How to Become a Great Neopian Times Writer

      The Neopian Times has always been a place of inspiration and admiration for me. Always full of stories, awesome articles, and comics, but for years I wasn’t sure how to get published until I learned these steps.

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     Step 1: Write

      This step is an obvious one, but if you don’t write you have nothing to submit. For some, this step may feel hard. It certainly did for me, but I learned that this is the easiest step if you only worry about this step and not the others (like editing) while you are working.

      Tip One: Don’t stress about spelling and grammar yet, or even content just yet. That’s what editing and spell check are for.

      Tip Two: Write using the style that works best for you. If you prefer to write from your perspective than do it that way, making the narrator yourself. For me, I like to write in the third person, where the narrator is more of a spectator.

      Tip Three: Write in the place that feels most natural to you. Whether or not it’s on paper on the computer doesn’t matter. You’ll eventually want it on a saved word document for easier copy and pasting, and editing. (Sometimes a story needs a little more tweaking before it gets in and you don’t want to lose it if it doesn’t get in the first time.)

      Note: If you are making a comic, this would also be a good time to draw your first draft. For me when I draw comics I like to just get the picture on the page then I take my time perfecting it after the idea is done.

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     Step 2: Edit

      Alright now you’ve written your story, all your ideas are on paper, or er, Word, but anyway its there. Now is the part where you read what you wrote and decide if you feel it is ready. Read it first, then worry about spelling and grammar. You want to make sure it sounds natural and flows the way you want it. For me, this sometimes comes naturally. Other times it doesn’t until after I walk away and then come back to it. If you are still having trouble, have someone else read it.

      Once you are satisfied with spelling, grammar, and flow, you have to do one more thing and this is important: Check the Rules. If you haven’t already, double-check the rules for Neopian Times stories, articles, and comics, etc. There aren’t a lot of rules, and fanfic is great but not all of it belongs here. If you don’t follow the rules you don’t get in. That doesn’t mean your story isn’t any good it just means it is not a good fit for the Neopian Times.

     Don’t let the rules stress you out though, the important thing to remember is that the Neopian Times is meant for everyone in the Neopian community, but if you are still unsure a list of rules can be found by following the “Handy Tips” link on the submission page. (The submission

     page can be found at the bottom of the page on the left-hand side, follow the link and click the right button for your story/article/comic)

     Tip: Don’t forget to check your word count or comic size. You don’t want it to be too long or short for what you are trying to do.

      For stories that are too long, this is an easy fix if it is too long, as you can make it into series chunks. Just remember all parts of a series must be submitted together so the editor can review them all at once. No one wants to see a story discontinued before the end!

     For stories that are too short, make sure you have described all the characters in the story, and all the settings. This will give your story more of a “real” feel. The reader will be able to become more engrossed in your story if they can easily imagine the characters and places in your story.

     Comics can be a little harder to resize, I recommend talking to other comic artists and writers on the Neoboards for advice or checking Neopets official fan sites.

     Articles, make sure everything is clear and concise. If you are making a guide make sure you have all the helpful tips and pieces of advice that will make it easier for people to follow. If you are writing an interview or making a list, add questions or items. Maybe instead of ten questions or items, you can do fifteen. Give the reader a little more!

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     Step Three: This is easy peasy lemon squeezy! Its time to submit your work! Yay!

      At this point, you should be done with all the editing and checked the word count

     (you can skip the word count if you made a comic of course). Once you know your word count you’ll know right where to click.

      If you haven’t already you’ll also want to save your work somewhere on the computer. This way if it doesn’t get in the first time you can resubmit it. This is also important because this will allow you to copy and paste your work, or upload your file for comics. For series, there is a separate box for each part. (Make sure you end each part where you want it because the editor won’t change where each part ends and starts for you.)

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     Step Four: Okay I know I said step one and three were easy, but this is the easiest: Wait.

      So this part is also the hardest for me. All that is left to do once you have submitted your work, you wait for that magical neomail. Well, it might not be magical but the TNT will send you a neomail if you’re in!

      There are a couple of neomails you might receive from them. One is, of course, the “You’ve been accepted” neomail, sometimes this doesn’t mean the very next one. Here’s your trophy congrats!

      The second one you can get the no need to resubmit the editor is holding on to it. That doesn’t mean you’ve been rejected. Once they have decided to use it, which can be a while, or even right away, you get a second neomail with your congratulations and trophy!

      The third neomail I have received is the most disheartening. This is the “sorry but your story” just isn’t ready neomail. For a lot of writers, I have heard that if it breaks the rules or needs more editing they will tell you what they want you to change. Sometimes it is a matter of grammar and other times it has some things that aren’t right for the Neopian Times. For example, Mysteries are great, but pets or people can go missing, but we don’t want anything really bad happening to them if you know what I mean. Remember this site is for everyone, kids too.

     Tip: Reread your work, make sure it is everything you want it to be. Decide if it is right for the Neopian Times, if not maybe start back at step one. This doesn’t mean your writing isn’t any good, just not right for the NT. If it’s not, go back to step one and try again. You’ll get it, trust me, I went through a lot of trial and error before I got finished with this article or any of my other stories.

      Sometimes you have to wait a long time, and sometimes you don’t get a Neomail, or least there have been times I haven’t. Do not resubmit your work right away, as the editor might have a bunch of backed-up content to get through first! You’ll either get the “your story is submitted!” message or the hey “you’ve already submitted this” message. Either way, you just got to wait. It’s hard but it’s worth it!

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     Step Five: Okay this step is optional, you don’t really have to do this to be a great writer. I always do it though. Check out your work! Look at the thumbnail, for comics you can create your own, but for everything else Neopian Times Editors pick one. I love seeing what they pick. It is fun to see your title and your user name on that page!

      Tell your friends, celebrate! You did a great work writer!

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     And that’s all there is to it! If you follow these steps then you are sure to become a great writer! So get out there and start, writing, drawing and creating!