Kids and teens often ask how they can get their books, stories, and poems published.

Some young writers may want to attend writing workshops and conferences. That's wonderful! They should to learn as much as possible as soon as possible.

Few writers become published and make a profit without some serious writing classes. Even if you plan to self-publish, please invest time into learning the craft before publishing or submitting your writing.

Some workshops focus more on the business side of writing. Others focus on the craft. My advice is to always work on craft first. Conferences often provide students discounts for young writers.
Next month I'm teaching another group of young writers about nonfiction writing. For those in attendance and other kids and teens who want to know how to get published, I've compiled a list of contests, opportunities, and resources for kid and teen writers.

Self-publishing is also an option. Instead of getting pitching the idea to a publisher and getting paid an advance (and possibly royalties), the author has to pay to have the books published and then sells books to make a profit. An additional cost which many self-published authors skip (and give self-published books a poor reputation) is paying for editorial reviews (not just their tenth grade English teacher) for content and copy editing. That's an additional cost. The cover and interior design are additional costs if the author doesn't have those skills.

If you don't know the difference between traditional, vanity, and self-publishing, please read about them HERE before seeking a traditional publisher or self-publishing service.

Young writers, best of luck to you! Keep reading. Keep writing. Keep learning. Writers of all ages need to be patient as they learn the craft of writing. Keep at it!

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