It is not always the person who writes a book and gets it printed immediately who becomes a published author. There are signs of prospective authors in people who tend to print copies of their work to distribute at the mall, write something pithy on a restaurant napkin for the wait staff and those who just don’t have any inhibitions of writing their views and thoughts just wherever they go.

Today, the internet has made it possible for more people to become published authors. Having posted your story on the web is sufficient to be considered a published author. However to post your story on the web, some publishers accept work only if they are provided with first and exclusive rights to the book.

So if you have already published your work on the web, these exclusive rights are no longer available. However look around as there are some publishers who also accept second rights or non-exclusive reprint rights for books that have been published before.

One of the benefits of opting for web publishing to become an author is that it permits your audience to read your work, while you receive a feedback on your work. To succeed in writing, you need as many avenues possible to let your work be seen on the web. And the web does just that for you.

With web publishing, your portfolio grows and shows potential publishers that your work has already been accepted in other venues. So the more the publishing credits you have, the better is the chance of a publisher reviewing your work a little closer.

Even getting your work accepted in an ezine, participating in a writing contest and having your work printed in the local newspaper are all signs of a published author. With so many avenues available for you to turn to to become a published author today, your dream to become a published author is not too far away.