Creative Writing

I’ve had quite a few people ask me how to go about getting the word out about their writing skills and talents to the rest of the world. I’m probably not the most qualified to answer this question, but I’m going to give it a shot. I won’t tell you what you should or shouldn’t do, I’ll just tell you what I’ve been doing and go from there.

Of course, it’s all going to depend on your level of writing and in what genre you write. For those who write fiction, I’d say to join in several of the writing groups that cater to this style. Though I love to write my short stories, I don’t make a ton of money from it. I’ve made a little, but not much. Sites such as Writers Weekly offer market listings for print magazines that accept submissions for fictional stories. Another site, called Duotrope.com , sends out a weekly newsletter filled with listings of sites and print magazines looking for submissions.

I know more about writing articles and other forms of non-fiction, but again, I wouldn’t call myself an expert. Again, Writers Weekly is a wonderful resource for finding markets for your articles, no matter which topic you write about. Another great place to look is a website called Freelance Writing Gigs . This site has new listings for writing jobs every day, mostly online. However, they do post gigs for Internships and print publications as well.

The one thing that has worked best for me, however, is simply through word of mouth. When I first started writing online, I joined forums, writing groups, and anything else where I could let it be known that I was a writer. And from there, it just kind of snowballed. I wrote a couple of articles for one person, and the next thing I knew, I was doing more writing for other people than for myself. Which is why I haven’t been updating this site as often as I should. But, I won’t complain.

There is no right or wrong way to get yourself noticed as a writer. Just remember these few things:

a.) There is always someone out there who writes better than you

b.) There is always someone out there who writes worse than you

c.) Quality is more important than quantity

And most of all, it’s your creativity that makes you who you are.

Up to this point, I’ve only talked about ways for you to tap into your creative side.  But, when I came across this, I had to pass it along.  I got a comment in my last post from a gentleman who wanted me to check out his site, but really didn’t want to bang it out there because it might look like spam.  That really caught my attention and I feel that I must repay his kindness.  The site is called CompletelyNovel.com, and looks like it could become a great social resource for all writers.  The one thing that I do need to mention is that this site is currently by invitation only.  However, you can fill out the form on the homepage in order to be added to their waiting list. 

Here’s the thing, though.  They are currently holding a free writing competition through September 1st, for all writers over the age of 18.  The theme for this contest is “And now for something completely different…”.  I love it.  Gotta love Monty Python.  Basically, they are looking for stories about change, imagination, and innovation.  The stories cannot be more than 2500 words, and must be previously unpublished.  The 5 top stories will have be published in the first ever CompletelyNovel anthology.  Plus, the winning authors will have the chance to publish any other manuscript.  This includes typesetting, file converstion, and even 10 paperback copies of your book.

Finally, I’ve got to talk about the CompletelyNovel blog.  You don’t have to be invited to enjoy this part of the site.  Here, you really get a chance to “meet” the people behind the website.  You’ll also find interesting news and tidbits of writing information among the posts.  The site is relatively new, but from what I can see, this is going to be a great resource for writers.