Being published is something that everyone should try to do. There is just something about seeing your name in print.
Sense of Accomplishment - You feel great when you see your work for the first time in a formal publication. I am not sure why it is, but being published brings a great feeling of accomplishment.
Put it on Your Resume - Having written something is a great addition to your resume. Employers will find it fascinating that you had the dedication to write something, edit it and send it in to a publisher. It is not easy getting published, so when you do, be proud of it.
Show All Your Friends - I know people who bought 20-30 copies of the magazine or newspaper to give to all their friends. It is definitely something to be proud of.
People will Remember You. Family and friends will cut this article out and paste it in scrapbooks and keep it forever. These scrapbooks will be passed down from family member to family member.
How to Get Published:
Write Something - To get something published, you have to have something already written. Make sure that it has been edited and re-read by someone who might be able to pick out any mistakes.
Find Markets- Go on the Internet and find the markets that are most appropriate to your piece of writing. It can be a magazine, journal, a book publisher, or even a greeting card publisher. One of the easiest ways to find these markets is to go to the book store or library and find the Writers Market for the current year. There are other resources on the Internet that will have markets that are not in the writers market.
Write Your Cover Letter- When you find your market, write a cover-letter to the publisher. Make sure you get their name spelled right. Make sure that you get the editors gender correct. The letter should just be a greeting, a very short introduction to your piece, Where you have been published before (don’t mention it if you have not been published before) and a thank you.
Format Your Submission Correctly (Follow Directions) - Each market is going to want you to send them something different. Make sure you read their submission guidelines carefully. Send them exactly what they ask for. If you don’t they will most likely cast your writing aside without even looking at it.
SASE - If you want your work back you will need to send them a Self Addressed Stamped Envelope big enough for what you sent to them. If you don’t care about getting the printout returned, you will still want to place a #10 self addressed stamped envelope with what you send them. This way they will be more likely to send you a response.
Wait- It could take up to a year for a market to respond to your submission. Just wait for it. If you want to enquire about your piece, do it after the six month mark and be polite as you write the enquiry. Do not write multiple letters. Just ask once. If they don’t response and you decide to send the piece to a new market, you will want to send another letter stating that you are pulling it from that market. Then feel free to mail it to a new publisher. Do not send the same work to multiple markets at the same time.
Response - Yes: Celebrate. You are now going to published. This is a wonderful thing. You should feel great. No: Send Article to a New Market. Don’t get frustrated. Writers get rejected a whole lot more than they are accepted.
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on Wednesday, April 30th, 2008 at 6:55 am and is filed under 101 To Do List.
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