Published Writers?

[StarDragon77]

I'm starting this thread to see if anyone here is a published writer.

My reason for this is because I've been submitting for a long time and gotten nothing but rejection letters or no responses. And I'm currently trying to find out if it's because my work sucks or if it's because of something else.

[Moderator]

Three are several published writers on the Board. You might also want to check out the writer's forum in the Social Groups.

[Dana Jean]

Hey SD. First, I applaud you that you have the balls to hang in there and send stuff in, Kudos big time for that. I understand your question. You just want someone to give you an idea if you're on the right track. And of course, the people you send your work to are very busy people. They just don't have the time to respond to every thing coming into them.

I think sometimes, a person's writing can be very good, but they might be sending it to the wrong market. It's a tricky thing to send writing to just the right spot. And of course, you are in a pile with a ton of other people submitting too. So, that's not saying your writing is bad; it's just saying someone else's fit there niche better.

Hang in there and keep writing!

[Mr. Palmer]

I'm a published author.

I've appeared in several anthologies, and my third book is due in 2010.

[StarDragon77]

Three are several published writers on the Board. You might also want to check out the writer's forum in the Social Groups.

Writers forum in the social group. Thanks. :-)

[Doc Wilson]

I've published a couple of articles in the psychology journals, but no fiction. Fiction would be much cooler.

[Jake Featherston]

I had five articles published in a right-wing magazine.

[Bryan James]

I did ad copy for a large magazine when I was 17, does that count?

Then there was college pubs (some decent poems, but I cringe when I remember them).

Law stuff. Letters to the Editor of the local paper.

I recently sent an "accidental short memoir" to two rags. They both wanted it, but I assigned it to the 45k/Month publication even though it's far from me in the Northeast.

I also sent two horrory fiction things to 'Wierd Tales' and got an email response..."Don't submit two at once! Pick the one you like best and send that." (Then I sent them both-- but 3 weeks apart).

So, I haven't gotten rejected yet, but I haven't been sending much out, and that's even worse than getting the "No thanks."

Keep at it. At the least, get Writer's Market and a subscription to Writer's Digest.

~BJS

[Mr Nobody]

Yeah. If you're told 'no', at least you know. If you never send them, there's always the element of wonder.
OK, you can imagine editors gasping with amazement if you did send a piece out...but that's not reality and really, there's no substitute for the feeling you get when someone says 'Yes'.

[StarDragon77]

I did ad copy for a large magazine when I was 17, does that count?

Then there was college pubs (some decent poems, but I cringe when I remember them).

Law stuff. Letters to the Editor of the local paper.

I recently sent an "accidental short memoir" to two rags. They both wanted it, but I assigned it to the 45k/Month publication even though it's far from me in the Northeast.

I also sent two horrory fiction things to 'Wierd Tales' and got an email response..."Don't submit two at once! Pick the one you like best and send that." (Then I sent them both-- but 3 weeks apart).

So, I haven't gotten rejected yet, but I haven't been sending much out, and that's even worse than getting the "No thanks."

Keep at it. At the least, get Writer's Market and a subscription to Writer's Digest.

~BJS

Actually, I have a subscription to the Writer's Market site. Pretty much like the book but it's a lot easier to find stuff.

[Wayne C. Rogers]

Star Dragon,

Everyone here is giving you excellent advice. Get the King book, On Writing, plus any that might have to do with the genre you're writing in. Only a tiny percentage of writers are actually making a living from it. Most that able to get published still have to work their day job. If you just want to see your work published, there are a lot sites on the Internet that post stories, but they don't pay anything, or only a few dollars for a story. There just aren't that many magazines anymore that buy stories and pay a decent price. As far as finding a publisher for a novel, you're facing the same dilemma that every writer goes through. The main thing is not to give up. If you have a true passion for writing, you will keep at it whether or not you make any sales. I say that from personal experience. Also, SK once said that he would have continued writing even if Carrie had never sold. It's simply something that you feel compelled to do. Good luck!

Wayne

[StarDragon77]

Star Dragon,

Everyone here is giving you excellent advice. Get the King book, On Writing, plus any that might have to do with the genre you're writing in. Only a tiny percentage of writers are actually making a living from it. Most that able to get published still have to work their day job. If you just want to see your work published, there are a lot sites on the Internet that post stories, but they don't pay anything, or only a few dollars for a story. There just aren't that many magazines anymore that buy stories and pay a decent price. As far as finding a publisher for a novel, you're facing the same dilemma that every writer goes through. The main thing is not to give up. If you have a true passion for writing, you will keep at it whether or not you make any sales. I say that from personal experience. Also, SK once said that he would have continued writing even if Carrie had never sold. It's simply something that you feel compelled to do. Good luck!

Wayne

Which already feels a tad disheartening when publishers put out books like "Twilight" and yet there are so many of us who go unpublished. I know that seems childish but it still is infuriating how something like that gets recognition and the rest of us don't get anything but silence and rejection letters.

Doesn't that seem enraging to you?

[staropeace]

Very much so,StarDragon,especially when I waste my money on them.
I like to write but I cant seem to stay focused. I wrote stuff for a magazine and tv guide and a newspaper out west. I use to buy my jeans and stuff from the money I would get for the poems and articles..lol....didnt get very rich. I can say that I got paid at least. My xboyfriend is a writer. My close gf is also a writer and is awaiting a movie based on her novel.

[StarDragon77]

Very much so,StarDragon,especially when I waste my money on them.
I like to write but I cant seem to stay focused. I wrote stuff for a magazine and tv guide and a newspaper out west. I use to buy my jeans and stuff from the money I would get for the poems and articles..lol....didnt get very rich. I can say that I got paid at least. My xboyfriend is a writer. My close gf is also a writer and is awaiting a movie based on her novel.

And they do say that one should have a day job but the unfortunate part about being a writer (especially if you have a degree in Professional and Creative Writing) is that there isn't much of a day job in anything else. It's not like being an M.D. or an attorney or anything that most people would find "useful".

[Mr Nobody]

And they do say that one should have a day job but the unfortunate part about being a writer (especially if you have a degree in Professional and Creative Writing) is that there isn't much of a day job in anything else. It's not like being an M.D. or an attorney or anything that most people would find "useful".

I hear that! But again, if you're professionally qualified at any level, it kind of limits other options: you tend to get those going 'But you're qualified in this or that. Why would you even want to do something else?'
Usually, it's a case of step away through lack of opportunity, meaning a switch is an economic necessity. That much would, IMO, surely be obvious to anyone, rendering their questions redundant. But there you go.

My own degree was strong on linguistics/English Language Studies (development past, present and future; global spread and diversification, etc) and there was a significant literature and creative writing component (even did the Advanced Creative Writing course, peeing all over it in the process for all forms of writing, from radio and screenplays to short stories and longer narratives).
None of this was postgrad level, and the degree is still classed as BA (Hons) English Language and Literature, but it seems I'm now in the same boat as you, StarDragon. It's funny, but I can't even get an editorial or other type of writing job, despite a lot of effort expended in trying (other sectors seem forever closed, even to enquiries).
Looks like we both might have the Zero Option: make writing work (and pay).
To be positive, look at 'Lee Child': sacked at 40, he was realistic about his options, set himself a goal, screamed 'Banzai!' and went for it...and it worked. Whether it's possible now, with the 'culture of free' and where even massively discounted books appear in pirated forms on the internet (The Lost Symbol, for example), I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Keep paddlin'. :smile2:

[Jake Featherston]

Which already feels a tad disheartening when publishers put out books like "Twilight" and yet there are so many of us who go unpublished. I know that seems childish but it still is infuriating how something like that gets recognition and the rest of us don't get anything but silence and rejection letters.

Doesn't that seem enraging to you?

We live in an age of the porn-trash kultur, where everything is determined by its ability to make money by appealing to the lowest common denominator. It hasn't always been like that, and it won't always remain like that, but whether it will change in our lifetimes is an open question.

[Wayne C. Rogers]

Star Dragon,

Don't put Stephanie Meyers down for her success or style of writing. You sound like the critics who have been put tingdown SK for the last three decades. Every author attempts to write the best book they can, given their talent and creativity. Stephanie Meyers is no different. She just happened to luck out, and I'm sure her millions of fans would quickly come to her defense just like we would against the critics of Mr. King. The same thing is also happening with Dan Brown. I see people on Face Booking and elsewhere putting him down as a writer because of his subject matter and tremendous success. If you don't like an author's book, that's one thing. Everybody has different tastes and no author can please everyone. But, not every author can be a literary writer. It's just like you and I, you do the best you can and keep your fingers crossed. Telling the best story you can is the important thing. Keep trucking as the physical therapist said to Johnny Smith in the movie.

[Bryan James]

It's not like being an M.D. or an attorney or anything that most people would find "useful".

Even such terminal degrees are not a sure thing these days. That's why "Institutions of Higher Learning" keep creating more prestigious proclamations of educational achievement every six months.

Everything I need to know I learned in kindergarten.

And by watching "Bill and Ted."

~BJS

[Jaedpact]

Plus 15 internets for the Bill and ted reference... (Station!!)

[NathanStrickland]

Everything I need to know I learned in kindergarten.

And by watching "Bill and Ted."

~BJS

So long as you're referring to "Excellent Adventure" and not "Bogus Journey".

I bought the DVD out of the discount bin at Target because my wife had never seen it. She is now convinced that I am utterly insane. Which is probably true, but at least I hid it for a good while.

[Mr Nobody]

Ah. Bill and Ted. Never gets old. (Well, maybe.)

[Jaedpact]

So long as you're referring to "Excellent Adventure" and not "Bogus Journey".

I bought the DVD out of the discount bin at Target because my wife had never seen it. She is now convinced that I am utterly insane. Which is probably true, but at least I hid it for a good while.

I hate it when that happens! you're convinced that no one on the planet should go with out a particular experiance (book, music,movie) then you expose them to it and the reponce is less than stellar. It's always a let down. that's why I think little kids rock, I can sit down with my daughter and rock the B&T with glee.

[Albie]

I'm starting this thread to see if anyone here is a published writer.

My reason for this is because I've been submitting for a long time and gotten nothing but rejection letters or no responses. And I'm currently trying to find out if it's because my work sucks or if it's because of something else.

I have had technical articles and one short story published. Actually got paid a little. That was 20 yrs ago so not sure that counts.

Trying to determine if my writing is any good or even reasonable is the difficulty I face as well. I have had friends read it but they are friends - not likely they would dis it. I have tried to find a neutral but qualified person(s) to read and critique my writing.

It needs to be better. Have you read SK's On Writing:? I will devour it as soon as I get it.

[StarDragon77]

I have had technical articles and one short story published. Actually got paid a little. That was 20 yrs ago so not sure that counts.

Trying to determine if my writing is any good or even reasonable is the difficulty I face as well. I have had friends read it but they are friends - not likely they would dis it. I have tried to find a neutral but qualified person(s) to read and critique my writing.

It needs to be better. Have you read SK's On Writing:? I will devour it as soon as I get it.

Yes, I've been reading it. And I've come to this section where he says, "If you're a bad writer, no one can help you become a good one, or even a competent one."

And I started to wonder if I am a bad writer or not. what sort of litmus test is there to say if I am or not?

Because in all reality - writing is the one thing that I"m even mildly good at. Everything else - I suck at.

[Bryan James]

"If you're a bad writer, no one can help you become a good one, or even a competent one."


There's a lot of churning grey goosh here in the middle of the blender. Some of it is bile, and some is ambrosia.

~BJS

[StarDragon77]

There's a lot of churning grey goosh here in the middle of the blender. Some of it is bile, and some is ambrosia.

~BJS

But how does one know that they are a bad writer, a competent one, or a good one? What's the litmus test for that?