Online literary magazines, writing websites, and even blogs are all the rage in today's writing world. Writers have the unique opportunity to get published on the web, rather than vying for printed publication slots.
But how do you go about building an online presence if you don't have much experience?
1. Check Your Favorite Publications - If you're a writer, you no doubt have online publications you follow or check up on frequently. If you're familiar with the type of writing they publish, you already have a leg up in getting your work posted. Check their contributions link or contact the publication directly about an idea you have for a piece.
2. Don't Give Up - I'm not sure which is worse in our digital era: rejections or simply never hearing back.No matter what, don't get discouraged. This is tough, but try re-examining the piece that never came to fruition. Can you make it better? If there's nothing you'd change, submit it elsewhere. In the meantime, keep on writing, and keep submitting. Giving up won't get you published.
3. Fiction Contests - Maybe you're fried or stuck for inspiration. You can search for online fiction contests that give you key words to write about or offer you the first sentence of a story to start you off. This will help expand your writing abilities and open your publication options to a variety of outlets.
4. Contribute Anywhere - Perhaps you're passionate about music. If that's the case, try contributing reviews or articles to music publication sites. Once you contribute a few times, the site may ask you to come on board as a staff writer. Meanwhile, you're able to bulk up your portfolio.
5. Blog, Even if No One is Reading - You have to keep practicing your craft, even if you are your only audience. You can work on expanding your audience, of course, but the most important part about being a writer, is writing. You may find a gem in the middle of a normal blog post and gain inspiration for contributing pieces from there.
