This past Sunday was another awe-inspiring gathering of Word on the Street. Throughout the day people in love with words came to Queen’s Park to listen to their favourite authors read, buy books at great prices, or simply just to have some of the trademark corn-on-the-cob.
However, buying books wasn’t the only reason to get excited. For all young authors out there, there are also great publishing opportunities that I was able to locate from isolated kiosks around the park.
The most prominent opportunity for youth I found was Wattpad, an online publishing site. It is well known for its mobility through mobile apps, and is free! It’s especially great if you just want to get your work noticed, discussed, and even have the opportunity to look at other creative works. From poetry, to short story, to even e-books, you can discover your next favourite story with a simple click and scroll.
Another really interesting idea I found was a way to publish your own work in a novelette format. It may take a little more work, but it looks appealing to the eye, and is a great way to express your creative side as well. It’s called the Chinese ‘Stab Bind’. By using it, you can literally string together your own personally anthology, requiring no glue whatsoever. I in fact bought one that was quite appealing, and although I’ve never heard of the author, I admired the ability of just being able to put one’s work out in the open. Here’s a link to start seeing how you can start your first novel or collection.
For anyone that didn’t go, it’s a great opportunity to expand your horizon for both reading and writing.
