A question for those who have been published....

[jasperd]

What was your road to becoming published? I'm not talking about the process of getting published as far as sending your book in to an agent or a publisher. I'm asking about your credentials. What did you publish if anything before you got your book published?

[Mumut]

I wrote six short stories and one received a 'commended' in a competition. I wasn't interested in writing short stories but I was told it was an easy way to get a foot in the door. (Now I have one of them in an anthology and three of the others going into another anthology in the near future). I had a few articles published in writers' magazines. Slightly aside to actual publishing, at that time I was treasurer of the Fellowship of Australian Writers, Queensland, for three years. I'm not sure if that helped but at least my name was linked with an old and respected organisation.

[brainstrains]

I won a couple of small writing contests and had a few pieces published in small literary journals, but nothing else before I sold my book. I didn't even mention them in my query letter, because I thought they were insignificant. It didn't matter. Past publishing credits, though they might pique and editor's or agent's interest if you do have solid ones from notable publications, aren't necessary. It's a cliche, but it's true . . . the most important thing is that you write a good book.

[DanaS]

My first publishing experiences were poetry, illustrations, and memoirs. I went on from there to greeting cards, articles, short stories, and children's books. now I'm currently working on a non-fiction book-sort of going full circle.

[Toothpaste]

I had no experience before my book was published. I'd produced and directed my own play, but I'm not sure that counts as really anyone can produce and direct their own play if they want.

Alex was my first published work in any capacity.

[Hillary]

I'm not published, but my mother is. And I've clearly followed her career closely. (At this point, I end up scheduling her and replying to her fan mail. But hey, we can call that "following" her career, right?)

Before her first book was published, she was a painter. That's it, no published work. She just wrote, and happened to rock at it. Getting published wasn't so much "work" for her as just answering a natural calling. She wrote, and the first book she submitted was rejected a few times, but published very quickly. She's just a natural, plain and simple.

[ClaudiaGray]

I had worked as a journalist for several years and so had written nonfiction pieces about a very wide range of topics, including book reviews (although mostly of nonfiction). In terms of fiction, nothing I could present to an agent or publisher as a credential (i.e., metric tons of fanfic).

[Cassidy]

The first thing I had accepted for publication was a YA novel. I sent the publisher a query (with no previous publication credits). They requested the full ms and then phoned a few weeks later to say they were going to send me a contract.

It's funny though-- I'd been writing short stories in hopes that some publishing credits would help me get a foot in the door, but the novel got taken by the first publisher I sent it to... whereas I collected a nice stack of rejection letters for the short stories before they started finding homes!

[Hedgetrimmer]

I first published a few essays in national magazines. Once I began writing a narrative nonfiction book, I published an essay that was a loose excerpt from the book. I thought that it may pique a publishers interest, and it did.

I'm currently using the same approach, as I attempt to publish a short story loosely based on the MC from my mid-grade novel.

[timewaster]

I had always liked writing as a child but didn't write until after my second child was born.
I sent a few bits and pieces of stories to a publisher and the editor rang me up. We had a meeting and he commissioned me to turn one of the things I'd sent into a book for 6-9 year olds.
Prior to that I had no credits nor did it occur to me that it was a problem. Ignorance is bliss.

[pam]

I wrote for children's magazines first and got at least 20 things published before venturing into books. Before children's work, I had some adult articles published. Not everyone has to go this route, though, but it helped me.

[bethany]

none. I had written and published a few things in early college, but I never mentioned any of that when I queried, as I figured it wasn't going to impress anyone. So as far as my agent and editor knew I had never published anything. My advance for Handcuffs was the first $$ I ever made from writing.

[rope1111]

I also tried many times in my early stage but was not able to succeed, But a time came, My 2 storied was published, I was upper in the 7 sky when it happened :)

[MsJudy]

Not published yet, not qualified to answer, but gonna anyway!

So many people I've met who have recently published in children's lit have done one of two things: joined SCBWI and/or attended conferences.

I've been to one particular workshop two years in a row. Not only did I learn so much, I made some great connections. 1) Met a professional writing coach who is helping me get my current WIP into the best possible shape. 2) Had the first three chapters of my Other WIP critiqued--very positively--by an agent with my first choice agency. We had a great conversation, talked about teaching, query letters, plot and motivation... She'll be the first one to see my project when it's finished, and because I attended the workshop, my query goes to the top of the pile. 3) One of the editors at the conference is from Little, Brown, which is normally closed to unagented subs. But she'll accept unagented subs from conference attendees for the next YEAR.

I think anyone who is serious about being published should take advantage of any networking opportunities they can find.

[triceretops]

A bunch of short stories, poems, articles and radio plays.

Tri

[jasperd]

So many people I've met who have recently published in children's lit have done one of two things: joined SCBWI and/or attended conferences.

I just joined SCBWI about a month ago. I think attending the conferences for networking is a great idea.

Thanks to everyone for answering!

[Carrie R.]

I didn't have any publishing credits but was a member of RWA (didn't even know about SCBWI at the time). So not having much to say in the "about me" paragraph in the query isn't a deal breaker with agents :)

[scope]

I had never written anything before my first book was published. In fact, I never even thought about becoming a writer. I had just started a 9 to 5 job when an unrelated idea about a nonfiction subject came to mind. In my mind I was convinced that young children, parents and schools desperately needed "formal," but friendly information on the subject. In my spare time I played around with the idea for about one year. Ultimately I developed a manuscript and illustrative samples for same. Not knowing any better, I approached well known people in the subject area. The liked what I had done and thought it should be published. I then went down that track, and it was - by a major publishing house. Subsequently I gave up my 9 to 5 job and concentrated on writing, learning all I could, and in time producing many other manuscripts that became published books. That was many years ago, and although times are quite different, it does prove that there are many paths one can follow, including the conventional

[JoeEkaitis]

Landed the book with a small traditional royalty-paying publisher.

No by-lines, no previous literary awards, no agent, not a member of SCBWI. But then, no reviews in any of the library mags even though the publisher submitted to all of them, making the book unwelcome in most libraries even if it's free.

So, it's possible but no guarantee of success.