Photo & collage by Melissa Kline
My first publication came with a short, non-fiction story in a women’s anthology called, Speaking Your Truth. This project will always be dear to my heart because it was the turning point for me as a writer. Seeing my name in print and being able to officially call myself an author was a very empowering step in my career.
Before the Speaking Your Truth project, being published felt near to impossible to me. It was something that I longed for and only hoped that I would accomplish one day. Publication felt like an ethereal dream that I just couldn’t grasp, and the more rejections I got, the further away my dream seemed to get.
When I finally saw my name in print, along with many others,(which was in itself very neat!), my dream became tangible. I could literally feel the book in my hand, sign my name in it, read my words in a bound paperback and see that official “by Melissa Kline”.
There truly is something to seeing your name in print, whether it be in a newspaper, magazine, short story, anthology, chapbook, etc. I encourage unpublished (and published) writers to take that small step in getting your name in print in some form or another. It really does boost confidence and gives us more oomph to pursue our bigger projects…like novels! You can also add the publication as a credential to your query/cover letters and/or writing resume.
To find submission guidelines, listings and publication opportunities, simply google “anthology submissions 2012″, “poetry submissions 2012″, “magazine submissions”, etc. You may have to play with wording and take some time to research, but it’s worth it! Side note: always read fine print and submission guidelines. You want to make sure the project is a good fit for you and your needs.
More pluses on writing for smaller publications:
- Small publications are easier to break into.
- You may end up with the beginning of a novel…prompts or themes can lead to great ideas!
- You may connect with others in an anthology or writing project…networking is always a good thing!
- A chance to try a different genre…there are an abundance of different themes, genres and prompts to choose from.
- Use small publications as a business tool. How many publications would you like to have per year, month, decade, etc.? Whether it’s an article or a novel, it’s great to see a steady flow of publications throughout the years. Keep your writing resume growing!
Take a leap and see your name in print! Every step counts. You can do it!
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