The Basics on Getting Published: Where to Start, Where to Go

As I started on this path toward publication I came across one hurdle after another. I had questions on the proper process, where to find information, and the very basics in technique, but no idea how to get answers.

Through many books, interviews and writers workshops I have finally learned enough to answer those nagging questions. The biggest question of all being "Where do I start?"

It is a job in itself just trying to get the book/short story/essay published once you've written it. Of course, you have to write it first.

For the writing, let me suggest The Writers Way, by Jack Rawlings, which has some very good ideas on getting the words on paper. Though it is designed more for essays then short fiction, or fiction in general, most of the ideas are good for any writer. On top of it you can learn where and what you could write essays for, and where you might take them. Holly Lisle's has a lot of information on world building, good for all genres, on her website. She even has a free book, Mugging the Muse: Writing Fiction for Love AND Money. (Check side bar for links.)

Once you have the story down you are going to need to edit it. I haven't met one person who couldn't be helped by having someone look over their prose and find all the little mistakes for them. Most workshops work on the basis of a crit point system. For each story you crit you earn a point. For so many points you earn the right to have your own story critted. Most workshops have you crit two for every crit you receive.

Workshops depend on genre, length, and size of the workshop. Larger workshops will generally give you more crits, but are less personable. Smaller workshops may generate fewer crits but you will get to know the people in the group as individuals instead of a faceless mass. There are many workshops listed on Preditors and Editors.

Once you have the piece edited you have to decide what kind of market it would fit into. Each market has specific things they like. Pay for each area varies, as well as response times and publication dates. In general, the larger a publication the larger the pay and the slower the response time.