Getting Published
Although it seems like a daunting task for an unpublished author to break into
the publishing world, take comfort in the fact that there are established,
definitive channels for getting published. Remember applying for college?
Wasn’t there an established application process that every student had to
follow to be accepted? Good grades, extracurricular activities, even some
volunteer work was all part of the song and dance, right? Not to mention SAT’s,
ACT’s, and that annoying personal essay. The nightmare’s coming back to you,
isn’t it? Well, attracting the attention of a literary agent, for better or
worse, is just like applying to college.
Major Publishers
There are only a little more than a dozen major publishers in the New York publishing world.
Mega-corporate mergers and Goliath media consolidations have brought many of
the mid-sized independent publishers under the same crowded umbrella. St.
Martin’s Press, Three Rivers Press, Quill, Riverhead Press all sound like
little independent presses, right? Wrong. Nowadays, you can trace almost every
“independent-sounding” imprint back to one of the major New York players. It’s
a fun game we like to call, “Who’s your Daddy?”
Independent Presses
If you consider your writing too literary, too dark, too edgy, too
experimental, too provocative, too controversial, or too “whatever” for
the mainstream, it might be time to submit your writing to the indie presses of
the publishing world. While the New York publishing houses dominate the market,
releasing 300-400 titles a year, each independent press often releases less
than twenty books annually. But independent presses offer publishing avenues
for interesting, intriguing, and innovative writing that flavors the world
beyond the plain commercial vanilla peddled by the major NYC houses.
Literary Magazines
Literary magazines offer a great way for writers to gain recognition for their
writing and advance their careers. Both agents and editors often contact
writers whose stories they read in literary magazines. And while you don’t need
to be a published author in literary magazines to get an agent, it
certainly never hurts.
Webzines & E-Journals
We love, love, love webzines and e-journals, especially the ones that incorporate the best aspects of the internet--interactivity, sound, image, and words--to create unparalleled experimentation
in creative energy, synergy, intellectualism, irreverence, and yes... sometimes, chaos.
Webzines and e-journals offer new and aspiring writers a virtual publishing playground. They challenge our notions of plain vanilla commercialism, and they treat our souls to innovative mind-candy.
In short, there are thousands of places on the web to publish your work. We can only list two scores of them. But all of our picks offer readers and writers a cyber corner of literary convenience.
|