Question: Will the published, successful writers [in this thread] please identify themselves? I have worked professionally as a technical writer/illustrator and was often chosen because I could travel and be a one man research team with acceptable results that didn't lose my employers any clients. I've been writing creatively since Junior High school in 1967.
i've been a practicing editor since '53 [edited my hs paper for 3 years], attained professional [= paid!] status in '82... i became a freelance writer of just about anything that takes words [racking up a variety of paid credits/jobs* in the decades since] the same year, during which i also started a writing consultant business, attracting clients who paid outrageous fees [$75-150/hr] for a wide range of services**... i gave up writing commercially and the consultant business in '95, when i gave away my home and all my worldy possessions, dedicated the rest of my life to helping others for free, with the abilities i'd been gifted with... since then, my writings have been philosophical in nature [all available for free on my website linked below] and have been helping and mentoring aspiring writers all over the world, on a variety of writing sites and by email... i've only recently been taking on an occasional client, so i could help out my youngest daughter with a monthly stipend since she became a single mom of two and can't make ends meet, as my only income is social security and it won't stretch that far... * including short stories; magazine columns; articles; a city-commissioned poem celebrating its sesquecentennial; theme song lyrics for an off-b'way musical; editing a regional magazine; etc. **generating 'creative' dunning letters to deadbeat clients joan rivers and 'the donald' for a renowned trompe l'oeil artist christian thee; product copy for Nestle's valentine's day chocolate 'heart-pops'; text for coffee table photography books on the temples of borobudur and the islands of malta and gozo; creating flyers/invoices/stationery/ad copy for small businesses; turtoring a hs student with ADHD in creative writing; aiding a hs vice principal in writing her application essay and then her phd dissertation; plus the more mundane tasks of editing and rewriting clients' novels, screenplays, whatevers...
I've been a published writer for just over a year, with journalism pieces, reviews, short stories and poetry published in magazines across the United Kingdom.
I've had two fantasy novels published, and most recently one SF novel published. In addition, I've had over a dozen short stories published in various magazines, anthologies and ezines. They range from horror and mystery to inspirational. When the rights reverted to me at the end of last year, my publisher released them as a collection. If you're interested, you can find out more about my novels and short stories by following the link in my signature file below.
I used to write non-fiction articles for a science and technology magazine back in the 90s. Also co-wrote a couple of published science papers around that time. Fiction, I've been publishing myself, though I still submit short stories to magazines and anthologies if I think they might fit.
I've published short fiction and creative nonfiction/personal essay in lit mags. One my my essays was recently listed as a Notable in Best American Essays 2013. Working on a novel at the moment.
Quite a variety. Why am I here? To widen my spectrum of food for thought and critique in both directions. I'm a bona fide scientist and have to complete a ridiculously exhaustive dissertation for at least one offered professorships. I work out of my home. I have a meager, though viable physics lab, currently exploring dark energy with a self designed and built atom interferometer. Other than that, I'm an inventor, concentrating on wind power. My other half has MS and I have polyneuropathy, so I have to take care of her, leaving me with the home career as the only option while awaiting the ACA to kick in so I can finally get insurance. Writing sci-fi and building a serious graphics computer to illustrate the work. I may be interested in collaborating with cover art for really good work. I have about 30 years of free-lance commercial art/signage experience mixed with many engineering assignments. BScME and, as I mentioned elsewhere, have the acquired title of Doctor of Physics. (Math phobic types beware... I chew up and spit out implausible sci-fi) It will be interesting to see how many more of the claimed 40,000 members are serious about writing as a career. I hope to make some friends and associates, while helping others meet their own goals as I meet mine.
I've had several op-ed pieces/guest editorials - advocacy pieces - published, plus a paid article on special education in the New York State United Teachers publication. No fiction published, yet, but I'm working on it.
So out of 40,000 members 5 are published one way or another. I hope in 2014 many more of us can visit this thread and say "Yes. I'm published."
Thread archaeology! Me too, to be honest. And I just want to say with resurrecting this thread: to all members who are sending off manuscripts and getting nothing to little back, or even just beginning to think about it, here's one thing I did to sweeten my cover letters a bit, and start myself down the road to paid publications: volunteer at your local/regional newspaper. That's where I started, and the first issue I was printed in my name did not even get a mention. But it doesn't matter, my words were published. I also learned a lot about what happens in magazines and newspapers behind the scenes that have been as a writer practically invaluable. It told me to be economical, and told me that an editor can like a piece, and want to include it, but cannot for a huge number of reasons, especally the act of putting the thing together. You can have a great story or article (or whatever), but if the editor can't fit it in it has to be rejected. This has been a huge comfort to me whenever I got a rejection, and I still get them a lot. Never be disheartened by a rejection, there is no need for that at all. Think of it as applying for a job, if it gets to the editor himself, that's the 'interview stage', and of 500 who applied, only 20 will get to the interview stage for only 5 places - say, that's how it usually works. Submitting work for consideration is just like that. If they didn't accept it, it is their loss.
Published? Yes in several magazines like Scale Auto and Model Cars among other plastic model/hobby related periodicals as well as running my own blog (which has been quite dead lately with moving, work, lack of having my hobby supplies in TN, working on Rain When I Die, and all that.) Successful? Hell no! If I were a successful author I wouldn't need to work at this damn food joint now, would I?
@Tesoro I notice you are in Sweden. Doesn't Sweden have a very supportive resource for artists? I read some where that one of the Scandinavian countries basically gives artists all they need to live, including a home, as long s they produce.
WHAT???!!! I WISH!!! If you find out how that works, please forward the info! That would be great! it must be Norway everything seems better over there.
I don't remember for certain. I know it's been a good 10 years ago or more I read that. It was on an artist's forum in MSN. It just might be Norway or Denmark.
I got some books published on patchwork and lots of magazine projects. Before you roll your eyes and fall about laughing, writing patchwork instruction requires a project that people will want to make, language to encourage them and exact instructions they can follow easily. Many years ago, a magazine left out one measurement. I still get emails and phone calls asking, me, what was this measurement meant to be? But I'd love to be a published fiction author and I am working on a novel. Hetty
Two short stories published...granted, it was little, crappy zines, but still, published is published. I'm currently working on a novel. I think when I'm done (eventually) I'll skip querying agents by email and just go to conferences where I can talk to them face to face. Jim Butcher has a story about how he got an agent after the same agent rejected his query email. Once he met him and saw he was a serious writer the agent agreed and he got published.
I was a member of the local Regional Art Development Fund committee. It funds artists of all kind. Many years ago We funded an author to go to Melbourne to attend one of those conferences and she came away with a contract and has published many books since. Which may give other people an idea: sometimes you can get a grant to cover travel, accommodation and registration for these kind of events. Sometimes they are for emerging, sometimes they are for established artists. It is really worthwhile looking what is available where you live in the way of grants and learn how to complete grant applications. For writers: printing was specifically excluded, but money was (and is) available for attending a conference or a workshop or for promoting your art or yourself as an artists.
Journalism experience (in five states): Reporter, editorial writer, assistant editor, editorial page editor. In those jobs I published hundreds of news stories, features, unsigned editorials, and signed op-ed columns. In Washington, DC, senior writer at a public policy think tank. My published work there included book chapters, book introductions, and many speeches -- delivered by others. I was just the speechwriter, though I'm happy to say that two or three were reprinted in Vital Speeches of the Day. Freelance contract writer (since 2004): more of the same. Fiction: Published The First Impression in February 2013.
Been working on a fantasy novel for four years and have two short stories published through school contests. I plan on becoming an illustrator/book cover designer someday, as my art teacher has commented that i have surpassed her in the drawing department (now THAT was a weird feeling!) but since i am only a senior in high school as of yet, i am going to finish my education first and then get an associates degree in Graphic Design. As for what kind of art i am focusing on atm... it's like my writing. I can do realistic, but i prefer fantasy. Yet, i am astonishingly good at both, and have been pushed to greater heights than ever before. Again, weird feeling when a fellow student offers you fifty bucks for one art peice... and it wasn't even done!
I had two short stories published. One in a sci-fi magazine in 2003 (a very short story) and another in an anthology in 2009. My problem is that I don't write every day, or more times. There is times that I don't write for two years :/ I'm working on a novel now.
