I’m sorry to so shamelessly steal this, but it’s so good that I must be shared widely, so I hope I’m forgiven. I read it on the Kore Press newsletter; Kore Press is a small publisher focusing on work by women. Learn more about them here. (And go here to get the information on their short fiction chapbook contest for women writers, deadline October 31…the contest will open soon.)
The Power of Literary Citizenship
Shannon Cain
Advice to an Aspiring Author on How to Publish Your Book.
- Write well. Pursue this goal for about 10 or 20 years.
- Tend to your literary citizenship:
- Read. A lot.
- Subscribe to literary magazines.
- Buy books. Review them, and publish the reviews.
- Teach.
- Celebrate the achievements of your colleagues. Champion their work.
- Share your power.
- Donate to small presses. Volunteer. Join a governing board.
- Practice humility.
- In workshop, be patient and kind and truthful.
- Attend talks and conferences. Listen hard.
- Mentor a new writer. Be mentored.
- Be a good friend to other writers. Keep generosity in your heart.
3. Realize that literary citizenship makes you a better writer. Know that the more you give, the more you get back. Forget about publishing. Just write. And give.
Shannon Cain is the volunteer fiction editor and co-chair of the board of directors at Kore Press. Her first book, The Necessity of Certain Behaviors, is forthcoming next week from the University of Pittsburgh Press.