Looking at getting into Writing

[RThibeault]

I am new to this. I want to get into Christian writing professionally and was wondering how to get started. Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

 

[oncewaslost]

what kind of christian writing?

 

[mamabear4]

I'm certianly not a pro at Christian writing, but I do have one book published and have had too many articles and essays published in Christian magazines and papers to count. I also work as a part time journalist for a local newspaper, so writing is what I love to do and writing for the Lord, or in such a way that it will count for something good, is my purpose. So, having said all that, I'll just give you a little advice based upon my experience.


First of all, I'd advise to send for writer's guidelines from the publication that you'd like to write for. Follow them to the "T" and pay special attention to deadlines and needed materials. (Try to fit into their schedules and aim toward their specialties.) I'm not naturally a detailed person, and certainly not a perfectionist, but when it comes to writing I'm very much a perfectionist. But if you're not, if your MSS aren't neat or your writing style is unprofessional, you won't get your foot in the door at all.

Secondly, don't expect the moon. Make as few demands as possible until you have gained sufficient experience to ask for what you'd like to have. Nothing smacks more of an inexperienced writer than one who believes his writing is worth more than the average person.

Thirdly, if you do get your work published, keep the submissions flowing. Name recognition is your greatest asset. Don't sit on your laurels and think that when you have time to write editors will be waiting to snatch your work. Unless you keep up the momentum a writer is soon "five minutes ago" and you'll find you're back at square one, having to submit query after query again, hoping to find someone who will give your work more than a cursory glance. What I do to keep the momentum up (because I'm basically lazy and have never been good at thinking up good plots, story ideas, research, etc.) is brainstorm and then run the better ideas past someone; maybe a friend, a writer's guild, or even an editor. Once the ideas have been discussed I feel obligated to follow them up with a finished job - and there you have it - another finished manuscript ready for the editor's desk. I realize it's all phsychological manipulation but it works for a lazy bones like me.

I'm sure there are many other good methods for getting published and an editor would be the best person to give them to you, but as a fellow writer, these are the methods that have worked best for me. Good luck.....

 

[GodFlute2]

I'd say start small. Don't just jump into a novel. Figure out what you would want in a book or literary work. Then find some books, poems, etc. that you enjoy reading. Start to form ideas about what you could do. Write them down, do research, find out what your really steping into. Then start writing a rough draft. Show it off, get people oppinions and see if they have any suggestions to make it better. When it's like you want it, see if you can find a publisher.

 

[stonetoflesh]

The first step is to write. Don't be concerned about doing it professionally or anything like that, just write. Once you feel confident enough to start shopping your stuff around, go to the local public library and ask for a reference book titled Writer's Market; it's published annually, and contains contact information for various publishing houses, magazines, etc. regardless of your genre or format (novel, article, short story, etc.). Be prepared for rejection though, and keep in mind that it's nothing personal; there are untold numbers of amateur writers with dreams of a lucrative book deal, and only so many contracts to be awarded. Just keep writing and keep submitting...