – never a good idea under any circumstances as it always leaves you open to plagiarism – place each finished chapter, signed and dated by you, in an envelope (this includes any later major revisions) and mail it to yourself, then file the envelope safely away UNOPENED. The date on the sealed envelope – to be opened ONLY in front of a magistrate or in court of law – proves the work in addressed to you, your possession and with dated your signature was written before a certain date, pre-empting other later claims to it. This is viable evidence in most countries, but you must check the laws of Vietnam for confirmation.

I suspect that the six people who downloaded your work may have done so simply to read it offline due to their personal online time restrictions and not to plagiarize it. On the high side, you should take this as a compliment as you have evidently captured reader interest. Good show, Mimi.

Never post your serious work publicly online. If you want a trusted friend or professional to proof your work, always transmit the work in a file via email. This will save you the worry and headache you are experiencing at the moment.

I’ve always been impressed by your ability to express yourself in English. Your descriptions of your social and family life are always interesting and well written. You are intelligent and disciplined beyond your years and I expect that you will be successful in any endeavor you choose to pursue in life, Mimi. Good luck to you and your writing.

I second that @Espiritus_Corvus!

“Don’t worry about people stealing your ideas. If your ideas are any good, you’ll have to ram them down people’s throats.” – Howard Aiken