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Careers: Writing/I love to write, but dont know what to do from there

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Expert: - 10/18/2008


Question
Hey there! Ok, so I love to write poetry. It comes naturally and is just an amazing outlet for me... and I believe that I do have a talent for it. I thought that maybe writing for a newspaper would be a good way to bridge the gap between enjoying writing and making a living off of it... I was wrong... I wrote for a year for my college newspaper and got a very poor grade. My articles were eye catching and interesting, but too "opinionated" and too "poetic" for a newspaper apparently. Which is fine, because I hate research. Anyways... I have been poking around looking for somewhere that I can get my poetry published or just recognized... but so many sites are just scams. Can you suggest somewhere for me to send my work? Thanks so much... a confused 22 year old.

Answer
Hi, Annie!  

There are a few places to earn money from poetry, but know you're going to have a LOT of competition. That's not to say you can't do it, but you'll have to really work to get your foot in the door.  Here's a good website called AbsoluteWrite that has a list of paying poetry markets, and feel free to wander around the other threads in the Poetry forum.

http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46890

Then, what you might want to consider is the greeting card market. Some people make a LOT of money that way with poetry. On the same forum is a room where you can purchase a book about markets for greeting cards, bumper stickers and the like that was written by the founder of the website. She DOES make a living at the stuff, so she knows the business. It's here:

http://www.absolutewrite.com/greetingcard.htm

Hope that helps a little.  Good luck!

Cathy

Careers: Writing

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Cathy Clamp

Expertise

I'm happy to answer questions about any aspect of writing articles, short stories and novels, from the beginning kernel of an idea through completion. I can help with writing a query letter and synopsis to an agent or editor. I can explain publishing terminology and acronyms. I can also assist with questions about verifying the credentials of agents/publishers and how to proceed once you've been accepted for publication. I can teach the rules of formatting a manuscript, creating viable plots, characterization and flow in the following genres: romance, science fiction, fantasy, thrillers, suspense, horror, women's fiction, mainstream and mystery. I can also answer questions about writing for major print magazines in the outdoor genre (hunting/fishing/boating/travel.)

Experience

I'm a USA Today bestselling author of urban fantasy and paranormal romance for Tor/Forge Books . Along with a co-author, I've published fifteen mass market novels since 2004, and have contracts for four more books through 2011. I've also published more than two dozen feature articles in leading outdoor magazines.

Organizations
Romance Writers of America, Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, Western Outdoor Writers, Horror Writers of America, National Association of Legal Assistants.

Publications
Magazines--Guns & Ammo, Fur-Fish-Game, Rocky Mountain Game & Fish, Deer & Deer Hunting. Many others. Novels/Anthologies--Tor/Forge Books, Western Reflections Publishing, BenBella Books, Running Press, Wild Child Publishing. Many others.

Education/Credentials
Published Author. Published Freelance Writer. Certified Paralegal with specialities in intellectual property (copyright, trademark, patent) and real estate.

Awards and Honors
USA Today bestseller, Waldenbooks Mass Market Paperback Top 20 bestseller, Nielsen BookScan Top 20 bestseller, Romantic Times Career Achievement Award, 2009, Write Touch Readers Award, EVVY Award, The Lories Best Paranormal. Many others.

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