Tips, and Suggestions for getting published?

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Question:

I've been working on a short story for about a year now, it is almost finished, and it should be about 15,000 words when finished!. Does anyone know of a good publisher or story contest that might except it!. It would most likely not fall in the category of a children's book, but it might be good teen, or young adult fantasy fiction!. Help Please!? Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

Children's books ia a highly competitive genre!.!.!. very tough to break in as a new writer!.!.!. but this is the ordinary route to getting published:

The first step is to make your book as perfect as possible!. Then pick up a “Writers Market!.”

That big book holds the information you need to approach a publisher or an agent!. It lists mailing address and gives the genre each one is looking for!. It also explains how to approach them… with a query letter or with proposal (how to write those is explained in the book as well)!.

I would recommend that you send out multiple submission, since no matter how good your book is, you will get many rejections… since agents and publishers are very busy people and are not always open to taking on new projects!.

Find additional help here for refining your work (sentence structure and proper English) http://newfreebooks!.com/#websites Look for “For Authors!.”

I hope that helps… and good luck!Www@QuestionHome@Com

While I don't recommend entering contests with an entry fee, you might try the Writer's Digest contests!. http://www!.writersdigest!.com/GeneralMenu!.!.!.

There are various contests throughout the year!. One is a general writing contest with several categories; another is specifically for short stories!.

You might try http://www!.narrative!.com and check their contest list, too!.

Generally speaking, short stories are near impossible to get published!. There surely is no money in it!. It is rare that a short story collection proceeds an author's best-selling novel!.

It's important that you know your audience!. That's not something you rely on the reader to determine!.

Suffice it to say that your story must be perfect before it is submitted to a contest or any publication!. Otherwise, it won't get a second glance!. Grammar, punctuation, POV, consistent style -- all elements in place!. It's also vital that you understand the genre!. There are very specific rules for short story; it's not about length!.

Email if you have questions!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Writer's Digest is constantly have short story contests (creatively called "Show Us Your Shorts")!. If you sign up for their e-mail notifications I'm positive you'll eventually start receiving notices about upcoming contests!. In fact - some end, well now, I believe, other contests end in December!.

However - you might have to either a)!. cut it down in length or b)!. write a new story for the contest, because I think WD has a 4,000 word limit or even less, I believe another one of their contests the limit is at 1,500 words!.

Yours is not a short story!. Short stories usually fall under a 7,500 word limit!. But that's not to say you shouldn't submit other short stories into contests, you need to start somewhere in publishing!.

http://writersdigest!.com/GeneralMenu/ Www@QuestionHome@Com