Writers are probably the most rejected people in the world. You'd think after all that rejection you'd be able to take a hint. Yet many writers don't seem to be able to read between the lines when it comes to the contents of their rejection letter. Here's a quick anecdote regarding a writer who … Continue reading What Your Rejection Letter Really Means
For many writers, it often feels like we spend more time submitting our work than we actually do writing. And what are the results of our efforts? A pile of rejection slips so high we can barely breathe enough to write another sentence. If only there was some way we could improve our odds of … Continue reading Quiz: Will Your Next Submission Will Be Accepted?
There are three major components to every book: Writing the book Publishing the book Selling the book Of the three, selling the book is probably the most difficult. How in the world do you get people to buy this thing you've just written? We live in a world where anyone can publish a book. We … Continue reading 5 Innovative Book Marketing Techniques for the Desperate Writer
As writers, we tend to get pretty excited at the prospect of publication. Oftentimes, an acceptance is such a relief that we'll take it no matter what. However, sometimes an acceptance isn't in our best interest. We have to step back from the excitement and look at the fine print to make sure we aren't … Continue reading Do You Know Your Rights as a Writer?
You've heard it a thousand times: don't submit your writing to a literary magazine without reading what they publish first. It's a great piece of advice. By reading the lit mag, you not only support what they do, but you also get a sense of what they publish. This allows you to send something that … Continue reading What You Should Be Looking for When You Read a Lit Mag
Every so often, someone will start a conversation about wanting to start a lit mag. It usually begins something like this: I think I really want to start my own lit mag, but I have no idea how to do it. The conversation will then morph into Is it really worth it to start my own … Continue reading Do You Want to Build a Lit Mag? Get Tips from the Experts
There is a plethora of advice out there on how writers must follow the rules of the game if they want to get published in lit mags. Last week, I posted 10 things writers do that piss off editors. This week, I'm turning the tables and looking at all the things the editors do that … Continue reading 10 Things Editors Do That Piss Off Writers
Writers are the second hardest working people in the lit mag industry. The hardest working? You guessed it: the editors. And guess what? They get a lot less "reward" out of it than the writers do. Yes, writers spend hours and hours writing, editing, researching, and submitting. Add in the countless hours of bitching and … Continue reading 10 Things You Are Doing As a Writer That Piss Off Editors (And Could Get You Blacklisted)
As a writer, I've never been a fan of censorship. As an English teacher, I wasn't a fan of it either. I've said just about everything in the classroom, including "shit", "fuck", and more. Hell, I once told a student to "scissor me" (disclaimer: I was asking her to hand me the scissors and had … Continue reading The Dangers of Being a School Teacher and a Writer
Let's get straight to the point: if you're reading this, then you aren't a best-selling author. Heck, you might not have even made your first sale yet. Luckily, there's still plenty of time for you to turn your writing career around. You might blame the publishers, the industry, or maybe even James Franco for your … Continue reading 5 Ways You Are Sabotaging Your Writing Career
