You don't need to tell me publishing isn't easy, I have firsthand knowledge of that. I was lucky I had a teacher who believed in my work enough to encourage me to send in a poem to a writing contest. Sometimes, if we're lucky, the process can begin as simply as that.
A good way to get your name out there is with contests, so looking online for any in your area that you fit the qualifications for is definitely a good idea. You can submit to one contest at a time, or try your hand at many to (hopefully) increase your chances. Some of my go-to's have been Polar Expressions Publishing and windSCRIPT. With any luck, you'll soon have at least one publication under your belt.
But you don't have to go the contest route. Luckily enough, there are tons of publishing companies out there who are looking to actually publish stuff, depending on the topic. The internet is always your friend in this case. But like I said before, getting your name out there is essential to making a mark in the business. Even if you don't want to make a career out of publishing your work, it's still good to remember that you aren't the only one out there with an idea and that it costs money for publishing companies to get your book ready. That's why some of them only publish twp books a year. Some also don't accept manuscripts they haven't requested from the writer.
You can run in to a lot of challenges, but one thing you need to do is NEVER GIVE UP.
Also keep in mind that going through big publishing companies right off the bat may not work. Start locally, if you can. And don't turn your nose up at the idea of self-publishing. It's a lot more work (and money) but it's another way to get your name out there AND you get to say you published a book. I went through iUniverse Publishing and FriesenPress and they were good companies to work with.
Be prepared to be rejected. There's no such thing as an overnight success in this world, and that especially applies to writing. You've got to work at it, and in the end it's definitely worth it.
A good way to get your name out there is with contests, so looking online for any in your area that you fit the qualifications for is definitely a good idea. You can submit to one contest at a time, or try your hand at many to (hopefully) increase your chances. Some of my go-to's have been Polar Expressions Publishing and windSCRIPT. With any luck, you'll soon have at least one publication under your belt.
But you don't have to go the contest route. Luckily enough, there are tons of publishing companies out there who are looking to actually publish stuff, depending on the topic. The internet is always your friend in this case. But like I said before, getting your name out there is essential to making a mark in the business. Even if you don't want to make a career out of publishing your work, it's still good to remember that you aren't the only one out there with an idea and that it costs money for publishing companies to get your book ready. That's why some of them only publish twp books a year. Some also don't accept manuscripts they haven't requested from the writer.
You can run in to a lot of challenges, but one thing you need to do is NEVER GIVE UP.
Also keep in mind that going through big publishing companies right off the bat may not work. Start locally, if you can. And don't turn your nose up at the idea of self-publishing. It's a lot more work (and money) but it's another way to get your name out there AND you get to say you published a book. I went through iUniverse Publishing and FriesenPress and they were good companies to work with.
Be prepared to be rejected. There's no such thing as an overnight success in this world, and that especially applies to writing. You've got to work at it, and in the end it's definitely worth it.