15.1: Classroom Lecture and Activity By Ukaisha Al-Amin
- Page ID
- 386538
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Publishing and Creating a Platform
Manuscripts:
Before you can publish, you need to make sure your manuscript is where you want it. This is where beta readers come in handy. Have a friend or other writers from your class or writing club read your work. Ask them for specific feedback. Work with an editor or writing association to get feedback. You can also workshop your manuscript one more time at summer workshops throughout the city.
Sometimes, you might want to have more than one version of the same work just in case the place where you want to publish has certain parameters. For instance, if you have a story that you have revised a few times and one of the revisions is closer to flash fiction and the other revision is a fuller short story, consider polishing both of off and keeping them. They may come in handy. Many smaller literary magazines only publish flash fiction. Of course, there will always be places that might not fit your work and that is okay. Keep looking. There are lots of ways to get published.
Once you are satisfied with your final draft, you will need to figure out what type of query letter or synopsis you might need to write for your work. Sometimes, you won’t need either of these.
Query Letter:
A query letter is a letter of interest that you send along with your work. Think of it as a way to introduce your work.
Synopsis:
This is a summary of the story. A full synopsis includes the ending of the story.
Where to look: You start by looking up literary magazines at colleges and universities. These presses take student work. Look to see if it is open to all students or just those at the corresponding schools. Look to see if your own school as a literary magazine. Harold Washington College’s Literary Magazine is the Garland Court Review.
You can also look at textbook publishers. These publishers are always looking for student writing to publish in their books and often open up submissions more than once a year.
You can sign up for a submission manager that may have some of the magazines that are accepting submissions; however, the submission manager’s goal is to help you keep track of where you have submitted and where your work has been accepted.
Self-Publishing:
There are many avenues for self-publishing and there are many steps. If you are interested in self publishing, you can start by looking at some of the big name bookstores that have publishing houses. They each provide different information to help you get started.
Look at the Garland Court Review website and see what the parameters for publishing in different categories are.
- hwcartandarchitecture garland court review [hwcartandarchitecture.org]
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Platforms:
Even as a beginner writer, learning some of the ways authors publish will help you later if you continue to pursue writing.
The publishing world is ever shifting, but one thing that has stayed the same is that when you want people to read your book, they want to know about you. This means having a designated bio, portfolio, and page where they can learn more. Your platform also includes where you have been published before. Think of it as a writer’s resume. Sometimes, some of this information will go into your bio, but some of the other work you that you do that is writing related can also go on your page. Getting your foot in the door may seem daunting, but the one way to start is to look for open mics and reading series around the city. When you attend an open mic, you not only get to know the hosts, but you can meet other authors. If the series that you are reading at is ongoing, you can ask or may be asked to join the next one. This means your name will be on the flyer and it becomes part of your platform. Other ways to expand your platform is by working on literary magazines, attending conventions and joining in activities there, as well as reviewing other author’s work. All of these are ways that you can build your platform.
Bio:
Writing a bio can also stretch your creative wings. Bios written by the author often show a bit of the author’s personality in them. Sometimes when you go to a reading, they will ask you for a short bio to read to introduce you. Sometimes, you might need a longer bio to post on a page where you have done some work or on your own page. Taking time to write out a few Bios and have them ready is a great way to prepare for all sorts of submissions.
Write a bio for yourself using the theme of your short story as a guide. Write your bio in 3rd person.
- Consider writing a couple of different Bios. Depending on where you submit work or what literary event you are attending, different bios could come in handy.
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