Anyone here a writer?

[Kyriakos]

It would seem that many, even a majority, of the people here write. Being close to literature has that possitive effect :)

As for me i have been writing for 14 years now, started immediately after i read the first book in late highschool that was not part of the school's education.
Last year my first book got published, although it was a small edition, and sadly still has not sold out (not good!). But i have already plans for a second book, this time with a different publishing house which is more reputable.
I write short stories, most are 10 to 25 pages. They all are focused on the psychology of the narrator and the antagonists. Most have a theme of horror.

And you? :)

[Aragorn Elessar]

I write a lot on my free time, and I have considered attempting to publish some work, after doing a lot of research on publishing and literary agents and such. For now, though, writing is just a hobby: I've considered it professionally, but realistically it's quite tough...very competitive industry, it is. Writing is a tough career to get into, because publishing companies have to read a lot of material and usually send writings back to the author after reading the first page. And it's even tougher (and more related to luck, I suppose) to make a living off of publications alone; very few people manage that. I mean, I guess if you are a technical or documentation writer, you can do that for a living, but most people can't make a salary-efficient career out of writing books. I guess that's quite a deterrent for most folks.

You've made a good start by getting a book published; that's more than most of us writers can say...but I'm happy writing for my own recreation, and occasionally I do publish some things.

[dafydd manton]

I have columns in six different magazines, based in Sheffield, UK, Chesterfield and Illinois of all places. I have also had 5 books published, (although 4 were predominantly photographic), with another due in 2 weeks form now. There are 2 in the pipeline, and I am currently working on a book of poetry with a special friend, which is probably the greatest source of joy. In the main I write comedy, simply because I like the concept that people will read it, hopefully enjoy it, but then not look for messages, statements or opinions, even if the article in question actually does contain such. The poetry will be a great departure from that, especially with having a better and more experienced poet to work with, who is great at encouraging me and guiding me, as well as being a great delight to be around. Here, I can be more serious, which I find easier in poetic form than prose.

[FROADS]

Question to all the writers, How were you able to get acquainted with literary agents and book publishers?

Also, What advice would any of you give to aspiring writers that want to pursue this career?

[Kyriakos]

In the UK and the US there are literary agents who can help sell the work to publishers. However here this appears not to exist yet, so i just sent my book to various publishers in the hope that one would accept it. I will do the same now, for the second book.

As for advice: just know yourself, know if writing is for you, if you really enjoy it and have - in your view - something to say to your readers. The portuguese writer, Fernando Pessoa, had claimed that in order to be a good writer you just have to know how to express what you really feel :)

[Delta40]

My short stories feature in two books and I've been published in several magazines but I haven't actively pursued a writing career. I think its wonderful that you have even got published. I think one has to have a certain drive. I write freely and at my own leisure but as soon as somebody puts a deadline on me, all the joy of writing goes out of the window.

[Drkshadow03]

I have published some of my short fiction in "token pay" small markets, but otherwise I'm still working to publish my short fiction in the bigger speculative fiction markets. I write speculative fiction, with an emphasis on dark fantasy/horror.

[JuniperWoolf]

MarkBastable is a for-realzies writer. You can get his books on Amazon.

[dscasey]

I've been writing for a long time now, and have spent the last 3 years working on my first novel. It is not complete yet but it's there. I'm writing a fantasy novel with a heavy basis in Celtic Mythology. It is a daunting process but I enjoy it very much.
I have not been published, save for poems over the last 10 years or so. I've researched the literary agent information and do not have one yet. I'm waiting until the novel is finished until I try to get representation. I would like to eventually support myself through writing, though I know, these days, that is near to impossible. Still, even if I can't do that, just knowing that someone out there, even if only one person ever purchases my book, my story is being heard.
Perhaps the novel would be finished, though working full time and attending college full time as a lit major doesn't exactly offer the freedom needed. Still, its there and its not going away.

[Lokasenna]

I'm a writer, though these days I have so little time for it. As a teenager, I wrote a complete novel, but it will never see the light of day because I'm now so mortified by just how dreadful it is.

I've tried my hand at short stories, but they always seem to go on too long... I'm working (slowly) on a long novel at the moment, of which I have some 90 pages written, and reams and reams of notes planning the thing.