The Writing Nook – Three Easy Ways to Get Your Writing Published

I truly believe that writing can heal our hearts … Even if you never share your writing, the release of the energy and emotion within your body can be truly life saving. So, for those of you that are interested in sharing your story in a bigger way, this blog, The Writing Nook, is for you. And, for those of you that just want to heal and release your story, this blog is for you too … For those of you that don’t know if writing is for you or not, I’m sure you’ll find something in here to resonate with as well. Enjoy … and please … I’d love to hear what your thoughts are in the comments below. Can you relate? Let us know what you think – Blessings SDJ♥

Three Easy Ways to Get Your Writing Published
Do you dream of having your writing published? Perhaps you desire to add this accomplishment to your bio, or maybe it’s a lifelong goal you strive to achieve?
The good news is, there are many ways to get published without having to write a full book. In fact, starting out with a smaller project is a nice way to get your feet wet in the world of publishing, while building your confidence for a larger project down the road.
Here are three easy ways to add “published” to your list of accomplishments:

1. Pitch an article idea to a magazine. Magazines are always looking for quality articles and essays that are relevant to their audience or niche. It helps if you’re familiar with the magazine and you know the type of content they like to publish. If you go this route, be sure to do your research on the magazine’s style and tone, and take some time to review what’s already been published by the magazine in the past. Even if your idea has been covered, don’t count it out just yet. How can you put your own unique spin on the topic? How might your expertise set it apart from the others? Once you have an article idea, find the point of contact, or editor, and thoroughly review their submission guidelines before you send your pitch. It’s also a good idea to read a book or two about how to write a good query letter, and Writer’s Digest (www.writersdigest.com) has many books and trainings to help you perfect your pitch. As a bonus, most magazines pay rather well for published articles, so you can make some income from your writing as well.
2. Participate in a multi-author compilation book. When you participate in a multi-author book, you’re typically assigned either a full chapter, poem, prayer, meditation, or essay to write based on the theme of the book. This is a smaller commitment than writing a full book, which is why it’s a great way for aspiring authors to get started. This will introduce you to the production process, including deadlines, editing, revision, proofing, and the book launch and marketing process. Not only will this allow you to add published author to your list of accomplishments, but you’re also in the company of several other authors promoting the book along with you, and the reach can be far greater this way than when an author goes solo. Most publishers will allow you to submit a bio along with your piece so that the book can become a nice networking tool as well. If someone likes your writing, they’ll likely read your bio where they’ll find your website, social media and contact info. This is not only how I got some of my first works published, but many of my clients go this route before they attempt their hand at a full book. Keep an eye on SDJ Productions (https://sdjproductions.net) for upcoming compilation books from Publisher, Sunny Dawn Johnston. Her participation fee, which covers the cost of production, is lower than most and she produces high-quality books with beautiful covers. Not to mention the virtual launch parties are a blast!
3. Self-publish a short eBook. Did you know most eBooks published on Amazon are on the shorter side these days? Especially, non-fiction how-to eBooks, which can also double as a way to bring new readers to your business when you add a call-to-action at the end. Consider adding an opt-in inside the eBook, meaning you give away something of value to your reader in exchange for their email address, thus, adding them to your mailing list. Your non-fiction book could be as few as 25,000 words, as long as it delivers value. If you’re a blogger, I’d be willing to bet you already have content you could easily expand upon to create a short eBook. If you enjoy writing fiction, consider publishing a novella. Novellas typically range from 20,000-50,000 words, and they are hot within the Kindle community!

If you decide to self-publish an eBook, there are three things you must never skimp on: 1. Professional cover design (which is more affordable for an eBook than a print book since you only need the front cover); 2. Professional editing; 3. Proper formatting. Yes, there are some fees involved in preparing your eBook for publication, but once it’s ready, you can publish it for free on Kindle through KDP, Kindle Direct Publishing. The best part? Amazon will pay you 70% of the royalties on the sale as long as your book is priced between $2.99-$9.99; above or below that you get 35%. eBooks are not only a nice way to become a published author, but to grow your list and generate passive income as well.
I hope you’ve enjoyed these three easy ways to get your writing published. Yes, there’s time and effort involved with each option, but you may find it’s worth it in the long run when you add your published work to your list of achievements.
 Shanda Trofe is a publishing consultant and author coach specializing in book-writing and marketing strategies for authors, coaches, speakers and entrepreneurs. Through her flagship program, Publish Like a PRO, she aims to educate authors not only on the business-side of writing and publishing but also how to grow an empire based on the core concepts of their published work. To date, Shanda has assisted in the publication of over 100 Amazon #1 bestsellers.  Additionally, she is the bestselling author of many books including Authorpreneur. www.shandatrofe.com
PS: Shanda and I are facilitating a Writers Retreat workshop in the Florida Keys in May 2018. Check it out here