Hatrack River Writers Workshop: Hello all!

This is topic Hello all! in forum Open Discussions About Writing at Hatrack River Writers Workshop.

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Posted by Johna (Member # 1446) on :

Hello, everyone.

I hope this is the correct forum to make such a post!
I am currently creating a site for budding writers of all genres in the hope that it will help them to be published (if that should be their desire).

www.thepublishingsite.com is undergoing testing at this time, with a final launch date of December 1, 2002.

For those of you who are interested in seeing what it will be like, please go to the following address and sign up for the newsletter.

www.thepublishingsite.com

Sincerely,

John A.
webmaster

Posted by Chronicles_of_Empire (Member # 1431) on :

Nice flash, but as people generally accept, publishers have enough crud on their desks without wanting to go out seeking more.

I just hope you're not going to start selling dreams to the gullible - there's already enough sharks around as it is.

Posted by Johna (Member # 1446) on :

Good point, and good question.

I'm not selling anything. The site is free. The funds to run it come out of my pocket and if it flops, then it will have been a good learning experience.

If anything the people who visit it will decide.

John

Posted by Chronicles_of_Empire (Member # 1431) on :

You may find it better to focus on providing a general home for writers, with resources, critiques, communtity, etc. Saw you mentioned something similar in the flash, and would personally recommend that's a niche you can realistically aim for - you certainly have good design. But unless you're an AAR NY agent yourself the overwhelming likelihood is no one is going to sell MSS direct from your site.

Posted by Chronicles_of_Empire (Member # 1431) on :

Actually, you may find that you can succeed better by focussing upon particularly niches.

My personal experience is that online writers can be broadly defined into two basic groups:

1/ Sunday writers, who write for themselves for the fun of it, and simply like to share what they do,

2/ Serious aspiring writers, who write with the ultimate goal of becoming published.

I don't have great experience with writers' groups - only ever joined a handful - but a particular reason I've stayed here is that there are a lot of serious aspiring writers, who can share their experiences and resources. But I don't know of many places like that.

Many of the larger writing sites seem to be very generalised, with the attitude of praising any creative effort. With leaves them tasting watery and patronising.

But serious aspiring need somewhere hard defined specifically for learning the ins and outs of submissions to the publishing world, with the aim of entering it. Perhaps there are sites like that, but I've not seen them.

So if you want to make a success of your site, my personal recommendation is that you aim specifically for serious aspiring writers, accomodating both short stories markets and methodologies, and necessary author resources and tips.

The idea of selling MSS from your place, as I said, is incredibly remote - but you could create a place where people on the verge of breaking professional can gather and learn, and thus give your site some unique kudos as they succeed.

[This message has been edited by Chronicles_of_Empire (edited July 03, 2002).]