This realm is full of unspoken rules.
Things you should just know.
My first attempt at getting an article published was an experience I needed. This is how it happened:
The pitch. Also known as, selling yourself and your work in a way that makes someone who doesn’t care about you read something you wrote. Truth be told I find this the hardest part. It would be so much easier if they would just read it.
I pitched an article I wrote about my brother’s custom boot business to an online magazine, and they loved it…the pitch that is.
Somehow I was lucky enough that because they loved my pitch so much, they gave me the chance to edit my essay. The original wasn’t quite what they wanted.
I edited. I sent it back.
Cue the month long wait to hear back. As a student, I was never explained this process. Did I wait in silence? Did I email them to remind them I exist? I emailed the editor twice in that time and I felt like it was obvious that I’d never done this before.
Cue the “can you edit this again.” Here, another confusion. Was I lucky to have another chance to edit this? Did they really like my pitch that much? Is this normal? Still don’t know.
I edited. I sent it back.
They loved it. Could I send them a headshot / bio? Of course.
And, silence. No one told me about this silence. Again, is it normal? The editor said they loved it. Did that mean it was accepted for publishing?
Two months.
Randomly I checked the website. Searched my name just to see and there it was.
My first, official, publication. Published six days before.
Quite a simple process, full of frustration for the young writer.
The experience I acquired: be patient, extremely so. It may take months for someone to get back to you because they are getting back to other people who have been waiting months. The pitch is more important than I ever thought–I believe it’s what kept them wanting a revision. Don’t be afraid to email the editors back, just not too much. And…this is a waiting game, which is kind of scary in the scheme of it all. How much waiting will I do in the future?
Read it here:
Memoir of a Writer 
That is awesome! Congrats on being published!
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Thanks so much!
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No problem! I reblogged it as well.
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That’s awesome. I appreciate it! 😊
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Reblogged this on HarsH ReaLiTy and commented:
Congrats on being published and sharing the experience! That is awesome! -OM
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It is very important that you shared this process with other writers eager to do the same. And it is a compliment to you that they stuck with you through two rewrites and that you stayed the course. Congrats on all that!
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Thank you! There’s so much they don’t tell you about publishing when you’re in college! It’s like I’m finding my way in the dark, but at the same time it’s rewarding.
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