How do you get published?

[geronimo_appleby]

Hi, can anyone offer any tips or advice on how to submit for publishing?
I'm not looking for financial rewards, well... not motivated much , but it would be pretty good to see something I've produced in a bona fide book.
Anyone help?
Rick

 

[Guest]

"How do you get published?"

That's like the holy grail, mate.

Ok, my top tips.

1. Write lots.
2. Write more.
3. Write even more.
4. Polish what you've written.
5. Polish again.
6. Decide if you want to find an agent, or go straight for a publisher.
7. Do some internet searches and look for publishers in your field of writing, who are looking for new, unsolicited submissions (they're rare, but they're out there) If you have shorts you'd like to submit to anthologies, this is often the best way to make a "break through" into print. If you only have novels, it's even tougher.
8. Send out your stuff.
9. Keep sending out your stuff.
10. Wait a few months (in the meantime, go back to number 1.)
11. Don't give up!

Lou

 

[KarenAM]

A lot depends on how you want to get published, and exactly what you want to publish. A novel? Short stories? Poems? Here at Lit. you can be published without much difficulty, but to many this does not constitute "publishing" (I think they're wrong-- Lit. is most definately publishing; I've had more people read my work here than anywhere else).

It also depends on genre. In some genres, there are a lot of small magazines you can submit work to, for example. They don't pay tons of money (and sometimes only pay with contributer's copies), but it's publishing.

The big commercial publishers are actually under more constraints than smaller ones, since they live or die based on how well something sells, so they often slant towards better-known, established writers. Consequently, they are a much harder market to break into, but if you do they pay well.

Finally, there is self-publishing. Here you pay to be published. The advantage is that you have total editorial control (which was something I wanted in publishing my own book) but the disadvantage is that you have total editorial responsibility. If you send something filled with mistakes, they'll take your money and print it and not care that all the world sees your mistakes. So be careful if you choose this route.

I'd suggest practice here and when you feel that you are ready, start sending stuff out. Collect those rejections, because they make the first acceptance all the sweeter.

Best of luck!

 

[R. Richard]

1. Follow Tatelou's advice.
2. Go to your local library and ask for "Writer's Market." It is a book that lists publishers, procedures and prices.
3. From general background, if you want to submit to a magazine check for a website and submission procedures there or in the magazine. Generally you do not need or want an agent for a magazine subscription.
4. If you are trying to peddle a novel it might be useful to have and agent. However, most agents do not want to deal with unpublished authors. Beware of agents who want a "reading fee." I have researched this last and the opinion seems to be that a reading fee is money down a black hole.

 

[CharleyH]

"How do you get published?"

That's like the holy grail, mate.

Ok, my top tips.

1. Write lots.
2. Write more.
3. Write even more.
4. Polish what you've written.
5. Polish again.
6. Decide if you want to find an agent, or go straight for a publisher.
7. Do some internet searches and look for publishers in your field of writing, who are looking for new, unsolicited submissions (they're rare, but they're out there) If you have shorts you'd like to submit to anthologies, this is often the best way to make a "break through" into print. If you only have novels, it's even tougher.
8. Send out your stuff.
9. Keep sending out your stuff.
10. Wait a few months (in the meantime, go back to number 1.)
11. Don't give up!

Lou

Exactly! Yet, just add that you make sure you approach with right genre, query those who need, even those who don't, get their guidelines.

Get one thing, anything published for free, magazine hoefully, and it will be a hellovalot easier, particularly at bio time. LOL, and polishing again requires an editor or two or three, since no one has the same opinion except perhaps grammatically.

Also, if your genre is erotic, there is a book out, rather than writers market, that is specifically for erotic and porn too, I think. I think that should cover it. Oh, yes, number 11 - Don't give up, NEVER give up

 

[Weird Harold]

A lot depends on how you want to get published, and exactly what you want to publish. A novel? Short stories? Poems? Here at Lit. you can be published without much difficulty, but to many this does not constitute "publishing" (I think they're wrong-- Lit. is most definately publishing; I've had more people read my work here than anywhere else).

This is a very good point.

Sometimes, the route to getting "published" is just to write a good story or two and build a following in a "not-really-publishing" venue like Lit.

But the bottom line in getting published, is that you have to write something someone wants to publish.

Sometimes, a good story will find publisher all on it's own if youlet it out to meet the public -- that's how I can claim to be a "published author;" A story I wrote for fun and posted here was chosen for inclusion in the Literotica Book.

 

[rydia57]

Reading Writer's Market helps too. Lots of publishers and help on your writing in there.