Although it might seem as if online publishing has made it easier
for writers to draw attention to their words, it's important to
remember this: Just because you can publish quickly doesn't mean
you should skip any part of the writing process. Writers who skip
important steps in the writing process often share work that is
inferior—full of errors, lacking organization, or missing
important points and details. If you rely on a tried-and-true
process instead, you can make sure you're sending a polished and
carefully crafted version of your work out into the world.
Even if you view your final draft as your masterpiece, that
doesn't mean that you'll have scores of readers demanding to see
your work. While the web has made the whole world available for
publication opportunities, it's best to start small. In fact,
finding just the right audience for your work often means looking
no further than your own school or community.
Study the tabs below to learn about publishing opportunities close
to home.
Don't discount resources that are easily available to you.
They may provide the best places to publish your writing and
get quick feedback. Plus, your topics will likely connect with
your readers because the ideas you are writing about probably
matter to those around you, as opposed to someone who lives
several continents away. Here are some suggestions for
publishing opportunities closest to you.
A class or school newsletter
A newsletter is different from a
magazine because it is more like a bulletin of
important notices or events. Many teachers and
schools publish weekly newsletters of upcoming
events and often feature student work.
A class or school newspaper
Newspapers primarily focus on local
news (such as your school sporting events), feature
articles (like a story on a new student), and
information about school events (such as the
upcoming school break). Newspapers also publish
editorials, articles that give
opinions on issues of interest, such as an opinion
piece about school uniform policies.
A school magazine
Often, to support creative writing, departments in
schools will publish magazines that feature the
poetry, short stories, and visual art of their
students.
A class or school website
Websites are great places to showcase your work.
Asking to submit a piece on your teacher's website
or your school website can connect you with others
and showcase important events going on in your
school.
While it might seem intimidating to look for publishing
opportunities in the adult world, your local community is a
great resource. Many communities want to hear from young
people who care about their community and have something to
say. Here are some suggestions for publishing opportunities
outside the walls of your school—but still close by.
A community newsletter
Local businesses, clubs, neighborhoods, and parks
publish bulletins advertising services and
activities in the area.
A town or city newspaper
Newspapers are a great connection for young writers
and often welcome news about local schools. Serving
as a connection between your school and your local
newspaper can be a great way to get experience and
see your work in print.
Community websites
Because websites must stay current to inform local
citizens and to promote events, a great way to
publish your work is by updating community websites
with information or writing a
feature article, an article that
deals in depth with a topic or person of interest.
Community magazines
Community magazines are often published quarterly,
or four times a year, in response to the seasons.
Larger communities might publish these magazines
monthly. Community magazines feature businesses and
opportunities for community involvement. Most of
these magazines also feature seasonal activities and
run stories that promote local tourism.
It's important to target your audience. Finding just the right
audience for your work will ensure your words reach the people who
want to hear your message. Let's see if you can put it all
together. Match each audience on the left with the publishing
opportunity on the right.
