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Robin
Joined: Apr 1, 2003
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How to get published?
April 1, 2003 - 09:32 AM
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If anybody here has any ideas, helpful hints, etc. on how I can get my stuff published ABSOLUTELY ANYWHERE, I would appreciate it beaucoup! Thanks!
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Keyvan Sayar
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Being published
April 10, 2003 - 06:27 AM
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Check out www.biliki.com, it's an alternative Belgian publisher
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Robin
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Re: How to get published?
April 19, 2003 - 06:41 AM
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Would a Belgian company publish my American books, do you know?
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Nick Moraitis
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Re: How to get published?
April 19, 2003 - 09:56 AM
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hey -- good question! With so many people wanting to get their stuff in the New York Times or on the best-selling list, getting your work noticed and published is hard! But I'm sure you can do it eventually 
When i was 14 (about six years ago) I also decided I wanted to write a book. Many of my friends were asking my help about how to get onto the internet. I thought i'd get one of them a book for their birthday -- but all I found in the bookstore was "internet for dummies" and "web browsing for losers" etc. Nothing seemed fun. So I started writing my own guide for teenagers. Actually, I got to work on it in school too, because we had a free class where we could develop our own project that year.
A few weeks later I had a basic manuscript of the book and started sending if off to publishers. the first one didn't write back. the second one said they had "lost it" [I still think they were stealing my ideas!! ]. The third one said they'd pass it onto another publisher - which said yes!! About 14 months later, my book finally came out on the book shelves. it was an experience! (see the result here - http://www.penguin.com.au/puffin/spotlight/f_spotlight.cfm?SBN=0141302097
some tips from my experience:
-- publishers generally don't know how old you are unless you tell them. so don't if your fiction is good, your fiction is good. but if you're writing a non-fiction book, your age will probably matter. try writing a book that is designed for people your own age, like i did - that is a great 'marketing angle'.
-- big publishers get thousands and thousands of manuscripts every year and don't even read most of them. there are literally PILES of them in their offices, unread. generally you need to first find an agent who will help you get noticed because they have a relationship with the publisher. (but they also have piles of manuscripts they haven't read).
-- obviously, going for a book-contract is not the first step. you might try getting in a newspaper first. if you're writing non-fiction this is easier. before I got a book contract, i sent a number of chapters of my book (about young people who were doing cool things on the net) to The Australian newspaper (the largest national newspaper in Australia) and they ended up publishing them, plus more. This was great credibility that helped me with Penguin later on.
-- the reason The Australian published my work was mostly because I'd proven to have an audience online. I'd set up a website where I'd been writing away for more than a year. This was not only great practice for my writing, but also great because i felt some people were reading. [even if they weren't].
-- the Internet really is the best place to begin. Why not set up a homepage, and start publishing your work there? Or if you write non-fiction or poetry or whatever, how about using your TIG Update page??? http://updates.takingitglobal.org. And then there is the Zine. All within TIG!
-- You can also try self-publishing your books. I met a guy called Matthew Reilly who has written a number of very fun best-selling action books. But originally every publisher he went to rejected his books. So he borrowed $5000 from his brother and printed his own when he was 19. Then he went to different prominent bookshops around Sydney and convinced them to buy a couple of copies from him to display. Soon, a publisher walks in and picks up one of the copies, likes the cover [which matt designed on his home computer!], buys it, and calls up matthews 'publisher' (which is really his mother) to see who this 'great new author is'. hehe... so Matthew gets a 3 book contract and a movie deal! (see http://www.matthewreilly.com/).
Hope this helps!!
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Ha Thi Lan Anh
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Re: How to get published?
April 19, 2003 - 11:11 AM
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Hey Nick those tips are awesome!
Birdie, what's ur book about? Have u finished writing it and trying to get it published?
Well i donno how the publishing process work in US.
But here in Vietnam, i have edited a book of collective teenage authors and got it published.
and got some tips out of the experience
1. I checked out information in details of all the publishing houses. While a publishing house may publish many different kinds of books, they do have special interests on some particular kinds. And my book for children and youth, so i came to Children Publishing House, Youth Publishing House.
2. It is also good to get to know some authors who may be interested in your book. They can help you get connected. In my case, when i finished editing the book, i write to some journalists and book writers and ask them for comments. They, then help me to get in touch with the director of the publishing house.
3. Also becuz you are under 18, it is always good to have someone who can help you about legal stuff when working with the publishing house and know the necessary procedures.
4. I think one of the coolest thing of getting writing work published is that then we can get people's different comments and reactions back. You can start sharing your stuff on TIG. But if you plan to publish it in US, then i think it is also good to publish on US based media.
One more link : http://wiretapmag.com/
5. I donno what ur book is about..short stories or novel..but its also good to participate in writing contests of some reputated newspapers,magazines,etc. If you win, its a great way to sell yourself  .If not, it doesnt matter, u will have great expriences.and who knows some publishing gurus will call up a potential writer one nice morning. Many authors who contributed stories for my book are writing contest winners. And that give me a lot of credits when persuading the publishing director.
Getting a book published sounds tough. But its a great and fun challenge. I bet you will enjoy it a lot!
And hope to hear more about ur book.
and see it on bestseller shelve..
Gluck
Lan Anh
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Lucia Sui
Joined: Mar 20, 2003
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Re: How to get published?
May 10, 2003 - 07:41 AM
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wow!! we got some talented writers in here
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Luke Lieberman
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Re: How to get published?
May 10, 2003 - 07:50 AM
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building relationships is all important - that way they will actually read what you give them.
Get an agent
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