Do I have to publish my book to get noticed as an author?

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Many new authors are put under the impression that once they have a finished manuscript, the only next step that'll showcase their work to the public eye is to somehow publish it. In this article, I will be weighing the pros and cons of 5 alternatives to traditionally publishing or self-publishing your book.

Why is it important to gain publicity? For an author who doesn't have much experience with writing, having others look at your work can open up opportunities to gain feedback and improve. Over time, the more feedback you receive, the less daunting it will feel to have another person look at your writing, the more open you will be in the future to receive constructive criticism. Additionally, if you aren't sure whether you even want to be noticed as an author, putting your work out there will keep the option open to continue writing if you decide that's what you want. And hey, who knows—perhaps someone will come across your work and decide that they want

By making yourself public, you're also joining a community of writers and readers. You'll come across other genres and styles of writing, and that exposure can help you decide on your niche. Maybe you're into fantasy fiction, but you're coming across sci-fi pieces that make you want to try that out. Or maybe all those romance novels you see are making you more certain that you'd rather stick to writing about dragons and magic.

That being said, the one and only person you should write for is yourself. It's completely normal to have a few external motivators as you write, like money or fame, but if you have no intrinsic motivation, you're wasting your time. Writing is a long and brutal process, and recognition is scarce for writers, while passion and drive are much more reliable.

Without further ado, I present to you: 4 options to gain recognition that don't involve publishing your work!

1. Enter literary contests. If you do win any sort of recognition at a literary contest, having that under your belt will help strengthen your query letter if you decide later on to search for a literary agent to publish your work. For any procrastinators out there, contest deadlines can also add motivation to finish your work and stop putting it off for later. Depending on the competition, you can also meet and establish helpful contacts who can help support you along your writing journey. Some of these require your book to already be published, but others, like the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, don't. And apart from spending money on a potential entrance fee (which, again, depends on the competition you're participating in), you don't have much to lose. However, participants in literary contests rarely receive in-depth feedback on their work, so these aren't the best option for those mainly looking for praise or criticism. And while you may not have much to lose, losing a literary contest can feel like an indirect rejection. Contests can only recognize a limited number of applicants, and if you aren't one of them, you may feel like your writing wasn't good enough, whereas in reality, chances are that there were simply too many high-quality pieces to choose from. Here are some more tips for entering literary contests.

2. Use social media and the Internet. It's simultaneously the most empowering and toxic thing that technology has bestowed upon us. Plenty of authors promote themselves on platforms like Instagram and Facebook. Even if you aren't ready to promote yourself or your work, you can post online about writing challenges, plot ideas, editing tips, etc. to attract an audience of fellow writers (and potential beta readers). I've seen plenty of popular Instagram writing accounts that post about their favorite character tropes, better words to describe emotions or actions, tips about writing plot twists, and occasionally fangirling about famous authors' latest achievements. Some interact with their followers through QOTD's. And every now and then, they'll post updates about their own works in progress and promote their previous works. If you aren't published yet, you can also start a blog and write about topics that readers resonate with, such as book reviews and excerpts from your work (I only avoid doing the latter because I didn't create this blog with the purpose of self-promotion).

3. Join writing communities and attend conferences. Joining writing communities will open you up to many new contacts and opportunities to draw attention to yourself and your work. Just like most things in life, the benefits you get out of this often depend on the work you put into it. An active member who leverages the platforms to answer questions, ask questions, and share knowledge to other members of the community will gain a lot more attention than an idle member. Some writing communities also hold conferences, where you can meet potential readers and supporters to help you promote your work!

4. Run a workshop. Writers attend workshops as a crucial step for improving their work. If you have certain skills that you've honed and would like to share with others, workshops are a great opportunity to promote yourself as an author and establish your credibility to others who are learning from you.

5. Submit your work to a literary magazine. Yes, this technically does count as publishing your work somewhere, but it's still an easier process than traditionally publishing your book. It's also a helpful experience to give you a sense of what the process would be like if you were to publish your work as your own. Some literary magazines, like Lucent Dreaming, are specifically focused on helping promote aspiring writers. Submitting your work to literary magazines can also expose you to editing advice that will help you grow as a writer. Looking for a literary magazine to submit your work to? Check out this list.

For more ways to promote your work or yourself as a writer, published or not, check out this website. For any romance writers, here are some ways you can get involved in the Romance Writers of America (although some of these options also work for authors of other genres as well)!