It seems like every other publishing house site I visit has a "No anthologies" exclamation to go with their submission guidelines. What about the ones that don't? Are anthologies generally seen by publishers as a hard sell or what?
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What's the overall consensus on anthologies?
- Thread starter chekzchevov
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I'm not sure if you really mean anthologies (stories by multiple authors) or collections (stories by one author), but either way, they rarely sell as well as novels.
Anthologies are usually agreed between the editor and publisher before seeking out stories. It's unusual to accept stories when you have no idea who (if anyone) will publish it. Known editors and big name authors are common ways to help sell an anthology to readers.
Collections tend to happen when the publisher approaches the author, due to the author having some success in short fiction publishing. It's unusual for an unknown to get a collection published (not to say it doesn't happen, but it's not common).
Basically, if there isn't some sort of marketing hook, it's unlikely you'll sell it.
Anthologies are usually agreed between the editor and publisher before seeking out stories. It's unusual to accept stories when you have no idea who (if anyone) will publish it. Known editors and big name authors are common ways to help sell an anthology to readers.
Collections tend to happen when the publisher approaches the author, due to the author having some success in short fiction publishing. It's unusual for an unknown to get a collection published (not to say it doesn't happen, but it's not common).
Basically, if there isn't some sort of marketing hook, it's unlikely you'll sell it.
Small, specialist presses are often more open to publishing collections and anthologies. That doesn't mean they manage to sell many more copies of them than a larger press would, though.
Both are very difficult to sell in quantity, and anthologies by their nature can be a nightmare to edit. There are problems at both ends of the production of the book. It's not surprising that few publishers will take them, but I do love a good one.
Both are very difficult to sell in quantity, and anthologies by their nature can be a nightmare to edit. There are problems at both ends of the production of the book. It's not surprising that few publishers will take them, but I do love a good one.
An anthology is a collection of storie sby many different writers, most of whom are well known. A collection is a bunch of stories by teh same writer, who had better be well-published.
Most anthologies and collections do not sell well at all, so publishers usually only want them under special circumstances. A well-known editor can often get the go-ahead for an anthology of well-known writers, and a well-know writer such as Stephen King can almost always find a good publisher for a collection of his short stories, but an unknown writer is usually just SOL.
Most anthologies and collections do not sell well at all, so publishers usually only want them under special circumstances. A well-known editor can often get the go-ahead for an anthology of well-known writers, and a well-know writer such as Stephen King can almost always find a good publisher for a collection of his short stories, but an unknown writer is usually just SOL.
... there are a fair number of agents who handle short story collections. There's a category on agentquery.com, if I'm not mistaken. Before pitching one, though, you really do need to be published somewhere respectable. One story in a mag like Asimov's might at least get you consideration.
But if you present an agent or publisher with a sample story that blows their socks off, who's to say. They might take a gamble. Stranger things have happened. G'luck.
But if you present an agent or publisher with a sample story that blows their socks off, who's to say. They might take a gamble. Stranger things have happened. G'luck.
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My friend George Wilhite's horror stories have been published in numerous magazines over the years. A few years back he self-published a short story collection. He now has another short story collection published through Musa Publishing. He happens to be an incredible writer too.