Hey, Bayou
Writers!
Dennis here, and
I’m starting a
semi-periodic post to our blog concentrating on the short story form, including
flash and micro fiction, and, frankly, anything else that strikes my fancy.
A couple of
meetings back, I highlighted the Nov/Dec 2014 issue of Writers Digest, which
had an guest column specifically aimed at short story writers: Anne R. Allen’s article in the Inkwell column
entitled “Short is the
New Long”. I’ve been drawn to short stories for
several reasons, chiefly: 1) They force you to be economical and precise in
your writing, and 2) They allow for multiple experimentation in genre, style,
voice, whatever, over a reasonable period of time. Even if you’re writing a novel and it’s taking you years, taking time off
to write a few short stories can restore your creative juices.
So writing short
stories can be good for your craft, but what if you want to be a published,
author whose work people actually read? And pay for? Allen’s article addresses just this issue.
Here is the “Readers
Digest” version,
but I urge you to check out the full column:
SHORT IS THE NEW
LONG
“[Many
writers equate] short fiction with those finger exercises piano students do
before they graduate to real music. If you’re serious about a career in fiction,
you write novels….right?”
“Wrong. Short
stories are having a revival in the digital age….thanks to consumers who want quick
bites of information… It seems the short story is back—on an iPhone near you.
“Here are
nine factors working in favor of a short story renaissance:”
“1. SMALL,
PORTABLE SCREENS ARE CHANGING THE WAY WE READ. ‘The single-serving quality of a short
narrative is the perfect art for for the digital age…Stories are models of concision, can
be read in one sitting, are infinitely downloadable and easily consumed on
small screens,’ bestselling short-story writer Amber Dermont told The New
York Times.”
“When Amazon
in 2011 launched its Kindle Singles program—which publishes works of fiction or
creative nonfiction of 5,000 to 30,000 words—it sold more than 2 million short
titles in 14 months….Today, [Amazon is] further promoting short fiction with a
Short Reads section…and Day One magazine, which showcases short fiction
from new authors. (Find submission guidelines at tinyurl.com/pwc2lrj.)”
“2.
ANTHOLOGIES ARE HOT. Multi-author anthologies are a great sales tool, and they’ve been reborn in the e-book space,
where they’re
inexpensive to put together and provide wide visibility.”
“3.
PUBLICATION IDENTIFIES YOU AS A PROFESSIONAL. If you’re on a career track, you need to
show agents, publishers, and reviewers you’re serious. Placing stories in
respected literary journals will do that.”
“4.
NETWORKING WITH SHORT FICTION EDITORS CAN FURTHER YOUR CAREER. Editors at small
magazines often have connections in the publishing world.”
“5.
FILMMAKERS BUY RIGHTS TO SHORT STORIES.”
“6. ONLINE
RETAILERS FAVOR AUTHORS WITH MORE TITLES. The more titles you have in an online
bookstore, the more visible you are.”
“7. SHORT
FICTION CONTESTS CAN BUILD YOUR BIO. Contests are easy to find and enter in the
Internet era….(fundsforwriters.com) and (winningwriters.com) are good free sources for vetted and
free contests, and established publications (including WD) often sponsor
competitions that provide opportunities for authors in all genres. A win or
even honorable mention looks great in a query or bio. Some of the biggest
awards…are still
for short fiction, sometimes offering a prize as high as a standard novel
advance, as do the Pushcart and O. Henry Prizes.”
“8. SHORTS
KEEP FANS ENGAGED AND DRAW NEW ONES. Forward-looking agents encourage authors
to self-publish short stories—especially when writing a series. Shorts keep fans interested
while they’re waiting
for the next book, and a free story in between is a great marketing tool. …a couple of shorts about your main
character…may get you
through a tricky spot in the big work and give you a salable product for
laters. (Also, many great novels started as shorts. A story about a minor
character may expand into a novel of its own.)”
“9. TODAYS
SHORTS STORIES MAKE MONEY AND HOLD THEIR VALUE. Per word, a story can make more
money than a novel. Not only does it take less time to write, …[it may sell for] the same price as a
novel-length e-book…Some large magazines still publish short fiction, and such
publications as Asimov’s, Ellery Queen, and Woman’s World still pay top dollar for
genre stories…”
“Short stories…can keep your prose from getting
flabby. Don’t give up
your magnum opus, but try a few ideas out in short stories. You’ll be grateful you have inventory
when opportunity comes knocking.”
[Anne R. Allen is
the author of seven comic mysteries and co-author of How to Be a Writer in
the E-Age: A self-Help Guide, written with Catherine Ryan Hyde.]
The full article
may be found on pages 10-11 in the Nov/Dec 2014 issue of Writers Digest or on WritersDigest.com at
http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/9-ways-writing-short-stories-can-pay-off-for-writers
