Do you wear short shorts?

~ maryjunebrown

I just read a great piece on how to get published, and I thought I’d share it with any of you out there who are, like me, hoping that 2007 is the Year of the Finished Novel.

Essentially, the plan is to write lots of short stories (between 1,000-8,000 words) and even more “short shorts” (between 500-1,000 words).  You submit these, get them published–if you are really lucky, maybe you even get paid something.  Then, when you are looking for an agent for THE NOVEL, you have a list of places where you’ve been published.

(Evidently, blogging isn’t enough.  Huh.  Blogging isn’t enough.  I’ve got to remember that.)

So, Goal # 3 for the New Year: put together a portfolio of two good shorts, and 3 good short shorts.

Published by maryjunebrown

9 thoughts on “Do you wear short shorts?”

  1. The question is where are you going to get these short stories published? Sounds like a simple plan, but are you working under the assumption that everyone will just be clamoring to publish your short stories? I’m not very good in the short story format, so I’ve had no luck, though I haven’t really tried that much.

    And really….blogging isn’t enough?(HA HA)

    Good luck!

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  2. Right.
    I know, it sounds so simple. But we’ve got to start somewhere. Look at your favorite publications, particularly online ones, for places to submit. No, they will not be clamoring for your work, but you may find someone who likes it enough to give you good feedback or criticism. If you are really lucky, maybe it’ll see the light of day.
    p.s. I’m not really this arrogant in real life; I don’t imagine I’ll submit work and have it picked up straight off, but hey…never hurts to try, hmm?

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  4. SJ–well, the corny answer would be: I write to support myself emotionally…oh geez, I can’t even write that with a straight face. I hope to make some money doing it…that’s the goal, anyway. So…it’s just something on the side for now. Why, do you want to pay me? : )

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  5. M,
    yes! as mentioned above in comments, however, the simple plan mightn’t be so. plus, i find the idea of pitching a novel idea and getting an agent and a fat serving of encouragement much tastier than writing short stories and sending them out, only to be met with a chorus of “uh, no, thanks.” but to labor on a novel for years without making any other stabs are the roasted flesh of publication is poor sustinence, so its got to be both. (you notice now that i’m 2 whole days into writing my novel, i’m a novel-writing convert..typical). (you notice also it’s dinner time..!)
    :)K

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  6. K–your comments capture my ambivalence. I’m working on both, and I guess right now I’m finding the shorts more satisfying because…well, because there’s an END to them. The novel is overwhelming…I keep picking at it. Thinking of trashing it, actually.
    Hey, 2 days in…and still at it–that’s an accomplishment! Think of how many “novelists” there are who write a couple pages and never touch it again! – m

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  8. Well, I can’t put you on my payroll…but you could be a guest blogger on Blather-Rinse-Repeat.

    You pick the topic….other than Kari Byron, perhaps. This Mythbusters chick, as a Google search term, brings something like 400-500 visitors a day to my blog. They stay long enough to read my spontaneous haikus about her, and the few other mentions she has gotten on my blog in the last year and a half. According to SiteMeter, staying about 1 1/2 minutes. The good news is that is still better than the 25 second visitors I got with Blogmad.com

    I gotta find another popular search term that brings people to my site.

    Anyway, think about it…and let me know.

    -sj

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