Does being published online make up for not being published offline?

October 8, 2009 3:07pm CST
If you are an aspiring author or just always dreamed of writing and publishing something one day you might have been excited with the opportunities to be published on the internet nowadays. But does it quite make up for the feeling to be published in hard copy and having a book to keep? Or are you still dreaming of the real thing?
2 people like this
8 responses
• Canada
11 Oct 09
In my opinion, a writer is a writer. Each one of us will have different dreams for our finished products and some of us will always dream of the traditional book in hand. How one feels about their published work, whether in hard copy or ebased, will vary from writer to writer. It is a matter of goals, dreams and aspirations. What is ever important is the art form, the writer and the content being delievered. The medium in which these works are produced seems less important to me.
14 Nov 09
I also take pride in my writing and like to know it is available - no matter in which format. If I'd write a novel though (which some day I hope I will) rather than factual articles, I'd like to have a hardcopy though.
1 person likes this
@lelin1123 (15595)
• Puerto Rico
12 Nov 09
I have always wanted to be a published author with the hard copy and everything since I was a teenager. I ended up doing other things with my life and now I'm trying to get back on tract and someday publish a real book and not online. To me being published online is not exactly what my dream was and its not as good as the real thing such as a hard copy published book.
@lelin1123 (15595)
• Puerto Rico
14 Nov 09
Thank you so much! Have a great weekend!
14 Nov 09
I wish you good luck. It is an amazing feeling to hold a printed book in your hand with your name in or on it.
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
24 Oct 09
Well, I feel that sometimes being published online is a helpful start to eventually seeing your work published somewhere offline, as long as you continue to stay focused and accept the challenges and criticisms you might experience as on online published author as well. As there are many ways to get noticed online as a Writer and many sites you can write for, including magazines, etc. it really depends on what your interests are, and goals are for sure. But if you are really wanting to be a published author I say go for it all and see what happens. You might actually surprize yourself for sure.
14 Nov 09
It is easier to start online, no question. And it helps to learn. I published stories in hardcopy in the past and at some point want to have a novel published. But with a "normal" full-time job I currently only have time for online writing. It's quicker and easier.
• United States
9 Oct 09
If you use a POD (publish on demand) printer, you get to have real books to hold in your hand and sell both online and offline. I use lulu.com and am very happy with them. See my books at www.lulu.com/lougrantt. I say, go for it. Write it, get it done, rewrite it over and over until it's perfect, then decide which publishing route you want to take. Good luck with it.
14 Nov 09
Good idea. It isn't cheap though, but I'll consider Lulu if I have a bit more time to write.
• Philippines
10 Oct 09
It doesn't. I still dream of the real thing. I actually don't feel like a writer if I only see my name and my publishes online even though they are more accessible here than getting printed in hard copies. But I atleast wanted to see my name as a writer of an article in a newspaper IF I won't be able to write a book or a novel. A web article won't make up for that dream.
14 Nov 09
I guess so many people publish online nowadays - I know what you mean. I still like seing my name below a good online article though. I am proud of my work.
@DCLehnsherr (1037)
11 Oct 09
Hi taraelocin, I actually liked being published online. The things I have written have tended to be based in the worlds other people create (I write fanfiction mostly) so the only place I can be published is online, unless I want to get into wars over copyrights and stuff lol. I really enjoyed it though because the process of getting something published the first time taught me so much about how to write stories, and especially about grammar. Until I tried to get something published I never used commas, so my work got rejected, but the moderator taught me what to do - well pointed me in the right direction at any rate - and so now if I ever write something outside a world already created, I definitely stand a better chance of being published That said nothing would ever beat having a shelf full of my own books in hardback sometime, they are much easier to show off lol All the best, Dranz
14 Nov 09
It's great that online gave you a good outlet. And that you got feedback to improve your writing. Online publishing can help us to learn and grow as writers. Good luck with your writing.
• United States
8 Oct 09
I guess if you have a large amount of netsurfers who read your stuff.
14 Nov 09
You still can't put it in your bookshelf though. I loved being able to put a book I contributed to on the shelf for the first time.
• United States
26 Nov 09
Feeling. Published hard. A copy and having a book. Author writing something might excite opportunities to be published. The real thing.