Things I've Learned in 3 months at AW...

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SherryTex

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In the 3 months since I joined this website, I have written more and dared to submit more and had more published than I would have dreamed in a 12 week period. I hope others will add to this thread to share what AW has taught them. Everyday I find more I don't know.

1) everyone starts as a newbie.
2) Submit to places where you would like to see yourself published.
3) Do the research on the place you want to publish.
a)do they take submissions?
b) how often?
c) do they pay?

4) With pieces you think pop, save them for places that are special (this is hard).

5) Submit, submit submit (where) --that's the research part. Most papers have a collection called the slush pile (learned this in freelancer section of AW), you submit and they respond actually exceptionally fast. I have also learned that seasonal pieces should be sent two to three months in advance for newspaper slush piles. They usually do not pay to start. You have to get some credentials to get them to consider paying you --i.e. when people look forward to your writing in particular.

6) The learning curve for doing this is steep.

7) submitting for free gives you credentials to then submit to magazines and places that pay.

8) In the paying and the free lance there are tons of places to submit, most take 5- 10 weeks to make things happen.

9) At the same time, if you have a larger work (book), you should be searching for an agent (this is also work) and there are lots of hints in the beware section, in the ask the agent section, and just asking in the sections you are interested in learning about.

10) Don't get discouraged and write daily. Rewrite daily too. Get a thick skin and prepare to have your writing creations destroyed line by line in some cases, or even worse, the killing words, I didn't get it.

11) keep a journal with you for ideas.

12) Crit pieces you like of others and they'll return the favor, give rep points for advice you find useful, it helps to make friends and gain readership of your pieces in SYW.
 

KTC

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I learned that writers are one of the most mutually supportive groups in existence. I am always happy to see the people here supporting each other in their acceptances and rejections. There never seems to be a competitiveness here. Just mutual respect and support. I learned that in the real life within my writing circle...and it was confirmed here in the AW Cooler.

I think that by reading all the responses to questions in forums like the Novel Writing and Poetry ones, I learn something new every day. It's like I don't even know that I'm learning until one day you realize you know the answer to somebody's writing question and then you think, "How did I know that?" and it only takes me a second to say, "AHA! The AW Cooler!"
 

Freckles

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Wow, I've learned so much from AW since I joined in July. The learning experience has been invaluable.

A). You can't start your career without having the courage to submit
B). Rejections don't sting as bad after you've received A LOT of 'em
C). Your fellow writers want to help you!!
 

TeddyG

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1. I was never a newbie...I was born rejected
2. Kevin is crazier than I am (so there is hope for my future)
3. I am innocent always
4. I am the only truly sane person on AW (Kevin is close second) - No this does NOT contradict number 2. Sheesh....
5. I hate helping anyone. Let the rest of AW suffer in misery.
6. I want all the writers to disappear so that the publishing houses will only be able to look at one manuscript - MINE!
7. The HOL is populated by a bunch of freaks - and their conversations make me blush.
8. Jenna has no wrath to speak of.
9. Freckles is NOT her real name!
10. September really does smile most of the time.
11. Cath, is I am sad to say, really British.
12. I hate every single Cat avatar on AW.
13. Haggis has the best ava on AW
14. I really dislike making lists like this.
:D

(okay I know this is a serious thread!)
 

K1P1

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TeddyG said:
1. I was never a newbie...I was born rejected
2. Kevin is crazier than I am (so there is hope for my future)
3. I am innocent always
4. I am the only truly sane person on AW (Kevin is close second) - No this does NOT contradict number 2. Sheesh....
5. I hate helping anyone. Let the rest of AW suffer in misery.
6. I want all the writers to disappear so that the publishing houses will only be able to look at one manuscript - MINE!
7. The HOL is populated by a bunch of freaks - and their conversations make me blush.
8. Jenna has no wrath to speak of.
9. Freckles is NOT her real name!
10. September really does smile most of the time.
11. Cath, is I am sad to say, really British.
12. I hate every single Cat avatar on AW.
13. Haggis has the best ava on AW
14. I really dislike making lists like this.
:D

(okay I know this is a serious thread!)

Still upset about that rejection, eh?
 

K1P1

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And now a serious response:

In 2 months I've learned:
1) how to find an agent
2) how to tell if it's a good agent
3) how to query an agent
4) how to query an agent successfully
5) what to watch out for in an agent's contract
6) what to watch out for in a publisher's contract
7) ways to fight writer's block (haven't had to do that yet, but I'm ready)
8) that I can still write poetry, at least some of the time
9) that I'm *already* a successful writer (I came here feeling like an imposter)

I'm sure there are more...

ETA: Yeah, there was more.
10) what a platform is
11) how to craft a non-fiction proposal
12) how sales really work in publishing
 

jbal

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Anything I know about writing I've learned since joining here. Well, not exactly. Before I joined I lurked in the novels forum for about four months and read the majority of the threads there. I can't even make a list because it's too much, so I will list the things I did know before I came here, which is a much shorter list.
1)How to turn on my computer, and type things into the word processor.
2)A reasonable idea of how character and story arcs work.
Hmm... that's about it. Anything about how to get published would have been a mystery to me without the plethora of help I've received here.
 

KTC

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TeddyG said:
2. Kevin is crazier than I am (so there is hope for my future)

See, my shrink once told me it's impossible to quantify your own craziness. That's why we hire the big guns. They compare us to other crazies and tell us where we stand. ie...there is always a sadder case than yourself. Sorry to say, Tedster...but my shrink used you in the comparison. He actually said, "Look at it this way, my boy. At least you're not as crazy as that flutter nutter in Jerusalem. Teddy's his name. He's Grossly insane so you have nothing to worry about." (Of course I am paraphrasing...but I'm sure I got the gist.)
 

CBeasy

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Well, I've only been here a couple of weeks, but if nothing else, this place has definately inspired me to continue my writing.
 

triceretops

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I've been here just under two years. I thought I had all the answers.
Not.
Aside from my massive database filled with potential agents to submit to, I actually found my agent in one these threads, who I might never have found had it not been for someone dropping their name.

I also got great critique advice on my synopsis, queries, and numberous story ideas, from really gifted and insightful individuals. My revised query led to my acceptance.

I'm always sure to find the latest dope on the newest publishers out there. I feel I get the advantageous jump on my competition.

AW has nearly 11,000 members. That's quite a collective brain.

The Weekend Progess Report has inspired and driven me to write five complete books in under 18-months. A phenomenal (sp?) feat if ever there was one.

Now, if I can just stay outa here!

Tri
 

MajorDrums

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in the three months i've been on AW, i've submitted my non-fiction work to a legitimate publisher for the first time, an article to my local newspaper (it was rejected; i'm going to send them another one, different idea) and i'm actually setting goals that now seem realistic, which sometimes feels scarier than when i just had my head in the clouds.
 

Roger J Carlson

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I learned that Copyrighting your novel before it's published is a waste of time, and the Poor Man's Copyright is a waste of postage.
 

ChunkyC

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Upon coming here, I learned about the author's big mistake, about the importance of adhering to submission guidelines, and about writing for your readers and not just for yourself.

And that was just on the first day. :)
 

MidnightMuse

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I've learned that I stand a better chance of being hit by a toilet that has fallen off the International Space Station, then I do of getting an agent, then a publisher.

But, there was that one time the Mir fell . . .
 

K1P1

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ChunkyC said:
Upon coming here, I learned about the author's big mistake, about the importance of adhering to submission guidelines, and about writing for your readers and not just for yourself.

Uh--what's "the author's big mistake"?
 

SeanDSchaffer

Since I joined in March of 2005, I think the biggest thing I have learned at AW is to 1.) Take my writing and the submission process very seriously, and 2.) to not take myself quite so seriously.

Other things I have learned include, but are not limited to:

1. Not all publishers are honest.
2. Paying to publish is not a good thing.
3. Money flows toward the writer (attributed to Uncle Jim).
4. Writers are very supportive of one another, and the writing community really is a community that I enjoy being a part of.
5. Writers do not write only books.
6. AW is very addictive.
7. Writing with a typewriter is not as archaic as I once thought it was.
8. Underwood typewriters, though they have not been made in more than half a century, are still heavily in demand.
9. Floppy diskettes are not all that reliable.
10. Whatever works for the individual writer, is right (Again, attributed to Uncle Jim).
11. I know a lot of famous people and am not fawning over them like a crazed idiot.
12. Copyright belongs to the author the moment they write a work.
13. Copyright registration should be done after a book has been accepted by a company.
14. Newbie authors, as well as seasoned authors, should aim high in their aspirations (yet another thing I learned from Uncle Jim).
15. A writer always has room for improvement, no matter how good they are at the Craft.
16. This list is getting pretty darned long.
17. I've learned the basic format that most agents and editors prefer.
18. Always, always, ALWAYS follow the submission requirements to the letter.
19. This list has almost 20 entries, at least two of which are irrelevant to this thread.
20. This list has at least 20 entries...
21. I like my coffee percolated.
22. Music is great when writing.
23. Writing on a computer is a difficult thing to do, because of automatic formatting and the constant temptation of the Internet.
24. Popping your knuckles becomes a very noisy and bad habit; if you don't stop while you're ahead, you won't be able to farther down the road.
25. I love my Craft more than I ever did, even though my imagination is not what it used to be.
26. There is life after PA.
27. My words are not golden.
28. My record needs to be turned over.
29. My record player is on Side 2 now and I feel much better.
30. Writing so much that my hands hurt is not a good thing.
31. Same as Point #30, with 'wrists' replacing 'hands'.

And there is a bunch more that I have learned. I think the wealth of information at AbsoluteWrite is an outstanding resource for writers of all genres and formats. Naturally, one cannot put almost two years' worth of information into one post, but the above points should give some idea some of the wondrous things I have learned while I've been a member of AW.
 

Bartholomew

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Things I've learned:

1) Don't just give a crit in SYW ; PM the author and ask for the latest copy and crit THAT.

2) If the writer is afraid of me, they probably won't insult me after I give them a crit.

3) Crit via e-mail so that I can block them afterwords if they get arguementative.
3.1) This way I don't associate their name on here with what they said to me, and the forums are a happier place.

4) Sherry Fine really wants to be my agent.

5) Publish America would love to be my publisher.

6) Hell is Exothermic.
6.1) Being exothermic, Hell would freeze over before 4 and 5 ever come to fruition.

7) I can't get along with everyone on here.
7.1) I don't have to try.
7.2) But I still have to respect people here, even if I hate them, their writing, and everything they stand for.
7.3) This is a good thing.

8) Sock poppets are fun. : )

9) A lot of people here like 1984; they say so in my rep box.

10) No one here actually wants to discuss my love life. Tch!

Hehehe.
 

ATP

What happened to my LIFE?!
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Sean,

Good, comprehensive review.:)
 
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