The Writing Game
© Regina Avalos
The nature of the writing game. Just like in any other business, the publishing industry has its own working. Its own ins and outs. As a writer, you will have to learn how to work the writing game or you will get frustrated. You have to learn the language that editors speak. Learn how to decipher contracts with all the little fine print they have about your rights and which ones you are giving away to the publisher. Once you sign that contract, whatever you agreed to is set in stone. If you signed away all yours rights to a work, then you will never receive any more earnings from that work. The publisher owns it, and if it sold again and again ten thousand times over, you will never see that money.
If you don't learn all these little things about the writing business early on inyour writing career, you will only lead yourself to stress and headaches. Just because an editor or publisher says something to you, if it isn't in writing then don't count on it. Just because your book is sold, doesn't mean it will come out within months. Some books once they are sold can take years to come out still. I know people who have sold books publishers this year, and those books are not set for publication until 2003 or 2004.
So what does this mean? Selling a book to a publisher doesn't mean you have made it. You are not set. You aren't set until the book is out and does well. Evwn then it could be a fluke. You could only sell that one book and unless this book sells millions then you are never truly set to make a career of your writing. In order to make a career, you need to be constantly writing. Selling shorter works. Learn the game. Learn the in's and outs of the business. Learn the language they speak. If you do this. then you will save yourself some frustration.
To all of my readers that celebrate Hanukkah, I hope you had a joyous holiday.
This week's market and contest of the week are:
Market of the Week
Editor: Tom Vander Neut
Website: Furture Orbits
Email: editor@futureorbits.com
Address: Vander Neut Publications LLC P.O. Box 239 Hatboro, PA 19040
What do they publish: Future Orbits seeks high-quality science fiction short stories, articles, commentary, and art. No poetry.
Payment: $.06 to $.10 per word on acceptance.
If you don't learn all these little things about the writing business early on inyour writing career, you will only lead yourself to stress and headaches. Just because an editor or publisher says something to you, if it isn't in writing then don't count on it. Just because your book is sold, doesn't mean it will come out within months. Some books once they are sold can take years to come out still. I know people who have sold books publishers this year, and those books are not set for publication until 2003 or 2004.
So what does this mean? Selling a book to a publisher doesn't mean you have made it. You are not set. You aren't set until the book is out and does well. Evwn then it could be a fluke. You could only sell that one book and unless this book sells millions then you are never truly set to make a career of your writing. In order to make a career, you need to be constantly writing. Selling shorter works. Learn the game. Learn the in's and outs of the business. Learn the language they speak. If you do this. then you will save yourself some frustration.
To all of my readers that celebrate Hanukkah, I hope you had a joyous holiday.
This week's market and contest of the week are:
Market of the Week
Editor: Tom Vander Neut
Website: Furture Orbits
Email: editor@futureorbits.com
Address: Vander Neut Publications LLC P.O. Box 239 Hatboro, PA 19040
What do they publish: Future Orbits seeks high-quality science fiction short stories, articles, commentary, and art. No poetry.
Payment: $.06 to $.10 per word on acceptance.
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