Tips For Getting Published
If you’ve written anything you’re really proud of, chances are that you have considered pitching it for publication. As somebody who has submitted a variety of pieces to organizations and has gotten published, my tips are bound to be an asset if you’re in the pursuit of being published.
1. Research organizations you want to write for
If you don’t have a clear idea of where you want to be published, you’re more likely to be unprepared for different components required for submission. I highly suggest making a spreadsheet of organizations you are interested in writing for and noting things such as requirements for submission, deadlines, word count, and what you believe the style of writing is they are looking for. Preparation is crucial when in the process of trying to get published and bound to serve you well.
2. Get a feel for the writing style
The style of writing an organization may lean towards is a pretty telling indicator of what they are looking for in submissions. Arguably, this is the most important part of writing to get published; Understanding the writing style of an organization and trying to emulate it is one of the most important things you can do. It is extremely helpful knowing what they’re looking for and your chances of getting published are increased if you cater to that.
3. Pitch your writing
After all your hard work, the most exciting part of the process is getting your writing out there and pitching it for publication. My best advice is to start small. Don’t pitch your first creative work to The New York Times and expect to get immediately published. Start pitching to local places accepting creative work, smaller organizations, literary journals, and as you work your way up and gain experience, try pitching to larger organizations.
4. Don’t expect anything.
You’ve finally done it - You worked on your submission for countless hours and pitched it for publication. Now you wait. This is probably the hardest part but is the most realistic piece of advice I can give. Don’t expect anything. I know it is so tempting to check your email every day and wait with baited breath for any kind of news, but you can’t live your life like that; not everything is going to work out the way you want it to in life. Continue with your life like how it was before you were working on something for submission. You will learn to be content with yourself regardless of the decision you receive because you know you didn’t put your life on hold.
Publishing anything is an investment of your time and requires lots of dedication. Seeing something you created get published is so rewarding and definitely worth all the effort (as well as it being something you could add to your resume). Happy writing and good luck!
