In this world full of regulations, it seems to be necessary to include a general disclaimer on a Web site that presents information for sale. Let me do so here.
The world of publishing is tough to break into. On this Web site, I provide you with much free information about how to get yourself organized, how to write fiction, how to get it published, and how to market it effectively. I do my best to be accurate and up to date. Please be aware that I can’t make any absolute guarantees on either of these. Publishing is a complicated world and things change quickly.
I also sell some information that teaches about these same subjects. I try to price them at a value that is fair to both my customers and me — always a tricky proposition. I also try to make them as accurate and valuable as I can.
Inevitably, there will be errors in any teaching product, and eventually things will get out of date. Please be responsible to check everything I say against your own experience and try to independently verify things I say. There are plenty of other resources out there that can help you do so. I can’t know what’s happening in every corner of the universe — it’s hard enough with the tiny corner where I live.
It’s very important to remember that I can’t guarantee you’ll get published. A lot depends on how much talent you have and what your work ethic is. The best I can do is to give you information I believe accurate, and to teach it in an interesting way. It’s up to you to learn the material, put it into practice, and be persistent.
I strongly believe that things don’t just happen in life. If you want something to happen, you generally need to take action. So my job is to suggest actions you might take. Your job is to do a reality check on those actions, choose those that make the most sense to you, and then take action.
I’ve been teaching fiction for quite a while, so some of the students I’ve worked with have gotten published, and some of them now have published more novels than I have. Some of the students I’ve worked with have been nominated for some nice awards. Some of them have made various bestseller lists, including the New York Times and Amazon. I won’t claim credit for their success. All I did was point the way. They did the hard work, and it’s quite possible that they ignored some of my advice. When I see them in person, they often thank me for the time I invested in them. That always warms my heart. I would be thrilled if someday you might also thank me for helping point the way to success. But I can’t guarantee that’ll ever happen.
I wish you success in your fiction writing, and that you’ll learn more about yourself as you develop your skills. Enjoy the journey!
Have fun!
Randy Ingermanson, Ph.D.