The super-secret method for getting published in the next year
Okay, so this is just between us, right?
I learned this from my favorite teachers, authors Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch.
(Before you read any further, click on the link to Dean Wesley Smith and look at his post about Heinlein’s Rules. This is some great information, and parts of it just might change your life.)
Okay. So what Dean and Kris taught those of us in the class several years ago was that there’s a shortcut, of sorts, to getting published. But it totally depended on us and the amount of work we were willing to put into it for the next twelve months.
Back to that commitment thing I talked about yesterday, right?
I was committed. So I tried it. And it worked.
It goes like this:
Week One: Write a short story, beginning, middle, and end, finish it, put it in the mail.
Week Two: Write a second short story, beginning, middle, and end, finish it, put it in the mail.
Week Three: The same.
Weeks Four Through Fifty-Two: The same.
If you prefer novels to short stories, then write 5,000 words of your novel each week (actually, I think it may have been 10,000 words–but do whichever of those you’re able). Keep up that pace every week until the novel is done. Finish, mail it off. Then begin your next novel.
What this accomplishes is four things:
1. You are finishing stories right and left.
2. You have lots of stories in the mail to places you’ve researched and know want the kind of work you’re writing. Any one of those could turn into a sale.
3. You are building your confidence that you can start and finish stories. The importance of this cannot be overstated. The world is full of writers who can begin novels and stories. The world is less full of writers who can finish them.
4. You are taking the pressure off any one story to make or break your career. When you have multiples out there (another teacher called it “keeping my boys in the air”), it’s much easier to detach from them. Keeps the sugar consumption at a reasonable level.
Oh, and one more very important rule I learned from another author-teacher: Any time you receive a rejection, you have to mail that story or novel out to someone new in the next 24 hours. Takes the sting off it, let me tell you. The exception to that is if the person rejecting it made some personal comment about how you could improve the story. If that suggestion rings true for you, make the change and then either send it to that person again (sometimes that’s what they’re asking), or mail the new and improved version to someone else. If you read Dean’s column, you’ll see he has his own opinion about editing your work to suit someone.
Okay, that’s it for now. If I’ve misstated anything Dean and Kris taught me, I sincerely apologize because I know Dean will kick my butt. But this is as close to my memory as I can get, and the fact is it’s the reason why I started selling short stories and magazine articles within just a few months.
Results will vary, of course, but this is an interesting apprenticeship to put yourself through.
Ta ta for now.
I think this is excellent advice and can tell you that this basically worked for me. I was not that prolific, but after I got serious about writing I wrote maybe 10-12 short stories over the course of a year or so. Then I narrowed this down to the best 4 or 5 and sent them out. Point number 3 in your list is so true (and point 1)… it was so important to me just to finish the things. Really finish them, not just stick a rough draft with no character names into a drawer (been there, done that).
One thing I’ve been curious about though is the impact of even a minor publication. It seems that any publication is significant, and particlarly so if you can string several together (however obscure the journals may be). Is this your take as well? That would make your advice not only good for productivity and self-confidence, but also for building that all important ‘previous publication’ list.
Yep, John, excellent point–thanks for bringing that up. Having some credits to your name–winning a contest, getting published in this or that journal, even if the pay was teeny tiny–shows other editors that someone else thinks your work is worthy. It’s human nature that we feel better about liking something if other people have liked it first. Don’t you think?
I knew there was a secret!
Heather, don’t we all always think there’s a secret? Keep a pot of violets on your desk, drink hot water with lemon every morning, turn around three times before you sit down to work–you know how it is.
Thanks, Robin. This advice has motivated me to sign up for NaNo this year, which I haven’t done in two years because I didn’t have time, but for which I’ve been percolating and not writing an idea for those same two years. It’s hardcore, but I need it. You rock, as always.
Hi Robin,
Man, I hope you’re having nice weather out there… it’s gorgeous here on the East coast (I work in MD and commute back to my home in NC on the weekends). Fall is definitely in the air. Love it!
So, I gave my novel out to a couple of readers (teenage friends of my two daughters) for feedback. So far it’s pretty positive but I was wondering if you (or any other folks out there) had any questions that were particularly good to ask. Something probing and insightful that will help point out the ghastly flaws lurking in the closet? (Mmmm, that sounds like it could apply equally well to my book, AIG, or Sarah Palin.)
I should try that. Would publishing company’s publish a 14 year old? I don’t have any stories complete though and i would have to start shortening them a little since i tend to think that they need to be longer and longer, although all mine are only around 20-50 pages at the moment (though there is that 130 page one) sorry i’m babbling.
Carli – you’re under no obligation to a publisher to disclose your age at the time they read the story. It all comes down to the story. If it is good, they will buy it.
Justine Larbalestier has a couple of good posts on just that subject.
http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2005/08/13/too-young-to-publish/
http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2007/06/19/beginning-writers/
And don’t worry, you aren’t babbling much. ;P
Elizabeth, awesome! I forgot all about NaNo–glad you brought it to people’s attention. Good luck!!
John, it’s good that you have some teen beta readers–that really does help. What I ask from mine is to point out any phrases I’ve used that sound weird to them. Sometimes we get so used to using certain metaphors or catch phrases, we don’t realize they only make sense to people our own age.
Carli, I like Patrick’s answer, so I’m deferring to him. And you never babble–at least not that I’ve seen on the blog. Carry on!
Patrick, remember that very old commercial (actually, maybe you won’t) where the housewife is taking a bubble bath or reading a book or something, and she says to the camera, “I’m cleaning my oven right now.” The point of the commercial was that this fabulous self-cleaning oven spray did all the work for her.
That’s how I feel about you. Thank you for that answer for Carli and those links. I’m cleaning my oven right now.
Thank you, you are all very helpful. And thanks for saying i don’t babble, i tend to when i talk. Thanks agian.
Robin – sometimes I can’t contain my awesomeness.
Those rules DO work. I need to follow them better…at the moment I have 2 unfinished novels, one that’s done but needs to be checked before I mail it, a bunch of short stories that need to be turned around and at least 2 unfinished short stories.
Yeah, I have work to do…
Went to their site. These people are in my backyard praticaly. Great info. Thanks.
Jone, their workshops are fantastic. I hope you can get to one soon!
Laura, since you’re a student of Dean and Kris’s, too, I know you’ll finish your work!
Good advice! I must get my writing together! XD