Publishing your work

There are a lot of different types of publication out there, so be sure you know the general rules of each one to make sure you have the best chance of being accepted for publication. Things like word count, expected audience and even delivery (physical, digital, cost etc.) should be taken into consideration.

As always, this blog post is entirely subjective – many publications will differ, and the categories are not set in stone, either. Always make sure to read their guidelines first, and take inspiration from pre-existing texts in order to influence your decision.

Literary journals and magazines

A literary journal is a non-profit publication that showcases creative submissions from a variety of mediums and creators – writers, photographers and many more artists! Usually, literary journals tend to feature shorter compositions such as poetry, essays or flash fiction. Some will ask for a submission fee, others will compensate writers, and some will do neither.

A journal (often interchangeable with the term magazine) is published periodically (quarterly, monthly or yearly) and is often a more accessible way for fledgling writers to get their work published. They will ask for short stories, poetry, essays, literary criticism, reviews, biographies, interviews, or even letters from writers.

There are millions of them out there, with new releases competing in the same choppy waters as their more ingrained counterparts, some of whom have been at this for years. Although there is a hint of uncertainty at their longevity, many of them are turning to the digital sphere and continue to thrive.

Zines

A zine is a self-published, often handmade, booklet of poems or very short stories. Often, a master copy will be photocopied and reproduced as many times as needed, before the copies are given out or sold. Zine producers are more focused on self-expression than profit, meaning that they are often incredibly artistic and may cover just about any topic you can think of!

Previously, zines came into prominence as a result of low cost printing becoming more widely available, due to the 1980s photocopier boom. They quickly became a form of protest literature, as they are easy to make and distribute.

Publishing houses

There are two main types of publishing house – independent ones, and mainstream ones. Mainstream ones, like the UK ‘Big 5’ (Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, Pan Macmillan, Penguin Random House, Hachette), who hold a lion’s share in the book publishing industry. Although they have their reputation, portfolio and numbers to precede them, some writers feel they don’t have the human connection or variety that can be found through an indie publisher.

Speaking of which – indie publishers have a better track record of bringing underrepresented voices to the foreground of publishing, but are often hit hard by budget constraints and lack of large audiences. It’s up to you to choose which place is the best option for your novel, taking into account every pro and con.

Self-publishing

Self-publishing your work is also a viable option – it’s fairly easy to do (though time-consuming), gives you more direct control over creative decisions but means you’ll have to foot the bill yourself. Depending on the end result you want, in essence you could go to a printing company and pay them to fire off copies, or recruit a company to handle the entire process (including marketing and editing) for you.

When it comes to self-publishing, the old adage ‘you get what you pay for’ is often thrown around. Within the self-publishing industry, there are also a fair amount of scam companies operating to line their pockets. Self-publishing is (albeit slowly) moving away from its previous associations of low-quality content, but there are plenty more things to consider, so do your research first!

Digital publishing

Technology has revolutionised the world, undoubtedly – including making publishing even easier. Even traditionally physical publishers are embracing digital publishing, allowing for more shelf space and wider variety, all at your fingertips. There are many different hierarchies and methods of publishing digitally, like using a publishing house and specifying digital-only, or using a platform like Wattpad, or even creating your own blog.

Perhaps the most prominent way of publishing your work digitally, aside from submitting to an online magazine, is to use Kindle Direct Publishing. You can publish your work quickly and easily, retain ownership of your content, and even earn up to 70% royalties off the back of your own work. Plus, as well as eBooks, KDP allows the option to print your book on demand, meaning someone can have a hardcover or paperback delivered directly to them.

Finalising!

To recap: there are loads of ways to go about publishing your work, poetry or short stories. Whether you choose physical or digital mediums, make sure you read any terms and conditions carefully so you’re not caught out. Also, do your research so you know what to expect – though so much information can be overwhelming, it’s better to be informed before deciding on the spur of the moment.