Have Your Writing Ever Been Published?
By derek_a
@derek_a (10873)
May 6, 2007 6:32am CST
I enrolled in a writing course at our local university several years ago and wrote loads of fiction and non-fiction. I wrote a book about 2 young boys travelling back in time to ancient York and the class loved it and said I should definitely submit it to some publishers, but there was nothing but rejection slips. I decided then that writing is a hobby and not a way to earn a living, so I now use the skills I learned in my writing class on the Internet, so all was not in vain.
Would anybody like to share any success/failure stories about their writing, or perhaps you have an idea for a new novel that you would like to get an opinion on?
1 person likes this
9 responses
@add_im (2712)
• Philippines
13 May 07
I haven't tried writing yet my own, but how I do wish for that to happen someday in life, that I could be able to write my own writings in the long run that could make my writings famous and be known to many, specially like you said, to be able to published my writings, so soon. Thanks for this discussion.
@ronaldinu (12422)
• Malta
28 Feb 10
I have managed to publish some poems but it is nothing that I earn my living out of it. I also write short stories but ended up being locked in my drawers for now. MY friends who read them encouraged me to publish them but I do fear rejection and its very hard to break into an already established market where you have to compete against renowned authors .
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@derek_a (10873)
•
28 Feb 10
Thanks for posting. That is great that you got your poems published. I have short stories locked away in my drawer too. I think I'll have to get them out and sort through them. They were written a long time ago now and I am sure they could be edited and improved upon. 
_Derek
_Derek
@ESKARENA1 (18260)
•
13 May 07
Oh my friend i could walpaper my home with rejection slips, lol. I think it is the lot of the writer. However I have published quite a few articles in history and psychology and eventually it does start to pay off. Ive also found a site on here that says it will pay for unpublished articles, so i might give that a go too
keep on writing, it does work eventually.
blessed be
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@derek_a (10873)
•
13 May 07
Thanks for your response. I think I needed to remember what I wanted to do with my writing in the first place. I used to run encounter groups and many members used to ask me when I was going to write a book, because my methods tend to be somewhat "different". So I thought then, yes I would write a book, but I'd better get back to school and learn some writing skills first.
Well, one thing went from another and I found myself writing anything and everything except on personal development. Then I just enjoyed the meetings, discussions and hearing about the "inner world" of others, that the book just didn't get done. I sent off a dozen or so articles and then got way-laid in other directions, especially once the Internet played a part in my life. In fact, my books been written several times over in bits on various sites! And now, I don't think it matters any more. My "task" as I see it is to inspire others and what with blogs, emails, telephone calls and face-to-face work, all is as it should be, because it is that way, if you know what I mean :-)
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@therishav (93)
• Nepal
16 May 07
Yeah it's only one writing out of five have been published in an local magazine. You know that they are really selective while publishing the articles as many are posted to them.
You must have a good writing for the publishment and must be able to compete all the other writings. Its hard to get the writings being published
1 person likes this
@explorations (1712)
• United States
12 May 07
I have 100's of articles published on the web, I've been published by some magazines (The Writer, Do! Magazine, Writer's Journal, Venus Magazine, etc.) and I've helped with some books (Writer's Market, Creatively Self-Employed, Lilith's Love, etc.). I've also been self-publishing through lulu.com - a series of art journals throughout 2007.
I want to get in with a traditional publisher and get some books out, though. I'm a non-fiction writer, so this will be my comfort zone for queries. However, I've played around with fiction several times. I call it playing around because I have difficulty taking myself serously as a fiction writer. I'm an English major and am hoping to change this non-published reality.
As far as being in the trenches goes, I've been in and out of the rejection pool since 1999. I work continuously on a project called The Writer's Block (http://www.geocities.com/poemwriter1) in an effort to keep rejection from smothering us all.
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@derek_a (10873)
•
16 May 07
Thanks for posting. I'm afraid I don't know a great deal about poetry except that it can "connect" with a deeper part of the mind and trigger an emotional response. We did do a little on poetry with our writing class and what the teacher explained was the poetry communicates in such a way that the reader makes the connection and the interpretation is often a personal one - poetry elicits feelings without explanation. I wrote one or two small poems, but I can't say it was easy.
I would think that the best way of learning about poetry is to read some of the famous poets, like Wordsworth, E. E. Cummings or Shakespear and get the feel for how they craft words and verses and then try your own and post it (maybe here on myLot) and ask for honest opinions from others.
@wolfie34 (26770)
• United Kingdom
6 May 07
Getting your work is like a minefield, fill of pits and rejections. The only work I had published was articles in magazines in my teens, I got small amounts of money but it was just the pride of having my work in print. I used to write loads of stories and poetry but it was more personal to me and to be honest I didn't want it published and I didn't know where to take it.
@magica (3707)
• Bulgaria
6 May 07
Yes, a have a book- published when i was young girl. Stories, even i usually write poems. I found a sponsor and published it. I won some awards there. But this is the only real success in my life even many people tell me that i am talented- and i know that i am.
Just here it`s a question of money and sponsors to publish or not. And it`s pity.
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@windhair (498)
• Germany
6 May 07
I never manage to write until now, and I will not try to do that.
I have heard some people get their book published after they post their work on the internet, when it begin to getting hot with tons of readers, the publisher will contact with them and find a why to publish it. We can see that editors can not totally substitute readers idea.
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