Brian Lindenmuth has posted an interesting topic for discussion over at Spinetingler Magazine. Is it feasible or even possible to collect online stories in a year's best anthology and would readers be willing to purchase such a collection? Join the discussion at http://www.spinetinglermag.com/2010/04/08/why-we-need-an-annual-best-of-anthology-for-stories-published-online/ It would be an awesome feat if it could be done. And Brian's right that we do need some way to keep a record of the stories that have been published online so they're not lost forever.
While you're over at Spinetingler, they've posted several more Conversations with the Bookless that are worth a read plus a new short story. And don't forget to vote for the Spinetingler Awards if you haven't already. Voting is open to the public so take a moment and support the writers who give you so much reading pleasure.
A with a hat tip to Terry Farley Moran we have this year's Wolfmont's Charity anthology. Tony Burton has decided to use the profits for "Homes for our Troops" instead of Toys for Tots this year. He's looking for short stories of 2000 to 4000 words with a military theme. There's no pay except the knowledge that you've donated to a worthy charity. The deadline is June 15. You can find all the details and an overview of the new charity at http://www.wolfmont.com/eagles/eagles-submissions%20call.html
8 comments:
This is basically what Jon Strother has done with the #fridayflash twitter tag.
http://jmstrother.com/MadUtopia/?p=204
Though, it's credibility was dented by letting me in.
Congrats, Anton! That looks like a fun project!
And when I think about it, it's also what Aaron Polson does with http://52stitches.blogspot.com/
He calls for submissions for 52 stories in a year, posts them one a week on his blog and then gathers it up into a book at the end of the year.
http://www.amazon.com/Fifty-Two-Stitches-Horror-Stories-1/dp/0982026625
There are several zines out there that have done this. Mouth Full of Bullets, Plots with Guns and ThugLit are the only crime zines that come to mind, but I don't know if they sold enough issues to make it worth the time and effort.
To be cynical, I wonder if that's why flash fiction is becoming quite popular with small press anthologies. If your (non-paying) book has fifty or sixty sub-1000 word stories in it, you're probably guaranteed at least a couple of hundred sales after people have bought copies for friends and family.
It does guarantee sales, Anton, plus you have a great many more authors spreading the word. The more talking about the book, the more possible sales. And when you're looking for markets, sometimes cynical is a good thing!
Thanks, Sandra, for linking to Wolfmont's latest project.
Tony Burton has found another worthy cause and I'm sure the mystery writing community will get behind him.
Terrie
I'm sure they weill, Terry, and this does sound like a very worthy cause!
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