Publishing Story Collections and Anthologies

Do you want to showcase your stories in a book? Do you want to become an anthology editor and select other author's short works? Does your writers' group plan a publication for its members? In this book, Rayne Hall shows you the professional way of publishing a collection of short tales, how to choose, organise, edit and present them, how to reach audiences and persuade readers to buy this book. You'll learnHow to find fantastic storiesWhich themes have the greatest potential for successCreating guidelines for contributorsHow to select the right submissionsPhrasing rejections and acceptancesHow to structure the contents, which tale to place at the start and which at the endEditing techniquesHow to use teasers to hook readersIf, when and how much to pay the contributorsWhat to put into the publishing agreementsPitfalls to avoidHow to secure book reviews, guest post slots and social media attentionand much more, taking your project to a professional level. You'll get a look at the best ways to present an book showcasing your writers' group, and how to publish an anthology to raise funds for a charity. Is a collection the same as an anthology? 'Collection' is a broad category which includes 'anthology'. If you gather several stories in a book, it's a collection, regardless of the number of authors involved. Only if the stories are by multiple authors, it's an anthology. So, an anthology is a collection, but not every collection is an anthology. While most chapters in this guide apply to either, some equip you with the specific skills you need as an anthology editor. Rayne Hall has worked in publishing for 40 years, and during this time she edited many anthologies - some in the employ of publishing houses, others for her my own publishing business, Rayne Hall Ltd - and also collections of her own works. ln this guide, she shares her experiences so you can learn from them without needing to make your own mistakes.