So, how do you get your work published?

First, again, learn your craft. And that can take a while. Learning to write fiction is a skill on the same level as learning to play the piano. And a literary writer has a skill level akin to that of a concert pianist. It takes the same commitment to learning and practice, thousands of hours of practice! And your early work is just that: practice. It may not get published any more than a pianist's practice sessions would land them a recording contract.

But just as there are opportunities for performance at nearly any skill level for a pianist, there are opportunities for writers at nearly any skill level. And a good creative writing program can speed up the process of learning.

Yeah, okay, so once you’ve learned craft, then how do you get published?

You start by making your manuscript the very best it can be. There is a LOT of competition from other great writers so your work really must stand out. But don’t let that stop you from sending your work out there now. Again, there are competitions and publishing opportunities online and with traditional magazines for writers at all levels.

And I do suggest that’s your starting point. Enter writing competitions and submit to online magazines and literary journals. You want to establish a portfolio of published work to put on your CV when the time comes to apply for a grant or submit your work to a publisher. It's just like any other job: you're building your credentials.

When you enter a competition or submit to a magazine, follow the submission guidelines carefully, and make sure your submission is properly formatted. Here's a blog on How to Format a Short Story Manuscript. Once you're sent that story off, wait. It can take a long time to hear back, especially from a literary magazine as the editors are often volunteers, other emerging writers, like you.

All right, so let's say you've won or placed in a few writing contests and had a few things published. How do you get a book of fiction out there?

I'll take you back to the basics yet again: you must write a truly wonderful and very polished manuscript, to completion. In other words, writers are gamblers. We spend a lot of time working on a project betting that it will find a home in the future. Does it always find a home? Nope. Especially early in your career, as you learn craft, you will face rejection. We all do. But don’t let that stop you.