You’ve heard anthologies are a way to break into the writing business, but you’re not sure whether, or how, to submit? Well, you’ve surfed to the right blog. This is an area where Poseidon’s Scribe has some experience. Seven of my stories are published in anthologies.
An anthology is a collection of stories, often sharing something in common and usually written by a variety of contributing writers. Anthologies appeal to readers because they can sample the writing of unfamiliar authors and enjoy a smorgasbord of different styles. Publishers like anthologies because readers like to pay for them, payment to authors tends to be low, and sometimes anthologies can sell very well.
Why do authors write for them? For beginning writers, anthologies may just be the easiest way to get a story in print and to start establishing writing credentials. Also, sometimes the theme is so compelling you just feel the urge to write that story! An anthology can be the very thing you need to break out of a writing slump.
In a future blog post, I’ll discuss how to find out about upcoming anthologies. For now, let’s assume you’ve just read a publisher’s call for stories to fill an anthology. This one’s looking for tales that involve musk oxen, the theme of the anthology. As you surf the publisher’s website you see they usually publish horror, and that’s not a genre that interests you. So you ignore that call for stories and move on.
Then a day or two goes by and you find you can’t stop thinking about musk oxen. Your brain keeps re-chewing the mental cud of numerous story lines. Some of the ideas might even make good horror stories. What’s going on? Your muse is offering you a deal If you can stampede away from your comfort zone, then your muse agrees to whisper a steady stream of musk oxen story ideas, scenes, plot lines, and characters.
So you sit down to write a story about a musk ox. Of the various ideas roaming the fields of your mind, which one do you pick? Here’s my view. Don’t select the most obvious one, or two. Other writers will have grazed those grasses already and that lessens the chance of the editor accepting your story. I suggest aiming for the edge of the anthology’s theme. Look for a different angle, a thematic twist that will make your story unique. Ensure your story idea still fits within the anthology’s rules, but just within the border of those rules. Also, consider if you could market your story elsewhere, should your story get rejected for this anthology.
You finish your story and now you’re checking the anthology’s rules one more time before submitting. Here’s something you missed before. “Payment for this anthology will be hardened, dried musk ox droppings (or monetary equivalent).” What the–? Payment for anthologies is often low. Still, if you’re a beginning writer, payment is not the most important thing for you right now. Exposure is; getting a story in print is; establishing a writing credential is. Plus you never know when an anthology can really take off.
The scenario above happened to me. When I saw the call for horror stories involving fish, I skipped right over it. My muse didn’t. She wouldn’t let go, even when I explained to her I don’t write horror stories and asked her who would buy such a book. Are there really that many fishermen out there who enjoy horror stories? Shows what I know about what appeals to the public! Dead Bait by Severed Press, in which my story “Blood in the River” appears, remains the best-selling anthology of which I’m a part. Who knew?
For you publishers, the idea of a musk ox anthology is free for the taking, and please don’t credit me with it! For you writers, please understand I am not publishing an anthology. Do not send any musk ox stories to…
Poseidon’s Scribe
