Popularity is Matters, But Not A Guarantee: Writing |

Many novice writers complain that the mainstream mass media only accepts articles from big writers. Writers just starting out in their careers don't get a place. Published articles are only works of well-known authors.

That statement is heard frequently and is not always true. Big names are important, but it's not a guarantee that a great author's work will be accepted right away. The proof, there are several well-known and senior writers who admit that their articles are often rejected.

So, this should be a great source of motivation for budding writers. Don't be afraid to send articles to the media, even the mainstream mass media!

The big-name aspect does make a difference. But let's not forget other aspects: What we write, when to send it (momentum), and how to write it.

Quality remains paramount

A piece of writing that is difficult for editors to refuse is good writing, written in a compelling manner, at the right time, by a person with the same capacity.

When a writer is sent by a novice writer but is presented in an attractive manner, with an in-depth review and in accordance with current issues, the editor is also difficult to refuse. Big names are not always guaranteed.

The short story _ "In Tarra's Body, In the Womb of a Tree" _, became the best short story of choice for Kompas 2014. This short story was written by Faisal Oddang, a student whose short story was published for the first time in Kompas. In fact, many other top writers have become masters in Indonesian literature.

So, don't feel inferior if you don't have a big name. Senior writers were also juniors at first. They go through a long process starting from learning to write, sending to the mass media, being rejected, and writing again. It takes hard work before you have a big name. The title of senior author is obtained by work, not senior due to age. If the age is old but the work is not yet available, it means that the writer is old.

The big-name here includes the writer's position on the topic of writing that is raised. Sometimes, an opinion is published because the author is considered to have the capacity for the issues raised. []