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There are still hard copy publishing venues out there that still encourage typing and printing out paper manuscripts for submission. Most magazines and book publishers are basically bending toward internet submissions but it never hurts to know the basic rules for submitting to specific publishers the old fashioned way.

One of the books I request from the library once a year or so is Writer’s Market – to see the latest version that’s out. 2010 is probably out now….. let me check…. yes and I just requested it. I like to see what the new trends are and who’s looking for what kind of stories that might just interest me enough to write it for them. Yes – there’s the secret. Check to see what the publisher wants and write it slanted to the publisher. Don’t write it for Aunt Tilly who likes kumquats on pumpernickel bread with Limburger cheese melted on top……. there just aren’t going to be very many people willing to taste that – or read about it! (Or even want to get close enough to sort of smell it!)

Side note:
I wrote a song for my nephew, Nate, when he was a baby. It has a cutesy tune to go with it, too.

Pumpernickel, hamburger and Limburger….
What can I say?
It’s the meal of the day.
Will you stay?

Raised eyebrow – yes there was more but I’ll get to the point here….

You need to read what you want to write for. I used to read certain parts of the Milwaukee Journal every Sunday. No matter how busy I was or what I had to do, I kept the sections to the side until I could read them. One section had a Tell Me A Story page – usually a sweet little bedtime story and usually written by a Journal staff writer. I hadn’t actually noticed it was done “in house” but I wanted to write a little story that I had been playing around with. The True King Thrushbeard is my version of the fairy tale, King Thrushbeard – a Grimm Brothers’ tale.

I counted words in the Tell Me A Story page. I found the specific editor in charge of that page and wrote my cover letter to him. (Smiling – Thanks again, Alan Borsuk!) I wrote the story, wrote it again, (imagine me typing – I wrote it again – about 20 times….) and then I sent it to Mr. Borsuk at the Milwaukee Journal. Then I forgot all about it. Finally, I received a very nice rejection note from Mr. Borsuk. File closed? No… I liked that dratted story too much. I pouted a day and re-read that note. I used the little clues he gave me in his note, such as “just a bit too long” and “not quite consistent in point of view”. I rewrote it and sent it back. After another nice rejection note with other little clues, I rewrote it again and sent it back. I think this went on about 4 times – shrugs, I’m not sure. Finally he sent an acceptance and said something like he wished other writers were as persistent and willing to listen to advice and re-write. It was my first well paid published story!

Take a chance and remember to read any personal rejection note “between the lines” and re-write if there is something specific you could do to improve it. Take a chance and try submitting a piece even if they have a staff writer doing the page or column. If you can see that piece published even under another writer’s name, you have a chance yourself.

If you read a specific publication you enjoy regularly, use the Writer’s Market to see if they accept submissions from freelancers. (Try even if they don’t? Warning – Publishers frown on this though – some might hate you and possibly throw anything out with your name on it, sight unread. This is probably the worst advise I could give you because rejections are hard even when you do everything right!) The publication might have a site online, as well, that might provide complete writer’s guidelines.

The main thing is to believe in your work. If you can absolutely see it in print in your head and heart – give it a whirl. Yet, once it’s in the mail, forget it like a fading dream that was really great. You never know if you will get to see the dream come true but enjoy pretending it did.

Another note:
I’ve been reading and rating a lot of people’s work on eHow and would like to remind writers to edit, edit, edit and use a spell checker. Sometimes I might write a message to a specific author but when there are oppppsies in almost every article, it gets a bit difficult to draw the line about how many mistakes I am willing to point out. I am not the best writer around, or the best editor, but what bothers me will bother others.

Most people quit reading once they see a certain amount of mistakes. On the other hand, sometimes the mistakes indicate that the article originates in another country and written by someone who’s native language is not English – I personally love those. Whatever the reason, writers will lose readers and/or publishers if the piece is not, at least, spelled correctly. Grammar is also at the top of that criteria but is also another topic about what is “proper” and what is easy to read verses what is just poorly done.

To be completely honest, I started playing the online game named Runescape to hone my dialogue. I was raised in a world full of older adults and dogs and very few kids. I played the game to chat with younger types, believing most were under 30 or so. Ha! Well, I sure got into a wonderful world of interaction across the planet! I’ve met people from almost anywhere that might have a computer with internet access. The oldest person I’ve come across who admits to an age is 97. Granted, truth or fib – no matter! There are moms and dads, grandparents, and kids. What a great place to listen to people!

Just as everyday experiences, you met snots and sweet people. I do think more people are freer with the snottiness there because they know they are not actually seen or “catch-able” though. Heck – as a “listening” writer, it is REALLY all good!

Smiling!