Does anyone out there have a lead on publishers who take short story collections by a single author?
Short story collection
- Thread starter Merrywood
- Start date
- Status
This is not an area I have any strong personal experience in, but I am guessing the current lack of responses is due to lack of information.
1. What genre is your collection?
2. How many of the stories in the collection have been published in reputable magazines in your genre?
3. How well known is your name in your genre?
4. Any other publishing credits that might indicate a strong public interest in a collection of your short stories?
5. Do any of the publishers of your current credits handle short story collections according to their webpages? (some small presses which run magazines also push collections for authors they have become attached to)
Perhaps answers to these will draw out the posters with short story collection experience in your genre. And they will probably ask these questions anyway, so might as well get them answered now.
-Michelle
1. What genre is your collection?
2. How many of the stories in the collection have been published in reputable magazines in your genre?
3. How well known is your name in your genre?
4. Any other publishing credits that might indicate a strong public interest in a collection of your short stories?
5. Do any of the publishers of your current credits handle short story collections according to their webpages? (some small presses which run magazines also push collections for authors they have become attached to)
Perhaps answers to these will draw out the posters with short story collection experience in your genre. And they will probably ask these questions anyway, so might as well get them answered now.
-Michelle
Is there even much of a market for short fiction collections? Maybe for established authors. If you're already established, I'd just ask your agent about it.
I started to respond earlier and suggest antologybuilder.com, but I decided that really wasn't what you were looking for. Anthologybuilder is a print on demand short story colletion builder, but you're looking for a publisher who would publish your stories in a collection.
My understanding is that it is really, really hard to interest a publisher in a short story collection unless you are already a pretty well established author.
But there are always exceptions...
My understanding is that it is really, really hard to interest a publisher in a short story collection unless you are already a pretty well established author.
But there are always exceptions...
- Joined
- Nov 3, 2006
- Messages
- 372
- Reaction score
- 26
- Location
- The pacific NW
- Website
- ingemarwrites.wordpress.com
I know this probably isn't the suggestion you were hoping for, but I have published three short story books. One on Elizabethan history, and two general short story books. They are all with Lulu. You can get a distribution package. My books have only been out for about a month, but they are selling.
I think it is as hard to interest a mainstream publisher to publish short stories as it is to publish poetry, if you are a relatively unknown author.
Bo
I think it is as hard to interest a mainstream publisher to publish short stories as it is to publish poetry, if you are a relatively unknown author.
Bo
- Joined
- May 2, 2008
- Messages
- 1,656
- Reaction score
- 206
- Location
- Charlotte, NC
- Website
- shortstory.us.com
Some magazines like wordriot try their hand at publishing collections of their regular contributors. I have seen this in a number of places. I would just suggest keep putting your work out there, try to build up relationships with different editors as well as publishers who do print anthologies and hope for the best.
Have your short stories been published in any magazines? (Online or in print) If the answer is no, start there.
I've known a couple of people have short story collections published by Salt Publishing.
http://www.saltpublishing.com/
Prior to having their collections published, each had built up credibility in online and dead tree literary magazines and short story competitions.
Cheers,
Rob
http://www.saltpublishing.com/
Prior to having their collections published, each had built up credibility in online and dead tree literary magazines and short story competitions.
Cheers,
Rob
Last edited:
A lot of...
the Small Presses do publish short story collections
BUT
they are either collections of shorts which they have previously published, are collections which have won the Press's annual short story collection comp. or are very literary collections.
You have to do your research and be prepared to offer individual stories to the zine or mag first. Or put together your best stories for a comp.
Try googling Small Presses and then look at each website links page which will take you to more Small Presses.
the Small Presses do publish short story collections
BUT
they are either collections of shorts which they have previously published, are collections which have won the Press's annual short story collection comp. or are very literary collections.
You have to do your research and be prepared to offer individual stories to the zine or mag first. Or put together your best stories for a comp.
Try googling Small Presses and then look at each website links page which will take you to more Small Presses.
Last edited:
Have you checked out http://www.agentquery.com/agent.aspx?agentid=917 Some agents accept them. The site also has information on publishers.
Anyone have any other details, about where to submit short stories for contests? I do not believe that Writers Market includes this information.
I don't have the most recent Writer's Market, but the one I've got includes contests. Check the back, MisterEThoughts.
I imagine their online version (which is not free) might also have information on contests, if that's your preference.
And of course you can simply google "writing contests" "fiction contests" and so on.
Maryn, who's won some truly wretched prizes, including a PublishAmerica novel
I imagine their online version (which is not free) might also have information on contests, if that's your preference.
And of course you can simply google "writing contests" "fiction contests" and so on.
Maryn, who's won some truly wretched prizes, including a PublishAmerica novel
- Status