Mission Possible: Get Published with Goals, Guidance and Persistance

Mission Possible: Get Published with Goals, Guidance and Persistance
by: Stephen Earley Jordan, II

You send me an e-mail. You tell me you’ve written over three hundred poems since you were 16 (in your teenage angst stage). You mention the novel you’ve completed and it’s really good (it really is!!!), and the novel-in-progress. You mention how the International Library of Poetry has published one of your poems. (But, whom haven’t they published?)

However, all your work is stored away, hidden from the public eye on a black little disk.

You have one mission: Getting published.

“How do I get published?” you finally question at the end of the e-mail.

At times, I ask myself the same question.

Is this mission impossible? To many, it seems that way. If you stick with me, I’ll make the publishing process slightly simpler.

On this mission, you’ll need three things: Goals, Guidance, and Persistence.

An unmentioned New York City college (as well as other schools, I’m sure) offered a course on “How to Get Published”. Various bigwigs from major publishing houses in New York City were guest speakers on many occasions.

A writer-friend of mine felt it would be a great opportunity to network and finally understand how to get her works published in magazines, and various books. I was hesitant, and suspicious of the course’s objectives, so I didn’t follow the friend’s lead. I was far from disappointed about my decision. You’ll soon discover why.

Getting published isn’t as hard as you think. But, when you’re a beginning writer getting published seems as difficult as James Bond jet-skiing along the River Thames with five barges heading his way.

As a beginning writer, I feel, the main priority should be getting your name out there in the public’s eye. Understand that, at times, you’ll have to accept the free issues instead of cash payment. Before you consider publishing though, you should reassure yourself a rejection slip won’t lower your self-esteem and cause you to never pick up a pen, or stroke another key at your keyboard. Hey, trust me, rejections happen to everyone! Here are a few suggestions to better your chances of getting published:

1. Write, Write, Write. This is the obvious one. You need to write all the time. Too many writers say, “I have a novel about . . .” And the novel sounds spectacular. But, when I ask if I can read it, offer suggestions, the writers finally admit, “Oh . . . I haven’t started on it . . . But the title of it is . . .” I despise working with an enthusiastic, talented writer who simply won’t write. Don’t waste your breath! Whatever you do—write your work first, and then speak about it so you won’t look/feel like a fool.

2. Edit, Edit, Edit. If you feel your work is perfect (or as good as you can make it), keep in mind—nothing is perfect! That’s what editors are for! If you are a college student, ask a professor to read it at his/her leisure. If you’re already in the workforce, ask a well-read co-worker to edit it. Or, since you’ve some extra cash to spare, hire an editor. Many places, like OutStretch Publications, for instance, offer extremely reasonable prices for editing/proofing services.

3. Share Works with Others. This is when a workshop comes in handy. Students—take a creative writing course. Or, if you’re not in school, give copies to about 5 or 6 acquaintances in advance. Then, schedule a “reading” at your place. Allow the guests to give suggestions and talk about your work as if you’re not there. Remember, all criticism is helpful criticism. Remember to ask questions about the shaky portions of your work.

4. Websites: Build a website and add your writing to it. Or, even easier, find some of the online places like poetryboard.com, or some of the AOL bulletin boards where writers you don’t know can critique your work, and people like me (who have a publication) may find your work and ask for your approval for publication. (This is a very rare occasion, but it does happen.)

5. Here’s the TRICK: Mass Mailings! If you happen to see 2, 3, 4, or even 5 publications that don’t mind simultaneous submissions and accepts work similar to what you’ve written, send your work to all of them. Sure, sending out a mass mailing of submissions will guarantee more rejections, but you also better your chances of getting published. Remember, include SASE with each submission or 9 times out of 10 you’ll never hear from the publisher/editor. (Some publishers like you to include your e-mail address nowadays for quicker responses.)

6. Keeping Track. Keep track of all of your submissions. Be organized. A simple database program is perfect. In the database, list 1) the date you submitted work, 2) the publication and its address, 3) the works you submitted, and 4) the date you receive an acceptance/rejection slip.

If, for some reason you DO get a rejection slip. So what? Just think of it like this: Perhaps the publication wasn’t right for your writing. Better still, everyone has his or her own opinion, so the editor simply didn’t favor your particular style. Someone else out there probably appreciates your style of writing. Perhaps your submission was received past their deadline. Big deal. Send it somewhere else! Remember, though, writing can always be improved.

Now that you’ve read this, let me tell you something. This is everything my writer-friend learned from the writing course. Seems simple, eh? And, what’s even better, unlike my friend, you didn’t have to pay a course fee!

This mission doesn’t seem so impossible now, does it?

Grab the goals of getting published, the guidance I just gave, the persistence with mass mailings and get yourself published.

Good luck with your publishing endeavors!

About The Author

Stephen Jordan, a medical editor, has five years experience within the educational publishing industry. Stephen was a freelance editor with such educational foundations as Princeton Review, The College Board, New York University, and Columbia University. Away from the office, Stephen promotes his creative writing with his home-freelance business OutStretch Publications and his artwork. Stephen holds two Bachelor of Arts degrees in writing and literature from Alderson-Broaddus College of Philippi, West Virginia.
Editor@OutStretch.net >>Read more...

Keep Thy Journal Private!

Keep Thy Journal Private!
by: Barbara Carr Phillips


If you live with other people, I know you shudder to think about what would happen if your personal journal fell into the wrong hands. Journaling is not about writing something and then leaving it on your bed so your family can see how you really feel about them. You may be tempted to do that at times, but don't.

It's just not cool for your mother to read your rant about how ugly you think her purple polka dot shirt is. You wrote that you scrunched down in your elementary school chair until your eyes were even with your desk, wishing to disappear when she walked into the room wearing that purple people eater.

You can still hear little Jimmy Morgan snickering behind you, saying the dots would make good bull's eyes for his spit wads. And look, she's still wearing that thing like some kind of vintage-fashion-rage fifteen years later and you want to barf.

Of course, it doesn't really bother you to that extreme, but you were thinking about it the day you wrote it in your journal and it felt good to exaggerate. Writing even made you laugh about it. But the thought of mom reading that entry makes your face flush and your knees feel weak.

I know one mom who read her daughter's journal all the time. The daughter always left it open on her bed, knowing her mother would make the bed and pick it up. After hearing about a few confrontational episodes between this mom and daughter, I suggested that the mom buy a journal that she and her daughter could write in and exchange. This way, each person could "talk" without interruption and there would be no invasion of privacy.

Passing a journal back and forth can be great fun if it's decided in advance. All other times: Keep thy journal confidential.

There are a few ways to do this. I never buy books that have "My Diary," "My Journal" or "My So-Called Life Since You Ruined It" imprinted on the cover. I think they're too tempting for snoopers.

Once I bought a journal that looked like an encyclopedia on the outside. No one in my family paid any attention to it as it sat on my bookshelf, and I used it as a cathartic journal (a type of journal used to express emotion).

Another way to protect your journal from snoops is to buy a book at a garage sale that wouldn't interest anyone in your family, (like, "How to Prepare your 1981 Federal Income Tax Return"). Pick out a book so dry that the garage salers will whisper, "see, people will buy anything at a garage sale," as you walk away. Hollow out the cover and put your journal in it.

If that's not secure enough for you, hide it in the unsweetened, generic cereal box at the back of the pantry. If your family is like mine, they will skip breakfast if unsweetened, generic cereal is all you have left. Trust me, I've done this. I wrote about it for Chicken Soup for the Soul Bible. It works.

If you still have doubts about privacy in your household, keep your journal in a locked file drawer, desk drawer or a small safe.

It is very important that you feel your writing is just for you. Otherwise, you are not going to write about how you really feel. You can be insecure and fearful in the world, but the writing part of you, the part that you share with your journal, cannot. Write about your fears and how they affect you . . . and tell the truth.

About The Author

This article is an excerpt from Barbara's e-book, “Quick Start to Personal Journaling," http://www.lulu.com/content/108713

This article is available for free reprint provided that the author’s bionote is left intact and the article is published complete and unaltered. If you are using this article on a website or e-book, please make sure that the link in the author’s bionote is live or clickable. Email notice of intent to publish is required: bcarrphillips@yahoo.com. >>Read more...