Short story collections - agents/marketing?

Reputable agents and publishers are reluctant to take on short story collections as the market for them is so small. If you're writing longer-length works too, you might find representation and publication.

My chosen route was to submit my shorter fictions and poetry to magazines and literary journals, and to enter them into competitions. It was surprisingly lucrative once I worked out how to match works to publications: I won loads of prizes, and had quite a few stories published.

I know this isn't what you're asking for. But the advantage to you is that once your stories have earned their keep and been published in those journals and magazines you could then publish a collection of them, and get a second round of income from them through sales of that collection. Just an idea.

That's what I did, too. Got the stories published elsewhere first, then self-published my collection. You get readers from having the stories out in magazines, anthologies, etc. first, too. Of course it wouldn't hurt to try for an agent or small press, either.

Galumph_Triumph said:

This is very helpful, thanks to both of you. Would it be a bad idea to publish the collection first, and then enter them into competitions second? Would they even publish them if they were already published in a book?

And, if it's not too much to ask, where would I begin looking for places to submit those stories?

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I'm in the same boat but I've heard publishers want first publication rights so won't go for previously published material. There is a market for story compilations, even if it's just me. The market would probably increase if they put more out there.

My plan though is to self publish my own collection once I'm satisfied with the quality. But I'm not looking for an income from it but beer tokens would be nice.

Suppose it depends on your overall aspirations. Success and promotion does seem to rest with the trade press for now.

Many book publishers want a good percentage of the stories in a collection to have been previously published in magazines, etc., first. (This differs from book publishers' stance on previously published books, which they usually don't want). But many magazines, anthologies, and contests do not accept stories that have been previously published. I would try to get some of the stories individually published in magazines, etc., first.

For places to send stories, check out duotrope.com ($5 a month) or submission grinder (free).

Publish the collection after the stories have won prizes or been published in journals: it'll give you a few good things to use to promote the collection with, if you so desire; and as others have said, most prizes and journals prefer unpublished stories.

Don't forget to check that rights have reverted to you before you include stories in your collections.

By and large, publishers want stories that have previously been published in magazines. This is what separates the crap from the quality submissions. The market is not large for collections, but a number are released every year. To begin, start submitting short stories to magazines and anthologies. The simple fact is that if your stories aren't good enough to sell to magazines and anthologies, they aren't good enough to be published in any way at all.

WriterDude said:

I'm in the same boat but I've heard publishers want first publication rights so won't go for previously published material. .

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I don't know where you heard that, but it's dead wrong. Publishers want stories than have been previously published. Pick up some collections and check. Nearly every story will have been published in a magazine or anthology, with maybe one or two new stories thrown in to entice more readers.

WriterDude said:

I'm in the same boat but I've heard publishers want first publication rights so won't go for previously published material.

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I don't think this qualifies with regard to short stories for collections. for longer works? definitely.

what do I know though?

FWIW, I've bought a couple of one-author collections because I'd read and enjoyed several of the authors' works in mystery magazines, (Ellery Queen and Alfred Hitchcock) and liked them enough to see if there were more available.