Today, Brenda Maxfield is here, talking about how she got published! Her advice, don't limit yourself! :) Consider every possibility available.
How I Got Published
Hello Friends! First of all, I’m truly grateful to be in a position to write this post. For those of you reading who aren’t yet published and/or don’t yet have your first contract, hang in there! All of us who have our first, second, or fortieth contract, were once right where you are.
I recently read a post where the woman had been writing for twenty years before she got her first contract.
That is not to say it will or should take twenty years to get one! Of course, the point is that this gal never gave up and is now flying high in victory.
Before I was offered my first contract with Astraea, I sent queries to both agents and small publishers. I was intrigued by both possibilities and hadn’t decided which way to go. Some of my friends had planned to send out queries exclusively to agents for a year and if none of them bit, to then begin sending queries to small publishers. I wasn’t ready to limit myself, so I opted to do both jointly.
I piqued the interest of some agents who requested fulls. That was a thrill — well, to be honest any positive feedback is a thrill, not to mention a fresh impetus to keep going.
At the same time, I’d gained interest from some small publishers. Then — on my birthday no less — I received a contract offer from Astraea Press. What a present! I re-studied their website and grew even more excited about what they stood for and who they were. Because I was new to e-pub contracts, I had some of my multi-published author friends look the contract over.
Everything was a go, and I had an inner knowing that this was the path for me. (Never underestimate that niggling feeling inside telling you what is right for you.) Once I joined the Astraea team of authors, I knew for sure I’d made the right choice. What a talented and warm group of people. I’d hit the jackpot!
All of us have gone through periods of rejections, frustrations, and sometimes loneliness. They’re part of the writer’s life. But then there are those times of sweet success when we overflow with gratitude to be able to call ourselves writers.
Many writers I know who have stuck with it through thick and thin, worked to improve their craft (there’s always more to learn), put their writing out there over and over, and have never given up, have found a publishing home. The key being: Never. Give. Up.
I’d love to hear about your successes and frustrations on your writing path.
And thank you for letting me share. Brenda Maxfield http://www.brendamaxfield.com
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: http://www.amazon.com/Brenda-Maxfield/e/B00ARWLLCM/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1361793616&sr=1-2-ent