Write Young, Get Published
Tips for Young Adults on Making it in the Publishing Biz
Advice for writers in their teens and early twenties interested in starting a writing career.
There are several key aspects to starting a writing career: From finding your nitch to dealing with rejection, earning respect to creating a great bio. It's time to put aside the belief that your age will hold you back, because in the publishing industry -- writing young is an asset that can help you get published!
Find Your Nitch
The smartest approach to starting a writing career if you are under the age of twenty-five is determining an area of expertise. What are your passions? What areas or skills do you excel in? How do you feel about utilizing your experiences from high school or college as inspiration for your writing? Even small ideas like "ten reasons I hate my dorm" can lead to potential projects in the future. You have the knowledge of here and now. Think about it, collage life in 1997 differs from one in 2007. Work with your strengths, surroundings and circumstances to develop magazine articles, write for your local newspaper, create short stories, contribute to an anthology or start a nonfiction book.
Time to WriteI know what you’re probably thinking, “My life is so chaotic. When will I find the time to write?” The answer is different for everyone. Some writers wake up early and take advantage of a quiet home; others work from noon till dinner in a casual setting. Following a consistent schedule can help you make progress but it isn’t a requirement. One of the benefits of being a writer is setting your own pace, taking each hour and page one at a time. If you love to write but continually face distractions change your setting and mix up the experience. Bring your notebook or laptop to a local cafe, park or library. Make the time to nurture your craft.
Query Weary?
Query letters are one part intimidating and two parts frustrating. Yet, they are the key to having your writing considered for publication. Whether you’re working on an article, book, short story or column idea a query (letter which describes your material) is a necessary challenge to conquer. The elements of a query can be broken down into several paragraphs.
The first should provide an upbeat introduction with your overall concept. In the next paragraph offer details, remember to include approximate word count. The third paragraph is where your bio and writing credentials are provided. The conclusion paragraph is summery of why you’re contacting a particular editor. Generally query letters are one page in length however, if you have more details about your project save them as notes in case you were called to discuss your idea further.
When creating your query it may be helpful to use large index cards to outline and separate the paragraphs. Since the tone of a query will stand out as much as your idea try to remain positive yet professional. In order to avoid sounding like a used car salesman let the facts speak for themselves and your query will make the right impact.
Creative Ways to Fill Your Bio
One of the most common obstacles young writers face is creating an about the author bio when previous publication experience is sparse. It is important to note that a bio doesn't have to read like a resume because credentials come in various forms. For instance a twenty-two year old female who has raised injured pets for several years may feel motivated to express her journey by creating a personal essay. The first hand experience in this example is invaluable and helps support a writing quest.
Other ways to fill a bio is to explain the motivation for writing about a particular topic, i.e. "Ever since I was a child I loved horseback riding with my sister. Those special memories have inspired me to write poetry about riding companions." The bottom line is if you’re passionate about your subject and convey this emotion through your bio, you will help make up for limited publishing experience.
Deal With Rejection
You may reach a point in your writing career where things don't turn out as you have hoped and your work gets rejected. Some people say, "It’s not personal, it’s just business." It will feel personal. But you’ll still need to move on.
Start a new project or revise what you’ve already created. Occasionally a rejection letter will detail why the editor choose not to accept your work. As painful as it may be to read, this explanation can help you see where you’ve gone wrong and how to correct your mistakes. If a rejection letter doesn’t come with editing suggestions then consider approaching a smart (yet kind) friend or family member for assistance? Sometimes as writers we become too close to our work, so it is helpful to have another set of eyes for reviewing purposes. When requesting a critique be clear with your instructions, would you like overview comments or line-by-line notes? Try to keep an open mind to alternative ideas. It may take several days, weeks or months to put your writing out there again, but perseverance has the power to do magical things.
Finally, don’t let your age hold you back. If you love to write and express yourself, push forward. Each time you get a poem accepted, an article published in your local paper or even a spot in an anthology you are one more step to achieving writer stardom. You may not pull in the big bucks but years later you’ll have learned tons about the business and compiled a fantastic portfolio which is invaluable.
What's the next step? Managing Your Career!
