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We have heard it said that it’s easier to get published than to acquire an agent. We have also heard it said that to get published you must have an agent; to get an agent, you must be published. It is enough to confuse the most logical mind, and, so, we stopped worrying and learned to love the process. Sarah Weinman looks at how connections can help an author — let’s face it, networking is part of any business situation. If you’re not doing it, you’re not doing your full job. Sarah’s column discusses how connections are made, and we’d like to add one: writing contests. Especially if you’re a genre fiction writer (we are not literary, so have less experience there). We’ve seen first-hand how finalling in a contest leads to a working relationship with an editor — one that culminates in publication. Sure we’d all prefer it if we could have our brilliance plucked out of the slush pile…but we think being proactive is a better approach.

• Publishing’s So-Called Mystique