Submitting a Collection of Novellas

Niccolo · Feb 19, 2013

Hello all

I'm Niccolo, and I have a few questions to ask, so please bear with me.

I usually creep around the W1S1 forums and have so far only dabbled in flash fiction and short stories, but I have an increasing interest writing longer pieces, namely novellas.

Some of my favorite books aren't full novels at all, but rather collections of novellas. I've always been interested in trying my hand at this but have almost no idea where to start (besides writing the actual stories). How does one go about submitting a collection of four or five novellas for consideration/publication? Also, how do you find publishers for longer works? I know plenty of magazines that buy short fiction but have little to no idea of how to find big-name publishers for longer works. It's too much to ask for a complete list of publishers, I know, but if someone can just point me in the right direction, I would be eternally grateful.

I know this is a lot to ask of people who are busy with their own work, but I would appreciate any answers or advice any of you can offer. Again, thank you for any help you can provide.

As a side note, I'll write these novellas regardless of whether or not I find a market for them. I don't wrte just to sell, sell, sell, but it would be nice to publish a collection; it's my equivalent of writing that best-selling novel. It's my writing dream.

Beachgirl · Feb 19, 2013

What genre are you planning to write in? Many ePublishers accept unagented novella submissions, but they usually publish them one at a time as part of a series, rather than all together. You can also submit novellas for specific anthology calls through many of these same ePubs.

LJD · Feb 20, 2013

I suspect a collection of novellas from an unknown author is a pretty tough (nearly impossible) sell in trade publishing. Like a collection of short stories, if not harder.

I've actually never read a collection of novellas by one author. I'm curious to know which ones you like? My boyfriend owns exactly one; it's by Stephen King.

I agree with Beachgirl's advice about e-pubs.

elindsen · Feb 20, 2013

I agree to check epubs.

willietheshakes · Feb 20, 2013

Niccolo said:
As a side note, I'll write these novellas regardless of whether or not I find a market for them. I don't wrte just to sell, sell, sell, but it would be nice to publish a collection; it's my equivalent of writing that best-selling novel. It's my writing dream.

Write them first, then worry about the route to publication.

Actually, that's a pretty standard answer.

Niccolo · Feb 20, 2013

willietheshakes said:
Write them first, then worry about the route to publication.

Actually, that's a pretty standard answer.

As good advice as any. Let's get started on that

u.v.ray · Feb 21, 2013

As has aready been mentioned, it depends on what kind of thing you're writing.

Or whether these series of books are inter-related. If they are it will be much, much harder to capture any interest from a publisher.

As single publications both novellas and short story collections are currently enjoying a renaissance on the small press scene. Although many of these publishers tend to focus more on literary fiction. Novellas were once hugely popular; George Bataille's Story of the Eye springs to my mind, widely acknowledged as a 20th Century erotic masterpiece.

Submitting a Collection of Novellas

Niccolo

Beachgirl

Not easily managed

LJD

elindsen

Zombie lovin'

willietheshakes

Gentleman. Scholar. Bastard.

Niccolo

u.v.ray

greatest writer of his generation