about a book i'm writing?

Question

it is a book of short stories... does that make a difference? because i've read around and it says to do a table of contents and an overview but mine is more similar to david sedaris, kind of. how would i go about submitting it to literary agents? i'm also 20 and a first time writer with nothing published previously. any suggestions? (i just submitted a question but i'm asking again to give more specifics)

does a blog really help? i don't have one and i'm not sure what i would write about and where to go, etc.

Answer 1

About blogs, I read about a literary agent who took on a client because she got a lot of visitors to her website.

Here's a great way to get your site/blog out there:

http://www.geocities.com/shalladeguzman/ByShallaWritersBoost.html

Check out what I put in my blogs (since I started blogging a year and a half ago, I've received emails from literary agents and editors; plus, you can google my name: "Shalla" and get a list of my sites)

Check out these writers blogs:

http://shalladeguzman.blogspot.com/

http://shalla-deguzman.livejournal.com/



Why do editors publish books? $$$$$$

If you can show them you have readers (the more the better), then they'll publish you. Blog is one way to get your name out, and find readers.

Again about short stories:

If you write short stories, you may like to check out agents that represent literary works. Are your short stories literary?

Actually, if you write short stories, how about submitting them to magazines and/or literary journals first?

Did you know many literary agents look for new writers there? Many literary agents I've met (I interview them for magazines) have said they read mags such as Carve, Story Quarterly, etc.

If they like a writer's work, they will contact that writer. Writing for magazines is also a great way to learn what editors are looking for.

Here's a list of magazines, literary agents told me they read:

http://shalladeguzman.com/shallaresource...



Good luck!

Answer 2

A blog will assist you to a place of further understanding, however the publishing world is no joke and the inner workings of such a face paced and active business are very complex and you must show agents and publishers that you are a serious minded writer who will go through great lengths to publish your work, not for a financial reward, but for a spiritual and emotion reward. Good Luck...

Answer 3

blog,

blogs have some very good benefits for a writer: you get free feed backs, you get free readers, and you will learn through time how to manage your readers, how to categorize them and how to design your stories in a way that more groups of readers enjoy them. and more than anything, everybody is having a blog! why shouldn't you have? it will help to stay in the rat race!

and short stories,

I always say if you are not sure about the final looks of your book, you are not done, old age writers used to read their stories in reading groups or publish in magazines first, I suppose you cannot do them, so I say first try some very short stories on the blog to messure your style, and then try publishing,

Answer 4

Go to the book store and read all the books about publishing and finding a literary agent.

Answer 5

The publishing industry is wicked...good luck.

Here are some books:
Putting Your Passion Into Print - Eckstut & Sterry
Writer's Market (Novel & Short Story, 2006)

Answer 6

A blog helps!
Someone may see your work and be like WOW! one day
if you want to publish short stories you can always do it on line by selling them, i have several and make plenty of extra cash.
MY favorite on-line book store is...
lulu.com
Check it! If you can come up with a short story fast, then you can rule the on-line book stores!!