Posts filed under ‘writer's information’
HELPING WRITERS
This world, this country, unfortunately has provide endless material for writers of fiction and nonfiction sorry, but I cannot help but think and express my thoughts. I know this blog is meant to aid writers in their journey to publication. At the same time, we writers must address the world.
In the future I will address these sites with details and how they can help
your writing experiences.
WRITER’S WEBSITES
MARKETS
Duotrope
A powerful tool for finding publishers for nonfiction, fiction and poetry.
Also lists markets for visual arts. Their latest added category is agents. Costs $50 for a year’s membership.
https://duotrope.com/about/?ref=gaw&kw=duotrope
Ralan
Has markets for speculative fiction, science fiction.
https://www.ralan.com/index.htm
Children’s Publishers Directory
If you want to publish for children, here is a good source.
https://www.publishersglobal.com/directory/subject/children-publishers/
AGENTS
AAR
Association of Author’s Representatives is the most trusted source of literary agents. These agents will not charge to read. If an agent does charge of read your work, run don’t walk away.
https://www.publishersglobal.com/directory/subject/children-publishers/
Agent Query
https://www.agentquery.com/default.aspx
PROTECTION
Absolute Water Cooler
A site to question other writers who have dealt with publishers or agents you are considering. They tell you of their experiences with these organizations.
https://absolutewrite.com/forums/activity.php?s=cfdd3a5dd5cf87c72fb67e8f37589cd3
Aid for Writers
Goodreads
This is a site for writers to connect with readers, and readers to connect with writers. Join, it’s free. You may have to explore this site to find i
https://www.goodreads.com/book
Savvy Writers
This is another website for writers. Explore and find what you want. It’s free.
https://savvyauthors.com/about-us/
Manic Readers
I have used this site to get a free, honest review. Join this site. It’s free. To get a review you must be published by a publisher. No self-publishing. I have not recently looked at this site, but they apparently charge for reviews. This puts me off for if you pay for the review would be honest? Or will they give you a good review so you come back. It’s your decision.
https://connect.xfinity.chttps://connect.xfinity.com/appsuite/#!!
STRUGGLING TO GET IT PUBLISHED: REVISITING DUOTROPE
I had promised to return to the purpose of this blog, writing and publishing, to relay knowledge gained in having my work published, and on more occasions that I like to recall, rejected. So with this article I shall return to that purpose. But my mind is disrupted by the state of our beloved country. Need I say more?
Now, on to Duotrope, one of the most useful tools a writer can use to get his work published. If you have a piece you desire to publish, please give the site a look. You will be more than satisfied.
Duotrope is a website discussed in the past. I wish to renew that discussion and provide new information.
At one time Duotrope was free, a great source for finding publishers. A few years ago they began charging $50/year to use their service. That small price is more than worth the benefits provided to help you find a home for your work. They provide publishers of fiction, nonfiction and poetry. They provide a survey for you to characterize you work and zero in on publishers who may in interested in publishing you. When you initially check out the site, you are allowed limited use to explore the value they provide. Duotrope constantly upgrades the information they provide so the list of publishers remains current.
A new feature, offered in addition to the published work, is the category of visual arts. With this new addition you are able to search for sources to publish of your art; magazines etc.
Duotrope is an essential tool to those writers and artists wanting a chance to expose their work to the world.
Here is a link to the site.
STRUGGLING TO GET IT PUBLISHED: SCI/FI & HORROR MARKETS
In the past I introduced you to Duotrope, a fantastic resource for writers’ markets. It’s still my favorite go-to place to place my work. The site provides you with the ability to make a highly specific market search, and then save the search if your first submission should be rejected (a little writer humor). But, there is always a ‘but’; it is not free. You can, however, give it a trial run free of charge.
For those of you who produce science fiction and horror, and on a tight budget, i.e. broke, Ralan.com is for you. The site provides a wealth of market information as well as additional information critical for writers no matter what your genre such a host of links to finding and checking on the credentials of agents.
This site may take a little more effort that Duotrope, but for you sci/fi and horror writers, the price is right.
Ralan.com
http://www.ralan.com/index.htm
Duotrope
Here are some links where you may purchase my work.
Melange Books
http://www.melange-books.com/authors/walttrizna/index.html
Barnes & Noble. Com
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/walt-trizna?store=book&keyword=walt+trizna
Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=walt+trizna
STRUGGLING TO GET IT PUBLISHED: FINDING MARKETS, DUOTROPE
Back in the day when I was on the road to becoming a famous poet, a hint on where that road led – picture the final scene in the movie Thelma & Louise, I used books and magazines to fine markets where I could submit my work. Pounding out poems on my electric typewriter, going through gallons of white-out, off they would go along with the required SASE. This was long before the home computer came into existence, before the internet was even a twinkle in Al Gore’s eye. How things have changed since my early writing years. The books and magazines still exist, but I can guarantee, at least for the books, by the time they are published much of the information is outdated, unless the book is accompanied by a website to maintain currency, save your money.
My go-to source for finding markets for my work nowadays is the website Duotrope, providing over 4000 markets for poetry, fiction and non-fiction and constantly updated. Up until a few years ago it was free, now it will cost you $5 a month or $50 a year. If you register, you can get a free trial. If you are serious about submitting your work, you can’t go wrong giving this website a try. I’ve included a link at the end of this piece.
The site offers searches by the publisher’s name, or if you want to search all markets for your specific piece, you can do that too. In the later type of search, you are given the options of genre, length, pay scale, and a more specific breakdown within your genre. You can also query to see if the publisher accepts reprints, simultaneous and multiple submissions. Also available for most publishers is their response time and percentage of acceptances.
Upon completion of your search you are provide with a list of primary and secondary markets that meet your criteria. On the Duotrope page listing the publisher’s specifications you will also find a link to the publisher’s website. This feature saves tons of time in your submission process. Your search and then be saved if for some reason you first offer of the piece is rejected. I’m trying to be both ironic and humorous.
Finally, you receive a weekly email listing current market updates. One look at this list of weekly market activity will clearly demonstrate how rapidly a book of markets becomes outdated.
If you want to stay on the cutting edge of where to submit your work, I highly suggest you look into Duotrope.
REFDESK.COM, AN AWESOME WEBSITE FOR WRITERS AND NEWS JUNKIES
,’Refdesk,com is a website I check on a daily basis. It overflows with connection to other sites of varying interests and links to newspapers to name of few of the rewards it offers.
Here’s the link.
As a science fiction writer and also a reading addict, I thought I’d share three sites I always check.
The first is ‘Today In Literature’ which serves to provide a wealth of literary background.
http://www.todayinliterature.com/
The same can be said for ‘Writer’s Almanac’ hosted by Garrison Keillor.
http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/
Finally, there’s ‘Science Daily’ chock-full of articles on up-to-the-minute scientific findings. I use this site as a source of ideas for stories. If the lead story in Top Science News generate a story idea for someone I’ll eat all my Arthur C. Clarke novels.
STRUGGLING TO GET IT WRITE: THE KEEN OBSERVER
This piece revolves around my never-ending argument: Can you be taught to imagine? Is it something you just ‘have’, or is it something you can develop? Can you be taught to initiate that spark the gives birth to a story and leads you down that road of wonder? I have no formal training, and I’m sure it shows, in writing fiction, but my mind is crowded with ideas. Can this mental process be taught?
Now, those of you still with me are probably asking, “What the hell does this have to do with the title of the article?” Glad you asked, otherwise, I would have to stop writing this piece.
In order to give a story body, to provide a world to the reader, you need detail. The reader must be immersed in the world you create. See, hear and smell the story. The writer must spend his life being a ‘keen observer’, constantly aware of the world around and absorb, digest it and then someday deposit those observations within his work. I suppose the only genre where this does not apply is the genre I propose to write – science fiction. Here you sometimes need to create a world of the future, one that finds birth in your imagination and exists only there.
I recently finished reading Light of the World by one of my favorite authors, James Lee Burke. Coincidentally, the July/August issue of Poets & Writers had an interesting piece about Burke. If you love his writing as much as I do, I strongly suggest you read this fine article to gain insight into the man.
The setting for Light of the World is Missoula, Montana which also happens to be where Burke now calls home. The novel drips with detail of the geography, plant life and weather of the Montana. We are all familiar with the old adage: Write what you know. I’m going to make an addition: Write where you’ve been. I know this is not always possible, but I feel it helps to keep this in mind when setting the location of your story.
I try to locate my stories in areas in which I have either lived or at least visited. If I need to venture into unknown territory I use maps and research the area online. But I don’t think the writing rings as true as when you experience the area firsthand. However, for me, even if I lived in the location of the story I still find my writing lacking enough detail to bring the story to life.
I’m working on this fault.
Next, people watching.
FREE BOOK ON PUBLISHING
I just received this offer for a free book on publishing from Savvy Authors and I thought I’d share it with my fellow writers.
http://blog.bookbaby.com/2014/07/last-chance-to-get-your-free-copy-of-ape-how-to-publish-a-book/
STRUGGLING TO GET IT WRITE: SELF-PUBLISHING
It is a journey we shall take together, seeking out information on the road to becoming a self-published author. In a recent post, I went into great detail on why I have not self-published – yet. That attitude is in the process of transition. Even I am capable of change. While I’m on the road to obtaining knowledge on self-publishing I invite you to come along.
We begin with an excellent article to get us started, full of useful information. I received it through an online writer’s group to which I belong, IndieWriterSupport. I suggest joining as many writer’s groups as you can. You will inundated with a wealth of information, not all useful, but a great deal with value to the writer. Join LinkedIn! Once you do offers to join other groups will come pouring in.
Look for future pieces with more in-depth information into the world of self-publishing.
Take advantage of the active links you will find in the article.
STRUGGLING TO GET IT WRITE: SELF-PUBLISHING, AN INTRODUCTION
It is said that we all have a book within us. I don’t know who said it, and if no one has, I just did. However, it has never been said, to my knowledge, that we all have a GOOD book within us. What follows is my own take on self-publishing with more episodes to follow. As always, feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Writing is an ego driven endeavor. To put your words out there and know that someone will pay money to read them is quite a stretch. But many of us do just that and bruise our egos along the way. Who among us truly thinks their ability to put words together isn’t worth shit, but I’m going to do it and reveal my shit to the world. In the not too distant past the only available avenue a writer could take, other than the traditional route of, agent-editor-publisher was lovingly referred to as the vanity press.
The end result of association with a vanity press was usually hundreds of books moldering away in a basement or attic and the author thousands of dollars poorer. Now we have a much better, cheaper option – the wonderful world of self-publishing. For an excellent in-depth look at self-publishing I refer you to the May/June 2012 issue of Writer’s Digest providing an overview on the topic. In a later piece I will offer some of the information from that issue and update the information contained in this issue for, in this day and age, 2012 is distant history.
Self-publishing, in conjunction with print-on-demand allows the writer to bring his work directly to the reading public without encountering the messy world of agents and publishers. I know many out there have taken the agent and or publisher route and have shed blood, sweat and tears with no results. Been there, done that. That’s why the vast majority of my work remains unpublished. I’ll get to my personal experiences and the reason I still beat my head against a stone wall in a later piece. Many of those who have put the effort and see no other avenue to present their work to the public other than to self-publish. Here, the decision to self-publish has merit. You’ve paid your dues with nothing to show for it; give it a shot.
There is another form of exposure providing a means to present your work, your thoughts, poetry, and stories, to the world. If you’ve gotten this far you’re participating in that medium now – the blog. Of course you won’t make any money unless your ego permits you to go hat-in-hand to those wanting to read the beauty of your words. Enough of that.
I have met one author, in my opinion, who has a healthy approach to self-publishing. She established a reputation through the traditional route of agent and publisher. Only after her reputation was established did she begin to self-publish. For now the public knew the value of her work, work accepted by the industry, and she could approach that public directly.
With the above in mind, I’m sure you see that self-publishing is a complicated and convoluted topic. It is a medium offering a new publishing opportunity, and each year hundreds of thousands of people employ it. It can yield great success, but to those that it has you could probably count using your fingers and toes, and perhaps not even need to take off your shoes.
Yet with all the uncertainty and rejection and no matter how you bear that twisted cross we call the writing addiction, you know you have no choice but to endure and hope for the
MY WRITING STYLE
Presently, I’m in a quandary about the subject of this piece, my writing style.
Every writer has his or her own style, the way of expressing in word the thoughts they are trying to convey. How does this characteristic of the author originate? Is it some deep-seated voice that represents your essence, or is it merely a manufacture of all the authors whose works you have read?
My reason for pondering this question is that I am in the process of editing my novel, Sweet Depression, and in this endeavor I am attempting to cure what others have pointed out to me as a major fault – my brevity. I tend to concentrate on the core of the story and leave out details that would give the story more life. But where is the line you must be careful not to cross when that life would morph into a boring existence?
Take a look at your bookshelves. If you’re as voracious a reader as I and share my fault of not being able to part with a book once read, those shelves are overflowing. Science fiction and horror are my writing genres, but lately some of my stories have spilled into the murky boundaries of the thriller. But back to science fiction. I look at the science fiction novels of fifty or more years ago and those of today and see a distinct difference. Older science fiction is more concise, more to the point. Of course, you have the epic series Dune written by Frank Herbert and continued by his son which are massive in length, tomes of a complex series. But I look at H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds which is little more than a novella and see the more typical length of science fiction of a bygone era.
Recently I have talked to writers whose work are massive and needed to be cut for publication. My work doe not require deletion but rather addition. But how much to add without diluting down the story or slowing the action, that’s the quandary.
While thinking this piece through I may have come up with the answer to my problem. It is not the length that is important, rather the content and the skill of the writer. Talent is the bottom line. The writer must take the readers by the hand and lead them down a path without detours causing them to lose their way. And when the readers reach the end of that path, if the writer has been successful, they are left with a treasure.
Walttriznastories's Blog 