Writer's Market

Saw a big trade paperback at Barnes the other day titled 'Writer's Market', along with some damn subtitle I don't remember. Basically it looked like a catalog of publishers along with tidbits of info about them and the sort of material they are looking for. I seem to recall you mentioning something like this once upon a time. Same thing? And if so, how would you rate it as a resource for someone looking to get published?

EDIT- sorry, should have put this in the 'ask G' thread...

^Been recommending it for decades. I consider it THE source for anyone who wants to learn how the publishing business works. It's got everything - from how to format a manuscript to which literary agents might be a good fit, to every single market for print media from novels to greeting card verse.

There's a new edition every year, but if what you found was last year's edition, most of the info in it should still be current. There's also a website, for which I think there's a small membership fee, but the entries are updated constantly.

Vis-a-vis a writing career, it could be the best investment you ever made.

Suh-weet. Maybe I'll grab a copy.

Domo arigato.

Someday.

Ain't written anything good enough yet.

Do itashimashite.

Yes, you have! If the story you wrote for the contest is good enough to win you a laptop, it's good enough to start submitting to some magazines.

[action=garamet]whacks Dickynoo with a wet noodle[/action]

Now git!

They make an "Artist's Market" as well. I picked up a book awhile back, it's laying around somewhere--"How to Make Money Freelance Writing" or something like that. Had lots of good pointers that I didn't know and probably missed some opportunities because I didn't know. Like if an editor sends you a handwritten rejection letter, it doesn't hurt to write them back and ask them for pointers--what didn't they like, or if they just didn't have space, when would be a good time to resubmit, or what ideas they'd like to see--that sort of thing.

Let's get to the root of it, shall we?

Get over being afraid of rejection letters. I think we both know that is the real issue here. You should see them as learning experiences as well as information. Often with smaller magazines, they will critique the manuscript and give you all sorts of free advice.

At least that was my experience with the one time I bothered submitting something. They thought the writing was good, but the topic was one they weren't interested in at the time and encouraged me to try again and to try submitting my article elsewhere. I never did, as it was just a whim that made me send it at all...but the rejection process wasn't too painful...a bit disappointing but not as devastating as I thought it would be.

You will never get anywhere until you try...and something you think is crap others might think rocks. Get some feedback before you submit....from here or somewhere else for an objective opinion...because you will never be objective about your own work.

Just do it, D...just do it!

If I'd kept every rejection slip I ever received, I could wallpaper the entire house.

And that was back in the day when the lazy bastids didn't just call my agent and say "Um, thanks, no" without even bothering to write.