(Reading time: 3 – 5 minutes)
Julie Angelos is an American living in Italy, a journalist, a writer, and a recently converted blogger. Julie stopped by Website In A Weekend a while back, told a story about a shark, and I immediately knew I had to recruit her as a guest author! Julie writes in an easy, yet intimate style. I hope you enjoy her writing as much as I do.
How I Became a Published Writer
-by Julie Angelos
If you would like to be a published writer you are going to need a passion for writing. I started writing as soon as I got a crayon in my hand. Then when I was 11 in 1975. I started keeping a small lock and key diary with a bright yellow and red Snoopy picture. I would write whatever came to a 11 year-old’s mind.
I have entries in my diary about what I would do for my birthday party, where my family went and who I liked and didn’t like at school. The one that makes me laugh is “My sister hit me.” Now, years later, I realize the importance of those four words. I had found in my diary a place for myself, a place for my own thoughts. More importantly, I have proof, 30 years later, that my sister hit me. ;)
As I got older, I started writing travel diaries. I have about 15 handwritten diaries in my garage that I wrote when I was between 19 and 30. Sometimes, I wanted burn them because I was afraid of what my children would think. But they probably won’t be so interested in mommy’s life until they have had a few of their own adventures. Anyway, I traveled around the world doing the cafe diary scene, before I decided to really give writing a try.
How to get published
The first time I was published as a writer was in high school. I was president of my high school so the job was sort of just assigned to me. One of my teachers came up to me and said “Julie, you are going to have to write a weekly article for the school newspaper.” It helped to have friends in high places.
A couple of weeks later, I saw my name in print for the first time with a headline saying ‘Howdy Cowboys’. What a laugh.
When I moved to Europe, I found an opportunity to write for the first English language magazine in our city. The publisher of that magazine became a good friend of mine. She had great taste and style, and the magazine was a big success.
From there, I just continued writing. I would write or suggest stories to my publisher and she usually printed them. Sometimes, my publisher friend would give me assignments, for example she’d say “Julie, there’s a new art opening on Friday, can you cover it?” And I would, gaining more experience.
And I continue to write for pleasure just as I continue to paint pictures of flowers, just as I love reading other people’s stories.
In the end, if you want to write, do it. Just take out a pen and write. Write from the heart and write as you speak.
There are many avenues to publication. The easiest way to get published is to publish yourself – just as I’m doing here. As you gain experience, opportunity may well find you, if you’re open to it.
What sort of things do you like to write about? Have you ever been published? Where?
Writing since she found a crayon in her hand, Julie is currently working as a Special Aids and English teacher at two Middle Schools in Italy. She has lived in Italy for more than 15 years, is married, has two young children and writes JBulie’s Blog.
