Why Is It SO Hard To Get Published

Every writer at one time or another has asked this question. They know their work is good, they have paid their dues when it comes to market needs, research, and career preparation, they've read some of the inferior work that has made it into print and they eventually founder in the injustice and statistical difficulty of breaking in to print.

One thing is certain. Not all markets are equal. And once a writer breaks in to one genre or area of expertise it is easier to triumph in the next. The first thing I learned when I started studying for this career was, "Write what you know." That surprised me. I thought I could just put on any old hat, assume a dialect or persona and let my imagination fly.

That is simply not how it is done. If I put on a virtual football helmet and swagger into a literary locker room, I am not going to get it right. And every reader who has ever been there in real life will spot me as a fraud by the second paragraph. I have to concentrate on those areas of life where I do have expertise. And there are several. I'm a mother. A grandmother. A decent (sometimes inventive,) chef. I've built a telescope, run several ministry teams and I once wrote letters to every city in my Atlas offering to pray for people's needs. I ran for public office and won. Twice. I've organized and run a huge writer's conference for six years. I once survived a pulmonary embolism. There's lots more but these are sufficient to make my point.

Write what you know. Make a list of all the subjects and areas of interest where you have true knowledge and something of value to impart. Next, look for publications that cater to that topic. I can knit and crochet. Not only that I am compulsive about adapting and changing patterns. So I could write articles for magazines written for crafters. I can interview people who have made it to the top of those fields. Articles like that sell well.

Once I break in to small trade publications and special interest markets, I can use those sales in my publishing resume.

Those people who think the only places to break in are with novels or with articles in Reader's Digest, Redbook or the New Yorker will soon be experts in how not to break into print.

Study markets, ferret out those small publishers looking for great writing and stay close to your areas of expertise. Before long you will find your work in high demand.