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Thursday, November 2, 2006

The Path to Publication

posted by on November 2 at 14:45 PM

This just in:

Dear Editor,

My name is XXXXXX XXXXX and I am a student at Meadowdale High School. As a senior you are required to complete a final project of your choice. I have chosen to see how a student writer can become published. I have always enjoyed your paper and I was curious if you publish any amateur essays or work? I’m sure you are very busy but if you have any information of help you could give me i would greatly appreciate it.

Thank you,
XXXXXX XXXXX

Does The Stranger publish amateur essays or work? Every damn week, XXXXXX. Shit, do we publish any other kind?

As for seeing how a student writer can “become published,” well, there are lots of ways to make that happen. You haven’t taken any abstinence pledges, have you? That could make your path to publication more complicated—not at The Stranger, of course, where we absolutely, positively do not have sex with 1. high school students, 2. wannabe freelancers, and 3. high school students. But the annals of literary history are packed to the rafters with stories by and about young people—male, female, intersexed—who gave their careers an early boost by putting out.

Suggested reading: The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt by Eleanor Roosevelt; It Takes a Village by Hillary Clinton; and Confessions of a Video Vixen by Karrine Steffans.

RSS icon Comments

1

Not to mention the soon to be published "How To Embarrass And Discourage Young Writers" by Dan Savage.

Posted by Savage Lover | November 2, 2006 3:47 PM
2

All this kid needed was a hug. Obviously, he went to the wrong guy

Posted by Boomer | November 2, 2006 3:58 PM
3

I think Dan already made his feelings about hugging strangers (and sponsoring student internships) pretty clear.

Posted by dewsterling | November 2, 2006 4:08 PM
4

Did I just spot a Dave Segal dig in this post?

Posted by young writers assoc | November 2, 2006 4:30 PM
5

So why the redux on this issue? Is Dan conflicted? Would Dan secretly like to spend 2 hours a week with a young, nubile,impressionable sexologist in training, but couldn't possibly because he's fearful of......his own boogie men? The boogies of course being that he may not be quite the mentor that the young, nubile future sexologist was expecting? Is it a fear of failure?

Posted by Why oh why | November 2, 2006 4:38 PM
6

lol @4, nice catch.

Posted by none | November 2, 2006 5:55 PM
7

Starting a blog and using it as a forum to practice serious attempts at writing would help this kid a great deal.

Posted by Gomez | November 3, 2006 9:54 AM
8

Oh my god, a person dared to write an honest question to the holy king of Seattle news. We shall have to send her to the gallows.

Jerk!

Posted by Dobbs | November 3, 2006 11:01 AM

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