Something Jem said has prompted me to have a go at submitting a collection of shorts. I know the chances of it happening are slimmer than a lottery win, but am in suck it and see mode (at least they're written) and wondered if anyone had any advice.

Was thinking of trying Salt, as they publish Chrissie Gittins whose work I love and I think they sound like a very good company - hope that's not aiming too high.

Got a mix of stories, several set in Africa where I worked for a while, several in and around Newcastle on Tyne. The characters are linked and cross over in some stories. (Like Helen Dunmore's Love of Fat Men, er, in that respect only, not saying I'm up there with her.) Other shorts have nothing in common with the rest. They vary in length from 1000 to 7 000 words, but many hit the 2 200 mark as they were originally written and edited as comp subs. Are longer pieces more appropriate for a collection? Should I try and place them in an obvious order, say chronological, or just try and refresh the reader by putting very different stories after each other? Any advice on what to submit as a sample?

Thanks very much
Cherys

<Added>

Post title should read Any advice on not of. Early morning doziness not illiteracy.

Others will know more than me, but I'd be inclined to submit my two or three best stories, unless the submission guidelines say otherwise. When it comes to arranging, I think I'd look for some kind of rhythm. Obviously kicking off with one of your strongest stories, but then perhaps a balance of quiet then loud, fast-moving then contemplative? If you have linked stories it can work to put them together, tho' sometimes when I meet that in a collection, it makes the rest of the stories look like a bit of a makeweight or afterthought, even if in fact they're some of your best. In which case it might be better to space them out and rely on the reader to make the connections. If you get a contract your editor will have views, too.

As well as Salt, who are fab, you could try Comma Press, Maia, maybe Iron Press. If you can persuade them you have Welsh connections you could try Seren. And/or have a browse in this listing of indie presses:

http://www.branching-out.net/independent/default.asp

Best of luck with it. Despite all the gloom I know more than one writer whose first publishing contract was for a short fiction collection, so it can be done!

Emma

I'd agree with Emma - unless the publisher guidelines are different, sending two or three stories will give a flavour for them to come back to you if they want more. Be sure to put a list of all the named stories in there too (rather like a synopsis) with publication/competition details as well. As for order, again, as Emma suggested, but it's useful to think of length as well. It sounds as if you have some kind of order already with place, and you may want to think about ordering it like that, ie Africa, Newcastle - but also chronologically in how your character develops. My short story publisher, Bluechrome, are taking submissions, I know, so it might be worth looking at their website - www.bluechrome.co.uk. But all the others mentioned are great. There's a good short story website - www.theshortstory.org.uk - which has some interesting interviews with publishers and agents as well as writers.

Thanks Emma and Sharas.

I know the short story site - it's very good, I agree. Excellent advice on ordering of stories in collection, and of suggestions on who to try, especially bluechrome if they're looking for subs.


Cherys

Cherys, and anyone else interested, I'm running an interview with Jen from Salt in the next issue of Cadenza, (17) in which amongst other things, she talks about what she would like to see from prospective authors.

Zoe

Thank you Zoe.

Hey, good luck, cherys! I'm glad you've come down on the side of shorts - for now at least!!

Thanks Jem
Having a go at a second novel which feels less of a dark tunnel than the last but I do love shorts best so it seems silly not to even try to get them placed somewhere. It'll be a slow process I imagine...
Cherys

Hi, All
Excuse me for butting in. But I've not long joined writewords - and this was just the sort of discussion I was hoping to be part of. I started off writing short stories some years ago, but gave up when I could't place them anywhere. I started trying to write novels - with no more success - but much prefer the short story form, anyway, so have recently returned to it. To learn that there are some small press publishers out there who do take an interest is great. So, thanks a lot, EmmaD.

I've also been thinking I'd better start familiarising myself with magazines. ZK, am I right in thinking that Cadenza is such a mag?

Cheers for now.

Hi, All
Excuse me for butting in. But I've not long joined writewords - and this was just the sort of discussion I was hoping to be part of. I started off writing short stories some years ago, but gave up when I could't place them anywhere. I started trying to write novels - with no more success - but much prefer the short story form, anyway, so have recently returned to it. To learn that there are some small press publishers out there who do take an interest is great. So, thanks a lot, EmmaD.

I've also been thinking I'd better start familiarising myself with magazines. ZK, am I right in thinking that Cadenza is such a mag?

Cheers for now.

Hi, All
Excuse me for butting in. But I've not long joined writewords - and this was just the sort of discussion I was hoping to be part of. I started off writing short stories some years ago, but gave up when I could't place them anywhere. I started trying to write novels - with no more success - but much prefer the short story form, anyway, so have recently returned to it. To learn that there are some small press publishers out there who do take an interest is great. So, thanks a lot, EmmaD.

I've also been thinking I'd better start familiarising myself with magazines. ZK, am I right in thinking that Cadenza is such a mag?

Cheers for now.

Hi there,
Give these guys (the ones I used to work for) a shot:

www.heaventreepress.com.

The Africa connection could work with them.
Not having read your stuff or having been in touch with them for a while, I don't know, but I'd say it was worth a go. Jon Morley is the guy to contact. Good luck!

Welcome Buzzard.
Steerpike's sister, thanks for the tip.
Cherys

Is anyone familiar with McSweeney's, the American quarterly? It's my favourite of the moment - really diverse in the submissions they accept, and beautifully produced. I imagine the competition for submissions is really strong, but I'd recommend anyone interested in the short story to take a look.

Another excellent US mag is GlimmerTrain.

And while we're at it, in case there's anyone looking at this thread who doesn't know it, Duotrope's digest of markets for short fiction is hard to beat for range and fine-tune-ability:

http://www.duotrope.com/index.aspx

Emma