INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Sending your manuscript straight to the publisher might save agent expenses, but it takes a very long time for those nice and capable and busy publishers and editors to get through what is commonly known as "The Slush Pile".  There is a reason why it's called that.  Get a literary agent. They're not cheap, but they make a writer's work easy. Many publishing houses (as stated above) only work through literary agents.  Send your work to them, they're nice and they really help.  But, make sure that you give them exactly what they ask for, if you don't they are disinclined from the start to represent you. And that will only make things harder.  When you look for an agent, find one who is interested in the genre of book that you're writing in.  Read a good article on writing query letters, get some practice, don't go over a page, and follow the agent's preferences.  If they say to only send snail mail, then send snail mail.  If they want the first chapter, don't give them the whole book. Try agentquery.com for a first look. It may be hard to find an agent. However, it can be really useful, so persevere. Your agent will bring your book to publishers that he/she thinks are likely to publish it, and many publishers nowadays will only deal with authors through a literary agent. You will have to find one who is available and send a query letter. Don't be afraid if one rejects you, just go on to the next one. Even J.K. Rowling was rejected, twelve times, when she tried to publish Harry Potter. As honest as you want to be with the agents that you're querying, it is best not to tell them your age. You'd be surprised how many authors (even the adult ones) don't tell the agents how old they are. If you write your query and manuscript well enough, the agents will let the writing speak for itself, and they won't even realize that you're thirteen, or fourteen, or one hundred and seventeen. If they like it they'll call, regardless of your age and past credentials. If the agent makes you feel uncomfortable in any way, then you end the conversation as quickly as possible. Don't be taken advantage of.  "Yes, thank you so very much. But I've had a few other offers (even if you haven't, still use this. It's polite, it's a white lie, and it's better to put off a bad agent and wait for a good one, bad agents won't help you.) and I'd like to think about them.   I thank you very much for your time.  Should I contact you if I decide that I would like you to represent me, or should we work out something else?"  Or something like that.  A bad agent gets you nowhere. Send your work to multiple agents at a time.  They're good, but few are miracle workers, and they're very busy.  They've got dozens upon dozens of manuscripts to read besides yours. In your query, don't forget to thank the agent(s) for their valuable time: the time that might interest them in your work and get you published.  Besides, it's common courtesy. Note that not every publishing company online is safe and true. Don't let them look down on you for your age; get your royalties settled, talk about what you want for cover art, express your opinion.  You'll probably want to bring an experienced adult friend to be your advisor with royalties and such.  Different companies will work in different ways and expect different things, but they will keep you in the loop. Enjoy the process, although it takes time. When an agent calls - and gives you the call - then be happy.  Be polite, and courteous, and thank them very much for reading what you've written.  Be humble; do not compare your work to best sellers or other books that they've represented or any other works at all.  It's bad form. You can ask questions; even literary agents don't know everything. Be professional and when they ask your age, if they ask your age, be very mature and tell them exactly how old you are. Lying will not help, you cannot sign a contract when you are under eighteen - it's illegal - and lying will only come back and bite you in the butt. You are now a published author.  Sign up for public readings, author and book events in the neighborhood.  Do a book signing at your library.  And be proud of yourself.  You worked hard.

SUMMARY: Look for an agent. Send your finished product straight to the publisher, or your literary agent. When your agent finds you a publisher, you will be able to work from there with the publishing company. Get your book out there.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Even if people are mean to you, be nice to everyone at school. Don’t gossip or start rumors. When you talk to people, be polite and kind. If you are nice to everyone, no one can say anything bad about you. Smile at people and don’t avoid making eye contact. Vent out all your painful emotions. All the things you want to say out loud but may feel to scared or shy to say, write them down. Write down what is happening and how you are feeling.  You can write all of your painful feelings out on a paper and then burn it safely. Especially if you are shy, having a journal to express your feelings can be helpful. Exercise is a great way to bust stress and help you feel good about yourself. If going to the gym isn’t your thing, there are plenty of things you can do to move and sweat. Jump on a trampoline, take your dog for a walk, or ride your bike.  You can also dance, ice skate, or do tae-bo. Do things that interest you and that you enjoy! Learn a new skill. Learning something new can increase your confidence as well as show you your progress as you keep working with it. While it may feel like nobody likes you, you can try to join different clubs or teams to make friends that share similar interests as you. This can be at school or outside of school. Look into different clubs at school such as drama club, yearbook, poetry club, and activities like music or sports. Outside of school you can join like karate, dance, and spiritual organizations.  Think about what may interest you, then go check it out. You may feel weird or out of place at first, but give it a shot. Sometimes the hardest part is going to your first meeting. You might feel really anxious or tell yourself all kinds of stories that no one will like you or that you’ll be ignored. Don’t listen to any of it! Just go one time, and give it a try. Remember that all the people there share that same interest. Try getting to know other club members by asking them, “When did you first get into photography?” or, “How long have you done karate?” or, “Who’s your favorite poet?” Instead of dwelling on thoughts that nobody likes you or that people are mean to you, change your perception. There’s no need to replay negative situations in your head over and over. By focusing on the past on your negative experience, you actually empower the people that hurt you. Instead, empower yourself by creating positive thoughts about yourself.  It may be easy to get stuck on a loop of when people rejected you. (“What did I do? What could I have done differently? Why were they so mean?”) but get off that loop as soon as possible. These people do not define who you are, and their opinion is only an opinion, not a fact. . Think about the positive qualities you possess (like being kind, compassionate, caring, and generous) and your unique abilities (such as being a great dancer and big brother).

SUMMARY:
Be nice to everyone. Write in a journal. Increase your confidence. Join sports or clubs. Focus on positive experiences.