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The task of getting published is one of the daunting aspects of writing. This can be difficult, if you want to get published by a traditional publishing house. It’s not as difficult if you want to self-publish. In this article I will share with you the steps involved in getting your work published either traditionally or through self-publishing.

Mainstream publishers are often reluctant to accept work from young writers as anyone under 18 cannot sign a contract on their own and will require parental involvement. That is not to say you cannot submit to them but make sure your work is of high quality as you will be competing with adult writers. There are also several publishers that cater specifically to young writers, for a list of these, check out the book THE YOUNG WRITER’S GUIDE TO GETTING PUBLISHED. There are also several sites on the web that accept work from young writers such as stonesoup.com and Merlyn’s pen. Make sure you edit your work thoroughly and follow the submission guidelines for publishers carefully. Some publishers prefer that you send a query letter only at first describing your project. The query letter should be only one page long. If it is longer than that a busy editor will likely just throw it to one side. Think of the back cover summary you see on most books you buy, try to summarize what your book is about in a few words. This can be difficult but it must be done and done in a way that grabs an editor’s attention. Some publishers will allow you to submit a query letter and a few chapters of your work or your entire book. It is important that you use the correct font, you can’t go wrong with courier new 12 pt and a double spaced manuscript. The query letter can use the same font but there is no need to double space it.

Let’s now take a look at self publishing. Self publishing has become quite easy with the advent of self publishers like Lulu. At lulu.com you can publish your work for free. However lulu does take a small commission of anything you sell. Lulu also sells ISBN’s for around $100 U.S. dollars. An ISBN will make your book available for international sale. It will become available to places like Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble and hundreds of other distributors worldwide. When you self publish you set your own price and your age never becomes a factor as it will be with some traditional publishers. If you decide to self publish everything falls into your hands, from editing to formatting. Lulu provides several services for these publishing details, however the costs can add up for young writers. The good news is that with patience and determination you can do it yourself. Lulu provides templates for formatting your book. If you can find a teacher, friend or parent to help you with editing you are well on your way without breaking the bank. Lulu makes making your book cover as easy as possible although you are responsible for finding your own image if you do not wish to use their images.

Finally, there is nothing like seeing your work in print and the opportunities for young writers are greater than ever.

If you are between the ages of 8 to 18 and love to write, be it short stories, plays or poems, then you are a young writer. For the writer nothing is more satisfying than finishing a story, play, poem etc. In fact some young writers decide to make it their career of choice. This is not always an easy path but if you have a passion for it you will ride out the difficult times. Here are some tips to help you.

1. Read widely,a good writer is one that reads constantly and widely. This helps you to get a good idea of how the language is to be written and exposes you to several different styles of writing. Reading is an excellent way to develop good grammar. You shouldn’t just stick to modern works of fiction but you should also read classic authors, study their work and the way they developed their characters. Your aim as a writer is to create characters that your readers care about, once they care about the characters readers keep turning the pages.

2. Write everyday, this may be in the form of journal writing or adding to a story, poem or whatever you may be writing. Make it a routine. You have heard that practice makes perfect, well this is true for writing as well. You might want to have a special desk or area in which to write, many writers have a favorite spot in their house in which to write, being in that space puts them in touch with their creative side.

3. Editing is important. It often surprises me as a writer, how many times I revisit and review and rewrite a piece. You may think it’s perfect but a few days later when you approach the work with a fresh eye you may find there are more flaws than you saw before. So be prepared to edit a lot. You might also consider showing your work to a trusted friend, who could proof-read or help you edit. Don’t let the number of edits you have to do discourage you or let you question your ability. You might write something today that you think is brilliant and a few days later you hate it and just throw it out. That is part of the process.

4. It is often said that you should write what you know. This certainly makes writing easier and more believable. It is also true that writers should be researchers so whatever you don’t know you can always find out about through extensive research and then it will become something you do about. Live vicariously as well, remember you can learn a lot from others especially those who are older than you. Listen to their stories, they may inspire you as a young person to write something great.

5. Share your writing with others by joining groups and entering writing contests. This gets you into the habit of putting yourself and your work out there. These experiences are valuable as it provides feedback that you can use to evaluate your writing.