Wednesday’s WIP: Market Season!
Way back when–in the 1980s–I was an ambitious teenage writer who really, really wanted to start seeing some of her work published. And by the time I applied to colleges, I was able to declare myself a published writer–thanks, in part, to the Writer’s Market, which helped me identify the journals that first published my poetry. (I’m hoping, though, that many other journals simply did away with my inappropriate submissions rather than pin them up on a bulletin board for lasting mockery. Live and learn, as they say.)
Fast forward to September 2013. Within the last week or so, my pre-ordered copy of the 2014 Poet’s Market arrived in the mail. I’m hoping to give my poetry practice some more attention this year, and I figured that this book might help me. (Meantime, I’ve also submitted a few poems for possible inclusion in the book’s 2015 edition; editor Robert Lee Brewer will continue to consider both article pitches and poems for the book until September 27, if you’re inclined to send anything along.) I’ll confess that I’m especially excited to see not one, but TWO articles by my friend Sage Cohen in the 2014 book. (By the way, we have not one, but two interviews with Sage archived right here on this website.)
As many of you already know, Brewer is also looking for pitches for next year’s (2015 edition) of Writer’s Market. Those are due September 20, and I spent some time this past week refining a pitch or two of my own.
Last year, Robert passed along a pitch of mine to the colleague who edited the 2014 Novel and Short Story Writer’s Market. The pitch was accepted. I’ve long since been paid for the article; I haven’t yet received my contributor’s copy of the book, but this weekend I was able to see the volume in my local Barnes & Noble. Equally important, I’ve been able to share a copy of the edited and published article with the three writers I interviewed for the piece: Roxane Gay, Michael Griffith, and Midge Raymond.
If you want to read the article yourself, I hope that you’ll go find the book! Here’s the article title:
Meantime, I’m curious: Which of the Writer’s Market books have helped you in your writing practice? How? Please share your stories!
I was that same ambitious teenager! My birthday is in the fall, and every year I asked for Writer’s Market as a birthday or Christmas present. I think, for writers of a certain age, that book is responsible for more first sales than anything else — plus encouragement, hope, confidence, dreams.
“I think, for writers of a certain age, that book is responsible for more first sales than anything else — plus encouragement, hope, confidence, dreams.”
Beautifully put, Lisa. Thank you!
Erika! Congratulations on your fabulous publication! Not one, but two cheers for your vast contributions to the writing life!! And thanks so much for the shout-out! xoxo
Not one, but two smiles back, Sage!
Writer’s Market was about all some of us had years ago. I’ve also submitted some poems for the 2015 Poet’s Market. Thanks for the information, Erika!
Darrell, exactly! It really was a Bible, right? Good luck with those poems.