Getting Published

[rune]

I was wondering what authors here actually thought of getting their stories published.

The last fantasy story I have written and posted on another writing web site as received some reasonable reviews.
A couple of authors, who are already published, have advised me to try and get my work published.

I hadnt thought of this before, because I have never felt my work was good enough.

I have read advise on how best to present a manuscript and the kinds of letters to attach. There is a lot to consider.

The big question though, Is it really worth trying to get published with a shorter Novella story and if your an amateur.

and

Surely a writer must be very skilled in the art to be able to catch any publishers attention. Especially considering how many manuscripts they probably receive.

Needless to say I am very confused about the whole process.

rune

[choppy]

I'm pretty much in the same boat. Here's some thoughts.

From what I understand, it takes a lot of perceverence, skill and luck to get published, so if you decide to make this a goal - be ready to face a lot of obstacles.

From what I understand, it's not enough to just be a good writer, or even a "great" writer. Although there are a number of publishers that exist to give specific groups (such as beginning writers) a "voice", the bottom line is that publishing is a business and they want to make a profit. Your story has to be marketable - as well as good.

So then you have the problem of writing something that's marketable. From everything I've read, most experienced authors say that it's best not to do this specifically because then you're not writing what you want to say - which was probably the whole reason you started putting pen to paper in the first place.

Is it worth trying to get a novella published? Other than the time you invest you don't have a whole lot to lose (I don't think.)

One piece of advice I was given (by Terrance Munsey) was that it's best to have a stockpile of work ready to go if you're sreious about getting published. That way if a publisher invests in your work and the first story is successful, the publisher can capitalise on a market by quickly putting out the next story.

Keep writing!

[milamber_reborn]

You've gotta be in it to win it. Having something unique about your story helps and the query letter is very important I've heard. Choosing the right publishers is a must. Or you can go POD if you're good at marketing.

[user123]

If you believe in your work then go for it, you really don't have anything to lose. Just don't let it get you down if you start geting rejection letter, all writers get them

[Miriamele]

That's right, you'll probably get tonnes of rejection letters before you get an acceptance. All writers go through this. You have to be thick-skinned! Don't let it get you down. Perseverance is the key. Eventually you'll get accepted somewhere and make a name for yourself, and then the rejection letters will (hopefully) come less often.

[Nathan Carter]

If you are truly considering taking the step into the real market, the best advice I can give you is to get prepared. You can do that HERE

The Writers Association has taught me and others worlds of knowledge that we would have otherwise had to pay for. This is not shameless self promotion (I have nothing to gain) I simply believe in what we do, and with the caliber of my staff, you will find no one else as qualified and free

I encourage all budding writers to first soak up all the industry knowledge you can attain before jumping into anything... you may have serious regrets later...

[user123]

If you want to know which market would be best for you work you should pick-up a copy of the Writer's Guide. It has listing for all the publisher as well as what the editors are most interested in seeing. It's a good way to see what's going on out there in publishing land.

[rune]

Thank for to all that have replied to my message. I found the comments very helpful and they have given plenty of think about.

I am probably going to just learn what I can from other authors about the whole publishing idea, but keep it on the back burner for now.

I like writing stories that interest me and may not necessarily be good market subjects. Though with the current interest in fantasy and magical stories such as LOTR and Harry Potter, I am probably in the right genre.

But I dont want any bad experiences to spoil my pleasure of writing, so, for now, I won't take the plunge.

Thanks again for the feedback

rune