Is there really one “true road to getting published?
MH–It is a labyrinth. I do recommend getting an agent and one who understands your book. And take the emotions out of it, because once you have written the book, then the creative part is done and it’s a business. As for the way it works, everybody’s story of how they got published is different. I’ve never heard an identical story. WS: What components of awards (short story, fiction, and non-fiction) and literary magazines do you believe are most helpful to beginning writers? MH–For any new writer, I recommend that they somehow get into a publication. Even if they give you only one copy as payment for your story, get published. Then get paid. The reason you write is to get published. The reason you get published is to get paid. My mother, who recently passed away, was eighty-eight years old when she began to publish her work, turned down anyone who wanted to publish her work but was unwilling to pay her anything. WS: How helpful are book fairs and festivals for authors? MH–Festivals
