Has anyone published (not here?)

[jo.com]

I know some people have published stuff. I am seriously working on putting together some of the things I have written both on epinions, TS and my own over the past years and years and years. It may take 2 years to do it, but it is something I have wanted to do and my husband has encouraged me. I don't want to publish in a magazine...I want to put a book together. I have enough material, although granted I am just at the beginning stages. Does anyone have any idea of where I start. My husband, the prof., has published and he thinks I should approach publishers first to see what, if anything they want. I don't know even where to begin?? suggestions?? tia jo

[Grouch]

Jo,

While there have been entire books written on the kind of advice you're seeking, I'll give you the Dave's Notes version (with apologies to Cliff):

1. Buy the latest edition of Writer's Market. Not only does it list most (but not all) publishers, it offers lots of valuable tips on everything from manuscript format to copyright issues.

2. Get a firm idea in mind of the kind of book you want to compile. Take the miscellaneous, scattered bits of writing you've done and organize them into a cohesive, thematic whole. A word of caution: You might have a hard time selling a book of product reviews; the market changes day-to-day, but this isn't one of the trends I've been seeing. Nonetheless, I'm sure there is something you can extract from what you've written which can be transformed into something more marketable.

3. Your husband is right when he says you should query publishers before putting in years and years of effort. Formulate your ideas, themes and writing style. Then, write a few sample chapters (up to 100 pages) to send to publishers as proof of your writing ability, but don't put too much more work into it until you get a green light.

4. Get an agent. Yes writers sell books without agents, but it's extremely difficult. Like pushing a boulder up a hill, agent-less writers eventually get tired of the struggle (I've got a very nice rejection-slip-motif wallpaper in my basement office to prove this). Getting an agent can be as much a struggle as getting published; but once you have one, it's nice to sit back and let someone else do most of the boulder-pushing for a change.

5. Do not expect to get rich. Writing is truly a labor of love.

I sincerely wish you the very best of luck.

[jo.com]

Grouch, thanks for the info - that is exactly what I needed. NO I am not going to publish product reviews LOL..I have been writing poetry, short stories and editorials for a long time and thought it was time to do something short of submitting something to Family Circle which I don't want to do! I will get the book for one thing. I am compiling a 3 ring binder with my stuff and breaking it into chapters...it will be a long road but I will never know if I don't try. thanks again.

[kurt_messick]

There are specialised volumes of Writer's Market -- if you're doing poetry, there is a Poet's Market out there.

I published nearly 100 poems in the mid 1980s in the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and the USA. I also published a book of poems with a small press in New York. I think I made GBP15 (about $22) over all the published material in the UK (that was gross, not net) and nothing at all on anything elsewhere.

For every poem published I had about 12 rejections.

But it was nice to be published. I am amazed at the fact that I made literally 100x the amount off my poetry on Themestream than I ever made in 'real print'.

The TS experience has prompted me to put together a new collection of poetry to seek a publisher. I may have one before long.

I have two novels in the process (one for which I've already been paid the advance) -- I submitted the idea, outline, first and last chapter, and got the advance on the first and commitment for the follow-up. Of course, these are somewhat stylised (and, damn, now they want me to write the thing -- sometime this century, they told me back in the late 1990s, and I've already missed that deadline...)

Good luck!

[jo.com]

I have been trying so hard to quit epinions, then they give me another hat or something happens and I am just so hooked. But something happened today and since I don't believe in coincidences this is what is was:

I was subbing in a classroom and a speaker was scheduled. I don't even remember his name but he has published 3 children's books..one is about Winkle and Dinkle or something??? I wish I could have chatted with him after but I was only in that classroom for a short time - I was a Special Ed sub today - in any case he talked about how his books came to fruition, etc. etc. and I saw it as a sign But it sure is a lot of work. He edited his 32 page first book 25 times. I have a mismash of stuff, really. I think what really prompted this was the fact that if I were Madonna, all my stuff would get published - pronto..and it might be the exact same thing. But I'm not, so I'm ordinary and that is in the title (The whole title is a secret) Anyway..thanks for the info. I just bought one of the versions of the writer's book - I only have a few pieces of poetry - most are just musings and short stories, etc.

[THMeeks]

Prior to doing the book you can also try to get individual pieces placed, such as your short stories and essays. Writer's Digest has a great web page with immediate access to markets. They also sponser a monthly essay contest, Chronicle (happy to report I won the October contest ) There are a few mainstream markets for short stories, but most of the markets are literary, frequently out of college creative writing departments. Several reputable publications sponser contests - Glimmer Train and Zoetrope, to name a couple big hitters. I also recommend checking out Poets and Writers magazine - they too have a web site. Good luck!

[realtraveller]

I read your winning October Chronicle essay. Congrats and welcome!!

[lambchops]

Besides newspaper articles and public relations releases, nope! I'm working on a manuscript for a book about cancer for young adults as we speak...we'll see how it works out.

Good luck!

[adonna]

Jo, I hope you do it!

And I agree, an agent, I've heard, is always a good thing.

What I'd really love to have published is opinions, as in appellate judge's opinions, but I'm not even a commissioner yet, let alone a judge! Still, everybody has their dreams....

I got my first fictional piece, a short story, published when I was sixteen. Unfortunately, I didn't know squat about what rights I was selling at the time, so I sold them all for a pittance. It irks me to see that damn story still surfacing here and there. After that, I was so disgusted that I took nearly a decade off, running amok, getting into loads of trouble, and having all the improbable kinds of fun a kid who is growing up during the beat and hippie eras in San Francisco can possibly have. But then, I started writing again, and got published again, both under my name and as a ghost for a while.

I never have gotten anything really, really substantial published. (Or written, for that matter.) Books, yes, but nonfiction of a technical nature. Those stories that are worming their way out will probably pop out my pores before they ever hit the keyboard.

Everywhere there are distractions, everywhere there's fun things to do. (Including my neverending quest for the judicial robes.)