Become a published writer without authoring a book
Being a writer is a matter of creative satisfaction. Being a published writer makes you swell in pride and is a different high altogether.
Self-publishing has made it easy for Emerging Writers to publish their books. However, it takes years of dedicated practice, patience and perseverance to first write a book and then get others to read it. Does that mean that one needs to wait for years to earn the moniker of a published writer? No, not at all.
It is important to understand the difference between an ‘Author’ and a ‘Published Writer.’ An author is someone who has a book to her credit. On the other hand, a published writer has articles, blogs, short stories, poems or any other write-up to her name in the public domain.
So while you may need to wait for authoring that book, nothing stops you from becoming a published writer today. Indeed, the feedback you get for your writing and the followers you gather during the course sets up a foundation for your future book.
Ways to be a Published Writer without Authoring a Book
Harness the power of technology to spread the word about your writing pen. Technology has democratised our access to information and made it easy for us to reach an audience beyond our immediate circle. Six powerful avenues to spread the word about your writing prowess are provided below:
1. Use literary platforms for online publication of your articles, short fiction, or poetry. There are numerous Indian and global platforms available to you to upload your work- be it a story, poem, quote or audio tales. These platforms vet your work as per their editorial guidelines; however, since there is no sale and censorship, the process is convenient and time-efficient. You literally need only your smartphone for submitting your work to them, and within 24-48 hours, your work will be up there for people to see and comment. Once your write-up is featured, you can share the microsite link with your network and brag about being published. Another advantage you will get is that once your work is published, you will get your microsite within these platforms- a one-stop portfolio of your writing work- for people to view.
I use StoryMirror and Penmancy for my fiction and poetry, while Thinkly is my go-to platform for articles and musings.
2. Join Social Media Groups. Utilise your time in social media for your writing. Writing can often get lonely, and creativity needs encouragement and motivation to flourish. A closed Social Media Group often gives you the private space with like-minded individuals to discuss, deliberate, support and critique your work. You will meet others on the same part of the journey as you and a few trailblazers whose tips will come in handy.
Facebook, in particular, is a treasure trove of such groups for budding writers. I am part of writing groups like ‘Write. Read. Support’ and ‘Let’s Talk Writing' on Facebook. On Twitter, the hashtag ‘TwitterTales’ will help you connect with others like you.
3. Submit articles in Article Directories. For non-fiction write-up, it is credible to submit your articles, essays, papers and discourses in third-party article directories. These sites have stringent editorial rules and content guidelines and are selective of the subjects that they publish. If you are a non-fiction writer, having an article published in one of these ezines or directories will be a plus in your CV.
Ezine Articles and ArticlesDuniya are some of the well-known article directories. I have also used Sooper Articles.
4. Write Guest Blogs. At the early part of your writing journey, writing guest blogs on recognised platforms with established traffic provides you with a readymade forum to showcase your writing to the people who frequently visit the website. You can leverage the eyeballs and traffic of the platform to your advantage. While each site will have its own guidelines, it would also help you look at what other bloggers are writing about in the medium and examine the peculiarities of the write-ups with high views. You can then customise your write-up accordingly.
Momspresso and Women’s Web are well-known websites providing an opportunity for women writers to write guest blogs. You can also join writing communities like ‘The Write Practice’ in vogue in the West.
5. Write Your Own Blogs. Setting up your own blogging platform takes less than ten minutes, thanks to technology. If you have your website, you can add a blog page in the menu, as I have done here. Or, you can have a standalone blogging page. Besides establishing your credibility as a writer, you get to network with people when they like or post comments on your blog, which will help you market your book when you are ready to publish one.
Some of the popular blogging forums that I know of are WordPress, Wix and Blogger.
6. Take part in Writing Contests and Competitions. If deadlines, rewards, pressure, and prompts drive you, then contests are the way to go. A ‘Winning’ or ‘Featured’ entry gives you instant recognition and adds to your CV as a writer. Many forums organising such contests also mentor you to polish your writing besides giving prominence to your write-up on their website. Also, you will get prompts or themes to base your write-ups on, enabling you to focus your thoughts as per the piece.
Many of the platforms that I referred to in Point 1 organise such writing contests regularly. Some of the writing contests where I participate include those on Penmancy and Women’s Web. Refer to the blog ‘34 contests and awards for Short Stories in India’ from Himalayan Writing Retreat for an exhaustive list of short story competitions in India. They have similar blogs for children’s writing and poetry too.
Writing is fun, and reaching out to others with your words is a pleasure. Even as a beginner writer in fiction, you feel motivated and encouraged to write more on realising that your words evoke emotions in others. You have worked hard in penning that write-up. Now it’s time for you to delight in the appreciation for your work.
As a writer, are there some other ways that you deploy to publish your work? Would you please share your comments here for the benefit of the writing community?