You can find many sites on the interwiz telling you how to get published, or offering writing techniques, or explaining the best way to find an agent, but you won't find a site that tells you most of it's horse shit.
If you write something, and post it in your public blog, that's considered published by the business. Otherwise, it's usually poison to an editor, since they want first rights, which can be explained as the first location something was published. I'm sure you could cross your fingers, and possibly get away with saying your writings were never published before, but if you're caught, you probably won't like the final outcome.
There are many things associated with being published, such as self-publishing, but that can be daunting, since you don't have people in the business promoting your work. I can't blame them. They're in it for the money, and they don't make any if they're not in control of the publishing.
Another thing: an unfinished novel won't get you very far. Known authors might get an advance, but you won't. You don't have a track record; and those in the business aren't going to take a chance on someone they don't know.
You can pursue an agent. They might like what you write, and work to find a publisher, but it's not something that happens overnight. Long periods of time can pass, and there still isn't any guarantee you'll be published.
So, what am I trying to relate to anyone interested? Do some research. Understand that submitting anything will lead to rejections. That's part of the process. Read anything you can find from authors, such as William Shunn's site, which has a link to manuscript formatting; that's valuable information if you want to submit your writing. Learning from the experiences of others and delving into the business is where you should start.
I enjoy writing, and don't care if I never make a penny from writing. If it happens, that's good. I won't stop writing because I can't get published. I think that's the right attitude; and I have the feeling successful writers probably developed the same attitude before they were ever published.
This shall be a commercial blog. Why? Because the path to being a "real" author involves way too many steps, people that don't really care, somebody trying to make money on my ideas, painful waits for recognition, and the pretentious belief someone else is better at judging the merits of my writing than me, or those that happen to visit. If you are a visitor, I appreciate your time. The internet is a huge place, and my piece of it is tiny.
"If you write something, and post it in your public blog, that's considered published by the business." - true and it pisses me off royally because thousands of writers are out there testing the waters with only a very few followers on their small blogs and it is ridiculous to take away the option of them getting some feedback from said people re their work for fear they'll not get published. Write, write and write anyway say I and post away. There are ways to self publish these days, small mercies but real ones lie there. As to your attitude, I am one hundred percent with you. I do it (somewhere secret to protect my identity as I am of course a superhero (ine?) and do not wish to blow my cover), and I absolutely love it too.
ReplyDeleteI've perused the self-publishing options. That's probably the route I'll follow, when I finish my novel.
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