The Road to Getting Published: Annie Bahringer’s Story

This is the final installment in a month-long series of speaking with different authors who are at various stages in their attempts in getting their works published. There isn’t a “typical” experience when it comes to navigating the world of agents and publishing houses. There are as many different experiences as there are works being shopped around!

Annie Bahringer is all too familiar with those dreaded rejection slips that writers receive in the mail. Another frustrating aspect that she is familiar with is the lack of feedback. Agents and publishers get thousands of pieces a year, and cannot possibly give feedback on every writer’s submission. Yet this is the Catch-22 that many would-be authors find themselves in: If their work can’t be published because it needs to be “fixed,” then how can they “fix” it if they don’t know where the issue lies?

Annie is persevering, though. While she has admittedly “run out of steam,” she knows that the important things is to keep trying.

What are you trying to get published and how long have been trying?

I am currently writing a novel because I gave up on short fiction. It was always “Your piece does not fit our needs right now.” That was four years ago. Still haven’t finished the novel. But I have been trying, still do occasionally, when I feel strong enough, to send out my short stories in hopes that now is the right time. Still isn’t and hasn’t been for about 15 years.

How many places have you contacted regarding this/these piece(s)?

At least 100, I ran out of steam.

What hurdles have you run into when you tried to contact these companies?

They are eager to talk to you in email, but that’s as far as it goes.

What kind of feedback have you been given?

Hardly any. I would love to get feedback, positive or negative. I want to know what I am doing wrong and if the case, what I am doing right.

What frustrates you the most about this process?

The feedback. And the rejection notices. It’s been reduced to a Xeroxed slip of paper. Not even a half-sheet rejection. A slip I could use as a bookmark. I would really like the feedback.

Have you considered self-publishing?

Yes, but I don’t have enough material as of yet to publish a full volume of work.

What tips can you give to those writers out there who are about to jump into the publishing world?

I’ve noticed part-time writers, like myself take a lot longer than those who are able to jump feet first and stay in the pool. Do that, stay there and start now.

What are your next steps?

Finish my novel and possibly self-publish to start with queries being sent to larger publishing houses.

A big ‘thank you’ to Annie for sharing her story with us! If you have publishing story that you’d like to share with our readers, please drop us a line!