How to get published

So, I think every writer gets asked this question. How do you get published?

Well, it's not easy. It's ten times harder than most non-writer folks imagine. Everyone has that friend that says "Hey, I think I'll write a book" and then expect that someone will of course see the brilliance of their writing and want to publish it. I was that friend.

Hehehe. And so I did. I wrote a book, did a quick google search for agents and bombarded them with with the worst query letter in the known universe. Of course, all I received were rejections. Tons of them. But what made me an author is different than most of those friends who set out to write a book. One, I actually finished my book, where 90 percent usually give up somewhere along the line. Two, I took my rejections not with outrage, but as a lesson learned. I then began a whole new book. I researched the industry, found and made contacts with other authors, established reading partners and networked myself until I had a novice's grasp of the industry. Only then was I equipped to even think of parlaying my wares.

So, my advice to anyone asking this question is this. Don't bother unless it's fun. If it's for money, fame, glory, prestige or because you think it's easy, give up now and save yourself the time. If you love writing, write. If you want to be published, read, learn, network, then repeat and rinse as needed until your skill is good enough. But wait, there's more. Once you get that first book out there, keeping reading, learning and networking. And go at it 110% for as long as it remains fun.

Expect harsh criticism, long delays in response of any kind, and huge amounts of flat out rejection. But if you love writing, it doesn't matter. Publication is just the sprinkles on the icing of the cake!