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So I’ve been writing stories ever since 4th grade when someone (my teacher) said they actually liked something I’d written. I read a lot as a kid (as I’m sure we all did around here) Well I’ve always DREAMED of being a *says dramatically* FAMOUS WRITER. Still dreaming…but I’ve finally started a book! It’s realistic fiction (boo lol). A few people have asked me what it’s about…sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll. No joke. My boyfriend got me “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” for Christmas this year and I burned through it. Honestly, I felt the writing style was plain and boring, but the characters were interesting. (sorry, just my opinion-I prefer Bradbury) I felt like, “if that guy can get published, so can I!” So I guess you could say I was inspired by Stephen Chbosky. Also, I finished reading The Hunger Games Trilogy. I also love the way Suzanne Collins wrote that Trilogy. They seemed SO unbelievably well thought out, I hope my book is half as well planned as hers.
{GET TO THE POINT WOLFEN!) getting there….I’m only a tiny 20 pages into it… but when I finish, is it reasonably easy to get it published? How does all that work? I know I could Google for these answers but I’d like to hear first hand what kinds of trials and tribulations any authors here have gone through who got published in print.
I don’t have much advice to offer aside of poking around on lulu.com
lulu is a self publishing site and I think they also have services for helping new authors.
Recently married to the ever lovable BiPolarBear (little John)
www.weaselsoneasels.com | www.facebook.com/weaselsoneaselsAs seen on This is Life with Lisa Ling on CNN (2018) !
Always open for pyo commissions, repairs and fine artwork! Email me for current prices! awier(@)weaselsoneasels.comThe short answer is no, it’s not easy to get published.
If you want to go the self-publishing route via one of the many ways available out there, it’s not a problem. But you need to know that self-publishing is often frowned-upon by publishers.
But if you want a publisher to buy your story, edit and print/eprint it, that’s another thing entirely. Most publishers don’t accept unsolicited manuscripts – you have to go through an agent. You query the agent with a 1-page summary of your story and if said agent is interested, he or she asks for a partial to see if he/she likes your style, voice, etc. and that’s not even a guarantee they’ll take you on. There are some authors who thought they had an agent, then ended up dropping them for various reasons.
The best place to get answers to all your questions is here: http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/
I can’t tell you the frustration and tears that went into getting published. To me, it was almost harder than writing out the stories!
Read my books! Volume 1 and 2 of A Dragon Medley are available now.
http://www.sarahjestin.com/mybooks.htm
I host the feedback lists, which are maintained by drag0nfeathers.
http://www.sarahjestin.com/feedbacklists.htmIt depends on what route you want to go and what your end goals are. Dragonmedley has it right for getting published through a publisher– not easy.
Self publishing is a very viable option these days, and you can either go large or go small. Again, it depends on your goals. While some publishers may frown upon it, the general reading public is really starting to embrace self-published authors more and more. I am part of a small team where the author has been self-publishing with great success. She can’t quit her day job, but her goal was to make a beautiful and enjoyable book series and she has certainly achieved that. If you’re interested: http://smile.amazon.com/Song-Summer-King-Chronicles/dp/0985805889/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422567093&sr=8-1&keywords=song+of+the+summer+king
We’re working on getting the third book out now.
To read someone who both self publishes and has work published through a publishing house, consider reading Ursula Vernon’s blog. (You may have to dig through the archives) http://ursulav.livejournal.com/
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My art: featherdust.comI’d strongly recommend giving a book called ‘The Writer’s Market’ a read – it’ll tell you all you need to know about how to get your book published with a conventional publisher, including finding an agent and if you get your hands on a recent copy, it’ll even have agent/publisher listings of places that are looking for new material with details about the genres they like.
I have a book self-published with Lulu, but I don’t believe that I would ever do that again. Self publishing may be easy, but it demands a lot of self marketing, which I personally just don’t have time or money to invest in, so my next publishing attempts will be with conventional publishers. The book that I have with Lulu will be eventually removed and I’m only going to be using their services for printing out manuscript copies for personal physical record/archiving purposes. (It’s cheaper than printing at home. My current manuscript has taken around $40 to print so far with the cost of all the ink and ink refills figured in. Unformatted the thing is around 1,000 pages – formatted it’s around 650. I send the 650 page one to my beta readers haha.)
To be a writer, you have to have a great original idea but also be slightly ruthless and follow your instincts, because when you’re done the writing you then have to edit the thing and that takes a while. I’ve almost completely rewritten my current manuscript at least four times and it’s still not quite ‘there,’ but it’s closer. Editing isn’t just fixing grammar – it’s hack-and-slashing your plot and often redoing massive parts of it. Be stubborn, be determined and be confident and you’ll get there to your finished product. I believe this deeply. (I liken it a bit to a fossil dig because it can take a while and be quite tricky!) And definitely take inspiration from the success of authors that you don’t think are so great also – I do this all the time haha. π It’s definitely encouraging – “If they can do it so can I!”
Also, write everyday and don’t get hung up over word counts. Just so long as you write something, you’re making progress and practicing, sharpening your skills. The progress is important because it can take a very long time to write a manuscript (unless you can do it absolutely full time somehow.) Don’t be over critical when writing either – only get critical after your draft is done and it’s time to go into hardcore editing mode. Then, question everything – but don’t get too hung up on grammar until your manuscript is close to a final form. That isn’t important in the beginning – plot, story and characterization are. It’s also very helpful to have other people (who you trust a lot) read over your work (‘beta readers’) and give you feedback. For security purposes I print a physical copy which I also use for editing because sometimes it’s easier to catch mistakes from a hard copy than a digital one. I also register my copyrights with my government to further protect it.
Anyway, that’s my two cents! Hopefully it was helpful in some way. π I recommend going to the websites of your favourite authors – they often have a page devoted to writing advice and their kernels of wisdom are simply invaluable. π
Check out my finished artwork at http://falcolf.deviantart.com/ and my sketch/studio blog at http://rosannapbrost.tumblr.com/
Excellent!
I’ll also suggest reading some of MCA Hogarth’s (Micah Jaguar) write-ups on self publishing and general art business if you’re thinking of the self publishing route. I don’t think she makes bank either, but she has a lot of good resources available based on her experience as a writer/artist/small business owner that may have some tips that could help you.
Falcof-thank you for your “2 cents” it is very useful! I guess I’ve been somewhat of a romantic writer…romantic in the sense that I used to believe that when I wrote something, it was a muse or some energy speaking through me. I almost never edited my work because usually I felt that the way it came out in the heat of the inspired moment was how it was meant to be. I used to write a LOT in high school, but it was always when I was inspired. I couldn’t just sit down and start banging out a story. Now that I’m an adult, I’m finding it easier to sit down and write-to pick up where I left off. I don’t feel I have a *says with gusto* MUSE anymore. But-this is the biggest thing I’ve written so far. I had a “book” that was 60 pages I wrote in middle school but I’ve had a bad habit of jumping around in big projects-so those 60 pages weren’t linear. Plus, looking back on it now, it reads like a middle school kid wrote it. It’s called “The Golden Unicorn” and it’s about a girl who finds a magical golden unicorn music box that lets her time travel (or teleport, I forget which haha) so that “have an original idea” thing-not too original. Granted, my book right now may not be too original, but I feel like it deals with some important issues-drug addiction, complacency/abuse in a relationship and setting one’s priorities straight-so I hope half the people who read it find the story enthralling and I hope the other half of the readers can find strength in the main character-“if she got out of that bad situation, maybe I can get out of mine”. I used to have 3 or 4 good friends in high school who wrote too-so we would all read each other’s stories. My friends always liked mine and would demand I write more to finish it-so maybe some publisher will like it too. Plus, I’ve read some terrible books…or started reading them and had to put them down. IF those people can get published, surely I can.
So, I’ll check out that book you suggested Falcof-and start pushing it once I get the story finished π
Then find a professional editor (line editor/content editor) and pay that person to read through and take his/her directions.
Actually, that is NOT necessary. You shouldn’t have to pay ANYTHING to get published. The only thing you pay is your agent, and he/she gets his or her percentage from your sales.
Paying an editor to look at your manuscript before you’re accepted by an agent or a publisher doesn’t mean your chances are better; in fact, your agent might even get you to rework your story before presenting it to publishers. Once a publisher offers you a contract, their editors will work with you to get the book ready – and they might get you to do some work on it before finalizing it.
Read my books! Volume 1 and 2 of A Dragon Medley are available now.
http://www.sarahjestin.com/mybooks.htm
I host the feedback lists, which are maintained by drag0nfeathers.
http://www.sarahjestin.com/feedbacklists.htmI found this thread to be very helpful. I’m hoping to get published someday, and I know it takes a lot of work and patience. Thanks for sharing your experiences and suggestions.
So if anyone is following this, I need the name of a bar for my story. This is a dark, smoke filled hole in the wall type bar that doubles as a rock club. Here are some ideas I’m throwing around
Lucky Devils (that was a real bar here in town-it was pretty lame but…yet I ended up there on numerous occasions -_- bad memories, but cool name)
13 Angels
Wicked_________ (noun-something. Game?)So if anyone is following this, I need the name of a bar for my story. This is a dark, smoke filled hole in the wall type bar that doubles as a rock club. Here are some ideas I’m throwing around
Lucky Devils (that was a real bar here in town-it was pretty lame but…yet I ended up there on numerous occasions -_- bad memories, but cool name)
13 Angels
Wicked_________ (noun-something. Game?)For the last one (with the blank). How about…Wicked Thoughts?
You can check out my work on dA & Redbubble!
https://prezaurian.deviantart.com/
https://www.redbubble.com/people/prezaurian?ref=artist_title_nameSome bars here in my town have odd names…. maybe they will give you some ideas?
Like “Your Fathers Mustache” , “Smiling Goat”, “The Lower Deck”, “The Split Crow”, “Middle Spoon”, “Stillwell”, “The Stubborn Goat”, “The Foggy Goggle”, “Red Stag”, “Lions Head tavern” …..
hhrrrmmmm…. how about The Wicked Goat? LOL !! I think people like goats around here π Wicked Thoughts was a cool idea also π
Jailbait
The Cats’ Meow
Dog Spit
Carbon County
Flea’s
Porter’s Place
The Muddy Boot
Tiffany’s
Tantrum
Bar X
Haven…Just to name a few (and no, I don’t frequent them π )
tdm π
Edited to add… I forgot one – Creepin’ Crud. π
tdm
A couple more…
Boneyard
No Name Saloon
Butcher’s
O. P. Rockwell (for Orin Porter Rockwell an interesting character in Utah State history!)tdm π
tdm
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