The difference between a first serialization and a reprint The difference is that there s a difference It is as simple as anything to say that the relevant stories were published as first serializations in such and such a periodical on such and such a date Badabing badaboom done And that s how to put it accurately Specific words for specific rights mean specific things in any kind of intellectual property field In writing if I have first serialization rights and I publish a reprint without owning the rights to reprint or having permission from the entity that does own the rights to reprint I m up a creek If I as an author sell my story as first serialization rights to a magazine customarily it would be something more limited like first serialization rights for North America then I retain all other kinds of first rights to my story The distinction wouldn t matter if we were talking about Wolfowitz s or someone else s personal blog where they referred to whatever as a reprint That would be oh whatever he didn t know the difference and just used the wrong word Contracts for stories or books are real specific about exactly what rights are going to be owned by who and under what conditions and for how long That specificity is why the terminology matters This is not Wolfowitz s personal blog This is an encyclopedia In a personal blog the distinction between first serialization and reprint don t matter In an encyclopedia it does