How to Get Published

A Rerun

by Al Kalar

“The bad guy is never a villain in his own eyes.”

There were some other things I wanted to address before we got here, but I noticed that we haven’t gotten into any of the “fun” stuff. So, I’ll skip a few things (we’ll get back to them) and get into the actual writing.

Every story needs to start somewhere. So does a report or a textbook.

Reports and textbooks should probably start out with the “tell ‘em what you’re gonna tell ‘em” (especially the report). However, if you can start out with a story, even if it’s just an anecdote, you’ll get more interest; especially from a bored student.

Unless you have a loyal following of fans, your start is going to help to sell your book or kill a sale. Remember, we’re learning how to write a “salable” book. If it won’t sell, you may as well go to a vanity press, have a few copies printed and give them to your friends and relatives. If you want to be a real-live “author” your stuff needs to sell. (more…)

by Al Kalar
One of the pieces of advice I give writers is, “join a writing workshop”. No, not a one-day “become a best-selling author” given by Famous Writer. I’m talking about a peer-to-peer workshop that’s really a club.

Well, I do follow my own advice. I’ve been a member of an online workshop since the late 90’s and I learned a LOT. I still learn more on a regular basis, but I also dispense advice (everyone does from the day they join).

This last weekend, I critiqued a submission from one of our members. The writer is a big fan of “classic” pulp science fiction and decided to write his book in a similar style, including a rather lengthy “foreword”. I took him to task over the forward (it violated my favorite “rule”: get right into the story, explain later if at all). I also objected to the fact that he started with four separate story lines (part of the reason for the forward). (more…)