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Originally Posted by kane
Okay, here is where the long reply comes in 
I guess my advice would be to first choose a direction. I really don't know much about poetry or songwriting markets. Short stories are kind of a hit and miss kind of thing depending on what genre you write in. More and more it is harder to sell short stories. Magazines are having such a hard time competing with online stuff that they often now only feature short stories by known authors. That isn't to say you still can't publish with a smaller magazine and there is nothing wrong with writing a short story just to get it out of your system. Because of this, I personally would choose to write a book, but if you know about these other markets you might move in that direction. |
I don't know anything about any market, I just mentioned poetry and songs to illustrate that I just like to write. I've scribbled poems on bar napkins a decade ago and still have them in a box, have hung out with friends and wrote song lyrics, etc.... just showcasing my desire to create with words. But lately I have begun focusing on a few stories with the idea of progressing to a novel perhaps. I figured I would start with short stories and move my way up to a book, it seemed the logical approach. I have never written a book, only small pieces. Always figured I could piece them together if need be and get started on something bigger, create story arcs to combine them etc....
So now as I age, and become more focused on my work, yes... I should pick a direction and go with it. That's the point I feel I have been at lately...
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Once you have chosen a direction I would suggest finding something from your work and focusing hard on it. If you have a ton of notebooks you probably have a lot of ideas. some of those will be better than others. I would pick something you feel passionate about and that you think other people will find interesting. Ignore everything else you are writing and just focus on finishing that one piece. Once you are done, put it in a drawer for at least a few weeks and get some distance from it then go back and read it with a very critical eye and make changes. Rewrite it at least a few times and make it as good as you possibly can. If you have friends who you know will be 100% honest with you and not just tell you what they think you want to hear let them read it and take their feedback to heart.
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Gotcha. Sounds like great advice. I appreciate such an in depth reply. gracias again mi amigo.
I will take in all your advice on agents, but not retort to any of it at this time.
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Anyway, I'm taking up way too much space here
In summery.
1. finish the book and make it as good as you possibly can.
2. get feedback if possible.
3. use resource books and other people to locate agents.
4. listen to agents when they reject you.
5. try to stick with agents that don't want to charge you anything an who seem to have your best interests in mind.
6. have fun.
Hope this helps some.
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Im stuck on #6 all the time LOL I just write to write, never even thought about an agent until this thread LOL