Published Shorts

katiemac · Dec 28, 2005

I was in B&N yesterday and was surprised to find a published paperback of Annie Proulx's short story, Brokeback Mountain. I picked up the book, expecting a few other of her shorts to accompany the main title, but nope -- just Brokeback. Obviously this is an ingenious ploy since the story is now a major motion picture garnering lots of Oscar buzz, but still I was surprised to see the book in stores.

I can't remember seeing any other short stories published this way, even after they've been turned into films. Perhaps because those shorts were already part of an anthology? Brokeback can be found in anthology as well, but I didn't see any of those lying around.

So what exactly is cost-reward for publishers for printing a book so short? Brokeback is a bit on the longer side for a short, but since they're selling it close to full-length novel price -- $9.99 -- it's apparently balancing out for them.

veinglory · Dec 28, 2005

Smart folk will realise they can get the anthology this story originally came in for the same price (I seem to recall it was called 'Wyoming Stories')

They only way that pricing/format would work otherwise is -- well a multi-award nominated smash movie for promo.

trumancoyote · Dec 28, 2005

Maya Angelou published Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem.
It's 32 pages and $9.95.

But then, she's Maya Angelou... I'd buy it.

Jamesaritchie · Dec 28, 2005

Shorts

With the right name on the cover, many will buy a single story at whatever price, and when they do the profit margin is very high.

emeraldcite · Dec 28, 2005

Michael Chabon's short novell The Final Solution. Expensive, but very good.

Mark Anderson · Dec 29, 2005

In the horror genre short chapbooks are very common, often of a single story and seldom more than 30 pages. Normally these are sold at cons, and often signed by the author.

Another interesting trend I've seen is author's who sell multimedia CDs of their work, usually them reading a few stories, but for the more artistic you might have a reading, the CD cover-art done by the author and even some music if they're in a band.

Mike Coombes · Dec 30, 2005

Mark Anderson said:
In the horror genre short chapbooks are very common, often of a single story and seldom more than 30 pages. Normally these are sold at cons, and often signed by the author.

Not sure that chapbooks count in the same league - they're more like authorial junk-mail.

Mark Anderson · Dec 30, 2005

Mike Coombes said:
Not sure that chapbooks count in the same league - they're more like authorial junk-mail.

Hmm. I guess I should toss these from Jack Ketchum, Poppy Z. Brite, Richard Matheson, Ed Lee, Brian Keene, Graham Masterton, Joe R. Lansdale, F. Paul Wilson....

I'm curious why you think they're like junk mail.

Mike Coombes · Dec 30, 2005

Printed on the same paper. but to a lower standard.

The chap book is, to my mind, akin to vanity publishing. or fanzines.

veinglory · Dec 30, 2005

I have a lot of respect for some of the chapbook makers especially in the horror genre, for the simple reason that the quality of the writing is astounding.

maestrowork · Dec 30, 2005

Publishers want to make money. With the hype about the movie, there's a lot of attention and demand for Annie Proulx's story. It's about 50 pages, I think, and there's almost no production or marketing costs, the potential profit is staggering. I think we'll see more of these shorts being re-released as stand-alone if there's a movie tie-in.

Ironically, Brokeback Mountain has been published multiple times (either in short format and as part of an anthology), and is also available online for free.

JA Konrath · Jan 22, 2006

Mark Anderson said:
Hmm. I guess I should toss these from Jack Ketchum, Poppy Z. Brite, Richard Matheson, Ed Lee, Brian Keene, Graham Masterton, Joe R. Lansdale, F. Paul Wilson....

I'm curious why you think they're like junk mail.

Some of those go for hundred of bucks on ebay. Collectors love limited edition chapbooks. And for many authors, it is the difference between the red and the black.

Published Shorts

katiemac

Five by Five

veinglory

volitare nequeo

trumancoyote

My Name is Sweet Thing

Jamesaritchie

emeraldcite

Art is Resistance

Mark Anderson

Mike Coombes

Guru

Mark Anderson

Mike Coombes

Guru

veinglory

volitare nequeo

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

JA Konrath