Summary

The key to successful publication is authenticity in writing, focusing on genuine storytelling rather than seeking validation from prestigious outlets.

Abstract

The article emphasizes the importance of authenticity in writing, suggesting that writers should prioritize telling their genuine stories rather than aiming for clout by getting published in big-name publications. It argues that editors and readers can discern inauthentic content, which is often the reason for rejection. The author advises writers to write from the heart and let the quality of their work speak for itself, as this approach has led to their own unexpected successes. The article also discourages altering one's unique writing style to fit a publication's standards, advocating for the value of originality and honesty in writing.

Opinions

Writers often mistakenly prioritize the prestige of publications over the authenticity of their stories.
Inauthentic articles, motivated by the desire for recognition rather than genuine expression, are easily identified by editors and readers.
Writing with the primary intention of getting published in a major outlet can compromise the integrity and sincerity of the work.
A genuine writing style is more valuable than conforming to a publication's perceived standards.
Publications are interested in original voices and perspectives that bring fresh insights to topics.
Writers should focus on their intentions and the authenticity of their message, as this can lead to organic success and recognition.
Changing one's writing style to fit a publication is seen as disrespectful to the writer's integrity and does a disservice to the publication.

The REAL Reason Why You Should Try To Get Into Big Publications

You really don’t have to try that hard.

If you’re reading this, I’m assuming you’re a writer or at least have some enjoyment with writing.

And you probably hope to get a piece of your writing published in a major publication that has thousands upon thousands of followers. You’re probably a real Huffington Post or New York Times fan and you want people to read your work.

That’s great, but there’s only one big problem with your article:

Is it for yourself or the publication clout?

Most writers would rather get their article into a prestigious publication for clout and not for their story.

I’ve been guilty of this countless times.

I tried my best to submit an amazing, well-polished article to a publication with a large following only to find out they didn’t accept it.

Why? Why aren’t they accepting your articles after you’ve read every piece of the submission guidelines?

Well, it’s because your story is bullshit.

You wanted to submit to a publication about love with a huge following, so you formulated an article that does not correlate with any personal experience you’ve had about love. In other words, you’re lying to that publication and you’re lying to yourself.

Editors can smell bullshit and so can readers. That’s why they don’t accept your story; because you aren’t being genuine.

Your article didn’t come from your heart, it came from the clout-chasing pits of hell.

The trick is to write your article with a genuine story and worry about the publication later.

It’s extremely easy as a writer to worry about the publication before you write a single word. Then you always have that publication in the back of your mind when you write — that fucks up everything.

You’re writing with disingenuous intentions and that’s not what you got into the writing game for right? You got into it to inspire other people with your words.

Every time I got my article into a prestigious publication, I never wrote it intending to get it into that publication — I never expected anything.

I published an article about listening to music while you write without a publication. I just put it out into the void without batting an eyelash. About a week later, an editor from The Startup wanted to republish it.

I wrote another article about self-love that poured out of me and it just so happened to be a great fit for P.S. I Love You and it was accepted.

Just have good intentions with whatever you write and don’t try too hard to get accepted.

Don’t change your unique writing style for publications.

Every writer has their own unique style, voice, format, etc, even if they haven’t found it yet.

You’d be doing a massive disservice not just to that publication, but to you and your integrity. It’s almost disrespectful for you to change your unique writing style out of brute force just so it fits with the publication’s standards.

Publications want writers who add something new to a topic. They want writers who aren’t afraid to wear their hearts on their sleeves and talk about the bullshit. They want writers who don’t give a fuck.

Here’s one rule of thumb you should always follow when it comes to publications:

Write and don’t give a fuck about whoever reads it. Don’t even think about the publication. If they like it, they’ll come running to you.

Final Thoughts

Don’t change yourself for any publication, no matter how large the following is.

Heck, you’d probably build a larger following than the publication by just being yourself and sticking to your guns. Don’t get me wrong, publications are a nice cherry on top for all the hard work you put into your article and the follower count does give you a little bonus.

However, this should not be the end-all-be-all of why you wrote your article. Think about your intentions as a writer.

Why are you writing your article?

If your intentions are genuine, then you don’t have to try that hard. It’s a win-win.