The New York Nexus Cafe 

If you are writing a lot, submitting a lot, reading a lot...e-mail me so we can compare notes!

Just wanted to say hi. I write short fiction and I'm interested in writing for magazines. Not sure how to get started,though, even though I work in publishing! Maybe that's the problem-I've seen firsthand how hard it is to get published without connections/a hotshot agent. Of course talent counts, too-I'm not totally cynical about it. What has your experience been?

Yeah, unfortunately, there are few outlets for short fiction. Publishing short fiction is a good step toward publishing longer fiction or getting an agent. But even if you get into a prestigious lit mag, it doesn't guarantee that you'll get any further (exception: The New Yorker).

I do believe that if you come up with a really great book, it'll sell -- anything less than that, or other than that, makes it hard. What do you do in publishing?

I'm working on a novel. It's a tough business, but I love writing and I have so many ideas so that's what I gotta do.

I just recently went to a selling seminar for sci-fi writing and here is the gist that I got out of it.

It is extremely hard for publishing companies to take chance considering they read tons of works from tons of authors. Their goal is to get rid of your work from their desk. So your job is to make the work as interesting as possible so that they can not do that.

What I have been told is you need to start small and then work your way up. As soon as you get some credit of publishing in some magazines, you can work your way up. Once you get into more well known magazines (like the New Yorker or in my case, the Analog or Asimov magazines), you can attempt to submit a novel.

There have been rare cases that novels get publish from unknown writers who never have been published in magazines. Those cases are rare and many are doing it. But if you have a great novel, submit it and see what happens.

As for format, don't window dress your novel. It decreases your chances of getting published. Use the standard format.

If the publisher does like you novel, it is time to get an agent. Kindly state to the publisher that your agent will contact them for further negotiations (publishers expect this and there is nothing wrong with it.) Warning, try not to do it yourself when it comes to negotiating a contract. Your agent will do it for you.

My next post will cover cover letters, what the publishers go through, and what you need to think about when publishing. I will probably write it tonight.

Sorry, I was trying to catch up on things and completely forgot to write on the other stuff.

Cover Letters: Well, these are pretty standard. Keep it simple. List that it is a manuscript for their viewing. List your other publish works (if you have any). Don't write exactly what it is about but list what it is (mystery, sci-fi, social fiction, etc.).

Other letters: If you have not heard from a publisher, send them a friendly reminder message and give them a deadline (say about one or two months.) Remind them that if they do not read it, that you will submit your work to another publisher. Afterwards, if you still don't hear from them, then write another one stating that you will be taking back your work to be submitted somewhere else. If it is a short story, you can reduce the time frame (about one week, I think)

Publishers: If your novel is going to be published or plan to, think of the following: The printers have a certain of slots for each publisher. Those publishers divide the slots into categories. Usually, the big time authors get precedence over small time or new up and coming authors. Plus, if the missed the deadline, you have to go back on the waiting list. If the big time authors miss their deadline, they can potentially bump you as well.

Contracts: Things to consider in contracts. The biggest concern will be internet rights or electronic rights to your work. You have to consider licensing issues like e-books or maybe even newer technologies that may come about for the next ten years (hologram publishing?, who knows?) Even then for present time, movie rights, audio books, theatre adaptations etc. are major concerns to your work. Just being an artist and wanting your work to be publish is one thing but please consider the other avenues of your work.

Hope this helps. Again, this information from an author who writes science fiction. Some of the thinking still applies to regular fiction.