This is something that every writer struggles with once they decide to share their work! It really depends on how far you want your reach to be, how much time you’re willing to take, how much money you’re willing to spend, and whether you want to be traditionally published.
Traditional publishing does not allow for previously published work. Is your work on your Tumblr or blog or Fanfiction.net? Then it’s previously published. If it is available for viewing anywhere in print or online, then it is considered to be published already.
Editors, publicists, reviewers, agents, publishers, platforms, software, websites, e-mail lists/newsletters, online stores, advertising, press releases, and blogs are all key components.
If you are very serious about getting out there, it is time-consuming and often expensive.
Fanfiction.net is your best bet for starting to get your fanfic out there. BookBub, WordPress, Kindle Direct Publishing, iBooks, Nook, Draft 2 Digital, Google Play, Kobo, Wattpad, Smashwords, Ingram Spark, Tumblr, Twitter, and Facebook are valid platforms for publishing your work. Most of these are free, but again, if you’re looking for a book deal or something, it will be considered published as soon as it is publically available. Kindle has a lot of rules regarding exclusivity, so before you post on multiple platforms, make sure there aren’t any conflicts of interest!
Online stores like Storenvy, Etsy, Amazon, and Society6 are good places to make a name for yourself and draw attention to your public image as a writer. You can upload work related to your stories and let traffic flow from there!
I’m going to be starting an e-mail list/newsletter sometime soon, and I’ll go more into depth on the subject when I can share my Google Docs, spreadsheets, and other files.
I’ve had this blog since 2011, and I have over 17,400 followers as of typing this. It takes time and dedication. There are definitely low-maintenance ways, like Wattpad, but if you’re planning on going pro, it will take diligent effort.
Read more here: https://writeinspiration.tumblr.com/search/publishing
Best of luck!
IT GETS BETTER (now also readable on my new site!)
OFFICIAL SITE on WordPress: https://StephanieTillman.com/
Feeling generous and want to thank me for my work on this blog? Then please click here and donate via PayPal!
You can also become my patron on Patreon or buy my stuff on Society6!
Don’t have a dime to spare? That’s totally fine! 🙂 Thanks for your support~!