Private hosting for text files?

February 4, 2010 11:39 PM

Is there a website that offers a simple and free way to upload or even just paste basic text files (poetry), keep them organized and private, but allows me to give certain users access to it with a user name and password?

I am looking for a website to host my poetry privately. I've tried Deviantart, but posting things publicly on the web makes me nervous for many reasons. (I am nervous about copyright infringement/plagiarism, and I'm not sure if this is considered "self publishing", which is something I'd like to avoid.)

Right now, I'd like a place I can upload text files or paste text and keep these files organized by name. I'd like it to be accessible to me anywhere, and I'd like to be able to assign user names and passwords to people I trust to look at my work.

Does something like this exist, outside of setting up my own website? I'd very much prefer this to be free and easy.

Thanks!

posted by Lizsterr to Computers & Internet (9 answers total)

Response by poster: Also, There is probably some obvious solution I'm not thinking of, so this question could quite possibly be a silly one. Thanks for your help!
posted by Lizsterr at 11:41 PM on February 4, 2010

How 'bout Google Documents?
posted by The Deej at 11:42 PM on February 4, 2010 [1 favorite]

Google Docs is a good bet and, based on your description, Notespark is probably also a decent fit: Text-centric, share-able, and the website is free.

If you're interested in an intermediate step to self-publishing, you should also look at Tumblr -- a "micro-blogging" service that now allow you to password protect your blog while you gain some experience hosting your work.

Best of luck, Lizsterr!
posted by Veritrope at 11:56 PM on February 4, 2010

Best answer: Google Sites will also do the trick, and may be a little bit more elegant as a user experience than Docs.
posted by jbickers at 3:53 AM on February 5, 2010 [2 favorites]

Seconding Google Sites. It's very easy to use.
posted by AugieAugustus at 4:45 AM on February 5, 2010 [1 favorite]

Dropbox might work for you. When you want to share a file, you just put it in a shared folder.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 5:22 AM on February 5, 2010

I'd use livejournal for this, myself.
posted by lemniskate at 5:37 PM on February 5, 2010

I came in to suggest Livejournal as well. Tagging makes for better organization than simply putting them in folders, people will already be used with the basic blogging platform, and you can specify different levels/groups of privacy rather than inviting/sharing individually for every document.
posted by Phire at 9:36 PM on February 5, 2010

Best answer: Also, you're right to avoid deviantART. Not only is it a public site (where plagiarism runs rampant, though typically less so for prose and poetry) but their own terms of use lay out some rather questionable clauses related to retaining copyright of submitted work. There's been a fair amount of controversy about it and a lot of artist have simply up and left.
posted by Phire at 9:39 PM on February 5, 2010 [2 favorites]