# Why don't readers buy short stories?



## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

There's been a lot of talk on the boards about short stories. Some writers have had success selling them, but for most, short stories are a tough sell. I can make a novel free and get 30,000 downloads. Make a short story free, and it gets 200 - 400 downloads. This tells me that the majority of readers simply don't like short stories. Or they DON'T THINK they like them. I have a fairly decent readership, but those readers won't even buy my short stories. So maybe short stories might appeal to a totally different audience.  (And when I say short, I mean stories that are 1000 - 8000.)  I don't know where I'm going with this.  Just been on my mind a lot, and I keep trying to come up with a way to boost interest in short stories.  I've started reading my short stories at speaking events because the length is really good for that type of thing. And response has been very positive in that setting.

I think short stories are more of an art form, and when most readers sit down to read they are sitting down to spend some time with characters. Not meet them briefly, then say goodbye.


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## Rashaad Bell (Oct 7, 2011)

I've found that my short stories don't really sell on kindle, however they do sell over at Barnes and Nobles. I have noticed that each platform has its own quirks. I sell more novels on kindle, but only have six reviews. I sell less novels on iBooks, but have twenty five reviews. My short stories out sell my novels on Barnes and Nobles, but I have hardly any reviews on them.


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## Rhynedahll (Oct 23, 2010)

I have a genre short story collection (6) for sale on Amazon at $.99.

Right now it is selling about ten a day, but I believe that about half of that is knock-on sales from my novels.

I don't think that a single short story has ever been very attractive to readers.  Even in what I would consider the hay day of shorts, the first half of the twentieth century, they were collected in magazines. 

I think a commercial strategy for shorts would be to pick a popular genre and put out a collection or anthology.


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

Rashaad Bell said:


> I've found that my short stories don't really sell on kindle, however they do sell over at Barnes and Nobles. I have noticed that each platform has its own quirks. I sell more novels on kindle, but only have six reviews. I sell less novels on iBooks, but have twenty five reviews. My short stories out sell my novels on Barnes and Nobles, but I have hardly any reviews on them.


i might give that a try once select runs out. i haven't put any on iTunes or B&N. I could see shorts maybe doing better on iTunes because of the iPhone, but I'm glad to hear you are seeing sales at B&N as well!


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## Caddy (Sep 13, 2011)

I don't read short stories because I want to get lost in a book.  It is like being woke up in the middle of a good dream to read a short story to me.  I just don't buy them.  I am sure there are many good ones but I don't want to invest in characters just to have them ring my doorbell and run.


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## Jan Strnad (May 27, 2010)

I don't know why I'm not tempted by individual short stories, but I rarely am.

I used to buy a lot of short stories in the form of magazines and anthologies. I like to "settle in" with my reading material, so a collection has more appeal to me than a short story by itself, even if it's an anthology of stories by different authors.

Pretty strange.


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

Rhynedahll said:


> I have a genre short story collection (6) for sale on Amazon at $.99.
> 
> Right now it is selling about ten a day, but I believe that about half of that is knock-on sales from my novels.
> 
> ...


that's great about 10 a day! i have individual stories, bundles, and collections. i actually have one single that sells better than any of the others even though it's also in two of the collections. i've also published a halloween anthology with 21 writers. it doesn't sell well either.


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

Caddy said:


> I don't read short stories because I want to get lost in a book. It is like being woke up in the middle of a good dream to read a short story to me. I just don't buy them. I am sure there are many good ones but I don't want to invest in characters just to have them ring my doorbell and run.


yup. i really think this might sum up the opinion of the majority.


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

Jan Strnad said:


> I don't know why I'm not tempted by individual short stories, but I rarely am.
> 
> I used to buy a lot of short stories in the form of magazines and anthologies. I like to "settle in" with my reading material, so a collection has more appeal to me than a short story by itself, even if it's an anthology of stories by different authors.
> 
> Pretty strange.


i know! it's so hard to put a finger on the why, because as a culture we've embraced short stories in the past and still worship many of those stories today. and now, when everything is about quick entertainment and instant gratification...seems like short stories would do well.


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## Simon Haynes (Mar 14, 2011)

It might depend on the device - e.g. people may read shorts on a smartphone (out and about, lunch breaks, trains, etc), but not on a Kindle (maybe used more at home - especially by men, who don't carry handbags and can't put a Kindle in their pocket.)

To me that would point to android/iPhone as the short story market, perhaps with Kindle on Android to explain those sales.

I can read a short on an LCD screen, but not a full novel. For that, I need e-ink.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I know I never really read short stories in the past and I still don't. I can't recall really seeing any short stories in the book stores or libraries I used to get my books from before Kindle. Or those that were passed on to me by friends and family. 
I think the only shorter stories I came across were Stephen King ones, with the 4 in one book. I liked those, but that's the King.  

Short stories just don't work for me. Its like switching the channel on the TV from one to the other after 5 minutes each time. Just a tidbit of a story. The genre's I like reading wouldn't work in short anyway. No way to get to know any characters. 
I read some short stories since getting my Kindle, just to see. Just don't like them. I get nothing out them. 

I know I see a lot of erotic shorts and such, but even those don't work for me. I have to have at least 100 pages to connect to anything. But even novellas in that length a lot of times leave me feeling lacking. Like cliff notes of a actual novel. Takes a skilled writer to make me like them, and I have read some of those, just rare. 

When everything else in life moves fast and is just a blink of an eye, I enjoy getting lost in book and slow down.


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## dannyboystories (Aug 5, 2012)

My first publications were identified as "short stories for busy people", but are really 14K to 20K words. Few sales. Now not identified as "novellas" either, and are doing much better at 99-cents each. Bottom line: I don't know why either!


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

Simon Haynes said:


> It might depend on the device - e.g. people may read shorts on a smartphone (out and about, lunch breaks, trains, etc), but not on a Kindle (maybe used more at home - especially by men, who don't carry handbags and can't put a Kindle in their pocket.)
> 
> To me that would point to android/iPhone as the short story market, perhaps with Kindle on Android to explain those sales.
> 
> I can read a short on an LCD screen, but not a full novel. For that, I need e-ink.


yes about the device. makes me wonder if short stories might explode here in a few years. or not.  a bit of an aside, but i think smartphone shorts are big in Japan.


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

Atunah said:


> When everything else in life moves fast and is just a blink of an eye, I enjoy getting lost in book and slow down.


this is something i never thought about. love it.


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## Reeve_Thomas (Aug 9, 2012)

Hi, Anne    Might a noob chime in? Just read "Make a Killing on Kindle." (Won't go into it. Some may prove useful. Other methods I just won't use, such as posting reviews on Amazon for my own book --- errrr no.) His method of choosing the right keywords was interesting - in part, going to google AdWords to see how many people search for a certain term per month. 

Last weekend, I changed my book title/description to flash fiction and short stories. I want to make sure the reader knows what to expect as far as length. 

The thing is: Do most readers know what flash fiction is? Do they care? Or do they just dislike it? Numbers: 33,100 searches for "flash fiction" and 2,740,000 for "short stories."   

If the writing is good enough, I don't care about word count. I'd rather read a masterpiece of 1,000 words than read a crapfest of 100,000 words. IMO it's a "get more for my money/bargain" mindset and not a reflection of the work itself.


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## MegHarris (Mar 4, 2010)

There are certainly people willing to buy short erotic stories. My best sellers are shorts (7000-10,000 words). As I've said before, I'm not sure that is true in other markets-- my romance short stories are definitely not flying off the virtual shelves. But if you happen to write erotic stuff and you like writing short, you can often do pretty well with it.


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## SunHi Mistwalker (Feb 28, 2012)

Well, I've found that short stories do sell. They may not (or may, depending on several factors) sell to the level of a novel; but I've sold nearly 300 copies of my short story "The Shelter" since March and that's not counting borrows or freeloads from when I was in Select. I know that 300 copies doesn't sound like a lot to the bestsellers out there; but it is a substantial number of copies in my book.


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## Richard Raley (May 23, 2011)

I think it's the price cap that's the problem generally.  Sure, a person might want to buy ONE short story they think is interesting but at a dollar for maybe half an hour of reading (being generous) that seems like a steep price.  So the author bundles a bunch of them together but...if I buy a bundle then the frugal part wants to read ALL of the short stories and I don't want to read ALL of the short stories just that ONE that sounded good.  Bet more would sell if they could be sold at a quarter.


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

Reeve_Thomas said:


> Hi, Anne  Might a noob chime in? Just read "Make a Killing on Kindle." (Won't go into it. Some may prove useful. Other methods I just won't use, such as posting reviews on Amazon for my own book --- errrr no.) His method of choosing the right keywords was interesting - in part, going to google AdWords to see how many people search for a certain term per month.
> 
> Last weekend, I changed my book title/description to flash fiction and short stories. I want to make sure the reader knows what to expect as far as length.
> 
> ...


That's really interesting about the search words! and i do tend to think readers don't know what flash fiction is. i think it's more of a writer's thing, but i could be wrong. and i DO think there is a more for your money mindset that might go into this for some. but as others have pointed out, it's also a reluctance to emotionally invest in something so short. this is something i've long suspected, but wasn't sure about.


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

EllenFisher said:


> There are certainly people willing to buy short erotic stories. My best sellers are shorts (7000-10,000 words). As I've said before, I'm not sure that is true in other markets-- my romance short stories are definitely not flying off the virtual shelves. But if you happen to write erotic stuff and you like writing short, you can often do pretty well with it.


i do wonder if short works for erotica because readers are looking for the buzz.


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## Remington Kane (Feb 19, 2011)

The six books in my signature are all short stories, but they are in a series. 
I don't end them on cliffhangers, but the characterization grows with each book. 
The books below are thrillers, but I've also just started a series about a woman bounty hunter, that has a mystery element to it, and soon I'll start another series.
I am a fairly fast writer and can write at least one or two short stories a week.
Most of these books are an average of 6,000 to 8,000 words and I'm charging $0.99.
I plan to start releasing each new book (episode) on a monthly basis, (12 new tales every year) and I hope that I grow an eager audience along the way, we'll see.
This is an experiment for me, but I love writing them and I grew up reading comics, where you waited with bated breath for next month's issue to arrive. I'm hoping to build that sort of anticipation in readers.
We are in a new age, and I think that the old rules of book length and how many pages make a story will soon fall by the wayside.
At least I hope so, because after all, a story is a story, regardless of how long or short it may be.


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

SunHi Mistwalker said:


> Well, I've found that short stories do sell. They may not (or may, depending on several factors) sell to the level of a novel; but I've sold nearly 300 copies of my short story "The Shelter" since March and that's not counting borrows or freeloads from when I was in Select. I know that 300 copies doesn't sound like a lot to the bestsellers out there; but it is a substantial number of copies in my book.


300 copies is AMAZING!!!


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

Richard Raley said:


> I think it's the price cap that's the problem generally. Sure, a person might want to buy ONE short story they think is interesting but at a dollar for maybe half an hour of reading (being generous) that seems like a steep price. So the author bundles a bunch of them together but...if I buy a bundle then the frugal part wants to read ALL of the short stories and I don't want to read ALL of the short stories just that ONE that sounded good. Bet more would sell if they could be sold at a quarter.


i totally agree about price. i wish i could price mine at around .45 and keep most of that.


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

Donald Wells said:


> The six books in my signature are all short stories, but they are in a series.
> I don't end them on cliffhangers, but the characterization grows with each book.
> The books below are thrillers, but I've also just started a series about a woman bounty hunter, that has a mystery element to it, and soon I'll start another series.
> I am a fairly fast writer and can write at least one or two short stories a week.
> ...


let us know how that goes. i would LOVE to be able to write one short story a week and make money doing it.


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## Remington Kane (Feb 19, 2011)

The six books below are fairly new, but I've already seen some sales, particularly in the UK.
I also have a novelette (Whisper In The Pines) that's 8,800 words long. It sold nearly 300 copies in one day after being free on ENT, and that month it sold nearly 600 copies while getting about 50 borrows. There is an audience out there for short stories, I know, because I'm one of them.


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

Donald Wells said:


> The six books below are fairly new, but I've already seen some sales, particularly in the UK.
> I also have a novelette (Whisper In The Pines) that's 8,800 words long. It sold nearly 300 copies in one day after being free on ENT, and that month it sold nearly 600 copies while getting about 50 borrows. There is an audience out there for short stories, I know, because I'm one of them.


That's fantastic. I'm thinking that your strategy of a series is the key. mine are all stand-alone stories. 
Oh, and also -- interesting about the UK.


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## SunHi Mistwalker (Feb 28, 2012)

Richard Raley said:


> I think it's the price cap that's the problem generally. Sure, a person might want to buy ONE short story they think is interesting but at a dollar for maybe half an hour of reading (being generous) that seems like a steep price. So the author bundles a bunch of them together but...if I buy a bundle then the frugal part wants to read ALL of the short stories and I don't want to read ALL of the short stories just that ONE that sounded good. Bet more would sell if they could be sold at a quarter.


I think for bargain hunters, the price is the deciding factor. They may think, "oh, I only get 5,000 words for 99 cents, that's a ripoff!" But every reader doesn't think like that. There are a substantial number of readers who will pay for quality short fiction at $99, $1.99 or even $2.99. Will you become a bestseller, selling millions of copies of short fiction? Maybe not. But most people selling longer works at cheaper prices won't become bestsellers either. While I understand your logic, I think it's a mistake to assume that cheaper always sells more. There are tons of free books with fewer downloads than books priced at $2.99 of the same length. I really believe that quality, the ability to write a story that resonates with the reader and visibility is the ultimate deciding factor in what sells. I also agree with some other people who mentioned on another thread that writing something "different" is critical to getting sales at any length. People have to have that "wow, what's that about" feeling for your book.

Regarding flash fiction...I have to admit, I've never written THAT short. If you're talking about writing and selling flash fiction, that's something I have no experience with. I would love to hear what other people have experienced when selling flash fiction.

@Donald Wow, congrats on your sales!

Edited to correct spelling errors.


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## 31842 (Jan 11, 2011)

Anne Frasier said:


> and i do tend to think readers don't know what flash fiction is.


Up until this year, I thought flash fiction was short slash fiction, so like... "5 Shades of Gray" or something.

But to the question of short stories... I know as a kid I used to save up all my babysitting money and once a month beg my mom to take me to the bookstore. Because my dollars were so limited, I used too look for the biggest books I could find. I needed to get as many pages as I could for the money on hand. If I ran out of pages before another payday or trip to the mall, I was S.O.L. I was going to be stuck reading our encyclopedias. The experience sort of trained me to make sure I'm spending my money on lots of words that won't run out.

Now I enjoy a good novella on my Kindle and I download free shorts, but it is just tough to make an informed decision about paying for a short story. By the time you get past the front matter, You might get 1/2 a paragraph of the story and that's that. And... boy... there are a lot of authors I have run across who don't understand that there is an art to short storytelling that makes it a very different beast from writing a novel. It is about condensing the awesomeness of a 300 page book into 25 pages. There is a quote by Michael Caine that acting onstage is like doing surgery with a knife, and acting on film is like doing surgery with a laser. I feel it applies to writing, too. Short stories are like doing surgery with a laser and I find too many are bringing a hatchet to the job. And there is no way of knowing what you're getting when you're only seeing one page in a sample. Wow. Did I just go off on a rant about short stories? *shaking cane* Tell them writers to get off my lawn! And I'm takin' this box of pencils you threw in my yard! *muttering incoherently as the porch door slams behind me*


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## MegHarris (Mar 4, 2010)

> There are a substantial number of readers who will pay for quality short fiction at $99, $1.99 or even $2.99.


Yes, there are. There are also a lot of readers who don't like it. If you write short fiction, you can resign yourself to a certain number of one-star reviews complaining "this was too short and cost too much!" even if it was clearly marked. Some readers love it; some readers hate it.



> i do wonder if short works for erotica because readers are looking for the buzz.


Heh heh, I was going to comment that readers looking for the buzz should probably purchase another sort of product, but I shall refrain for fear that Betsy will come after me. 

My current best seller (under my pen name) has sold about 360 copies so far this month. There is definitely an audience for erotic short stuff. I'm trying to release at least one a month to keep my name out there and grow my sales, although currently I'm behind due to kids underfoot and vacation and kids going to college and health stuff. But September is coming!



> And there is no way of knowing what you're getting when you're only seeing one page in a sample.


I think this is one reason why it helps to get numerous titles out there. Once you've written several stories, then you will hopefully begin to develop a group of readers who either love your work and actively look for it, or loathe it and know to avoid it. I seem to have both.


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

Kate, LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!  You made a lot of excellent points, cane (and Caine) and all!    And I love what you said about the preview. You are right about not being able to make an informed decision about the content.  I used to put an excerpt on the Amazon page, but quit doing that. I don't know why. Laziness, I guess. Or maybe I was thinking they could preview a sample. But they really can't see enough of it. You are right. So I'm going to add excerpts to all of my Amazon pages. 
And yes, short stories are such a different animal. A distillation of theme, plot, tone, emotion, all packed into a small number of pages. A short story can really pack a punch if done well.


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

EllenFisher said:


> Yes, there are. There are also a lot of readers who don't like it. If you write short fiction, you can resign yourself to a certain number of one-star reviews complaining "this was too short and cost too much!" even if it was clearly marked. Some readers love it; some readers hate it.
> 
> Heh heh, I was going to comment that readers looking for the buzz should probably purchase another sort of product, but I shall refrain for fear that Betsy will come after me.
> 
> ...


oh, good sales!!

and ha about the buzz. i was thinking the same thing. i guess this is the literary equivalent.


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## Remington Kane (Feb 19, 2011)

I moved all front matter to the back of my shorts. They start with the title and then the story begins. 
At the end, the first thing a reader sees is - COMING SOON! - followed by a picture of next month's cover. 
For instance, at the end of TAKEN! 6 is the cover for TAKEN! 7.
I think this helps to build anticipation in the series.


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## MGalloway (Jun 21, 2011)

Caddy said:


> I don't read short stories because I want to get lost in a book. It is like being woke up in the middle of a good dream to read a short story to me. I just don't buy them. I am sure there are many good ones but I don't want to invest in characters just to have them ring my doorbell and run.


That's really interesting to hear. One of the problems I'm currently having with a short story collection I'm working on is that about half of the stories seem to want to grow into novels despite my best efforts to contain them. Part of me wants to pull those stories out of the collection and let them grow, but I don't know if I could handle a half-dozen novel ideas vying for my attention at once.


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

Donald Wells said:


> I moved all front matter to the back of my shorts. They start with the title and then the story begins.
> At the end, the first thing a reader sees is - COMING SOON! - followed by a picture of next month's cover.
> For instance, at the end of TAKEN! 6 is the cover for TAKEN! 7.
> I think this helps to build anticipation in the series.


ah, that's a good solution.
I use Vook to format my titles, and a year ago in beta stage the platform automatically put all front matter at the back for that very reason. But people complained that the books looked weird, so they adjusted the options. But front matter in back makes a lot of sense for short material.


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## GUTMAN (Dec 22, 2011)

KateDanley said:


> Wow. Did I just go off on a rant about short stories? *shaking cane* Tell them writers to get off my lawn! And I'm takin' this box of pencils you threw in my yard! *muttering incoherently as the porch door slams behind me*


(In best Miss DuBois voice "Don't you say 'hey' to me you ugly story..."

BTW, I still believe in short stories, novelettes, novellas. If you build it, they will come--or not--but I like them.


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## Remington Kane (Feb 19, 2011)

One downside to the way I've done it, is that the book itself ends at about the 90% mark. However, I figure that if you're a regular reader of the series, you'll soon know this going in and will come to expect it. I would think if I were a reader of shorts like this, that I might even look forward to skipping ahead to take a peek at next month's cover.
Again, we'll see, this is still in the experimental stage at this point. I do make it clear in the subtitle that each of these books is a short story. I think it's very important to state that, so that people don't believe they're getting a novel.


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## emilyward (Mar 5, 2011)

I'm the same way as a reader, I want to get to know the characters. That's why I'm trying to only put out short stories that are part of a series from now on. Those who have posted on KB about short story success have series' (the plural of series?) as well. I have a YA PNR series planned. The first is about 7k but the next one is almost 11k, and they will follow one group of people and build on their characterization. This way seems similar to TV to me -- an episode a week. I don't know if I could do it weekly, but maybe monthly!


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

FWIW, I don't seem to have any trouble giving away my short stories. I've had 22,000 downloads between 4 stories and two Select promos. After my promo in July, I sold 40 copies in one week (then my books dropped out of the top 100,000 and sales dried up). This week, during my Select promo, I sold 27 copies while the promo was still running. I'm hoping to see about 50 sales this week.

Hope that helps!

Rue


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## Remington Kane (Feb 19, 2011)

I've also turned my short stories into audiobooks. They are much cheaper to produce than a full-length novel and I have a guy (The unbelievably talented Christopher Eicher) that produces about one a month. The first two books in the series have been on Audible/Amazon/itunes for a few weeks and if they keep selling the way they are, I should begin to make a profit in about a year or two, and after that, it's all gravy.
I also think that once someone listens to books 1-3, they may be more inclined by curiosity to buy the later ebooks.
I also have plans to have them printed through Createspace.


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

ruecole said:


> FWIW, I don't seem to have any trouble giving away my short stories. I've had 22,000 downloads between 4 stories and two Select promos. After my promo in July, I sold 40 copies in one week (then my books dropped out of the top 100,000 and sales dried up). This week, during my Select promo, I sold 27 copies while the promo was still running. I'm hoping to see about 50 sales this week.
> 
> Hope that helps!
> 
> Rue


wow. that's a lot of downloads! i've had no luck with giving away the stories through select. but most have no reviews, so i think that's also a problem with short stories. less likely to get reviews.


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

Donald Wells said:


> I've also turned my short stories into audiobooks. They are much cheaper to produce than a full-length novel and I have a guy (The unbelievably talented Christopher Eicher) that produces about one a month. The first two books in the series have been on Audible/Amazon/itunes for a few weeks and if they keep selling the way they are, I should begin to make a profit in about a year or two, and after that, it's all gravy.
> I also think that once someone listens to books 1-3, they may be more inclined by curiosity to buy the later ebooks.
> I also have plans to have them printed through Createspace.


NEVER would have thought of making them available in audio. love, love, love that idea. i do plan to put some up through createspace.


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## Remington Kane (Feb 19, 2011)

Anne Frasier said:


> NEVER would have thought of making them available in audio. love, love, love that idea. i do plan to put some up through createspace.


I am now addicted to audiobooks. In fact; I should be receiving the final version of TAKEN! 3 this week. It's the longest of the books and clocks in at slightly over an hour long.


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## SunHi Mistwalker (Feb 28, 2012)

emilyward said:


> they will follow one group of people and build on their characterization. This way seems similar to TV to me -- an episode a week. I don't know if I could do it weekly, but maybe monthly!


This! I love this type of thing. I hate it when good books end.  I want to follow the characters "forever." I want to fall in love with them over time. That's why I love writing serials and series. It's like a never ending story.


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## Kay Bratt (Dec 28, 2011)

Caddy said:


> I don't read short stories because I want to get lost in a book. It is like being woke up in the middle of a good dream to read a short story to me. I just don't buy them. I am sure there are many good ones but I don't want to invest in characters just to have them ring my doorbell and run.


^^ This exactly for me too.


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## Remington Kane (Feb 19, 2011)

Caddy said:


> I don't read short stories because I want to get lost in a book. It is like being woke up in the middle of a good dream to read a short story to me. I just don't buy them. I am sure there are many good ones but I don't want to invest in characters just to have them ring my doorbell and run.


Yes, but books end, my series of short stories will go on and on, giving you a chance to stay in touch and watch the characters grow and change for years.


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## Rin (Apr 25, 2011)

I like short stories that take place in existing worlds - like, I've read the author's series, and they've got some extra stories that don't warrant an entire novel. ^_^


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## Giselle London (Apr 24, 2012)

Regarding erotica readers going for short stories for the "buzz"...yep, it's true!  

But I think the readers are looking for a "buzz" from the shorter works--the 3k to 7k works.  Much longer than that, and you're looking at readers who like the 10k to 20k length, and with that you'll get more character development and a little plot...a la the Harlequin Historical Undone series.  In those cases, I think they're looking more for a really hot read leaving them squirming, rather than a quick "buzz."

Recommending a different form of media for those readers (ahem...a more "visual" form) would be pointless.  It's generally accepted that most of the readers reading this stuff are women (though I think there are plenty of men, too).  Women are more likely to enjoy using their own imagination while reading, rather than looking at a picture or a movie to get their "buzz", since they are not usually as visually-motivated as men are.  (Plus, the "evidence" is easier to hide, lol.) I'm guessing the men who are fans of this type of work are a little more intellectual or like being able to read something hot in public without worrying about someone seeing a picture over their shoulder.


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## Giselle London (Apr 24, 2012)

I normally would never read a short story, but as an author I've read some of the works of other authors, and really enjoyed them.  I really like a good sci-fi short, but some of them tend to end "unhappy."  I got to a certain point of adulthood where I no longer enjoy an unhappy ending, though, so I'm always hesitant to read any non-romance short.  I'm also cheap because I'm broke, so I rarely would pay for a 2.99 short (I know, I know, that's what I sell mine at, lol).  When I'm making a lot more, I'd be more likely to pay 2.99 for a really good short.  

The problem is that we look at the price of shorts and say "I could get a whole book for twice that price."  But I'm at the point that I'm sick of paying $6-10 for a full book, even a trad pub, that ends up disappointing or even sucky.  If I weren't so broke, I'd rather pay 2.99 for a GOOD short story or novella, than $10 for a disappointing novel.  

Plus, we pay $3 for a coffee that lasts 10-20 minutes, but won't pay that much for a story that lasts longer than that, and can be re-read or loaned to a friend?  I think it's time we start looking at enjoyment vs. cost, rather than length vs. cost.


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## dalya (Jul 26, 2011)

"People used to like to read short stories because each one was a story and it was short. Now, though, nobody reads short stories except other short story writers. And the stories always end with an "epiphany" in which the main character realizes his life is hopeless ..."

taken from http://isteve.blogspot.ca/2009/10/f-scott-fitzgeralds-finances.html

I have to agree that for the most part, short stories in literary magazines are so horrible. And don't get me started on the ones that win contests. Good grief. THE EPIPHANY of hopelessness! Just shoot me!

I haven't read the OP's shorts yet, but I love the idea of shorts, if they're all by one author (that I like) and part of a collection. Some of my favorites are shorts: David Sedaris and The Vinyl Cafe.

LOVE LOVE LOVE.









I guess if there's strong branding with the stories, the author can build a market, but ... I guess it's as hard as anything.


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## AmsterdamAssassin (Oct 21, 2011)

Rin said:


> I like short stories that take place in existing worlds - like, I've read the author's series, and they've got some extra stories that don't warrant an entire novel. ^_^


That's a bit of what I'm doing with the Amsterdam Assassin Series. The way I describe it:



> The Amsterdam Assassin Series by Martyn V. Halm
> 
> The Amsterdam Assassin Series revolves around freelance assassin and corporate troubleshooter Katla Sieltjes. Under the name Loki Enterprises, Katla specialises in disguising homicide and providing permanent solutions for both individuals and corporations.
> 
> ...


I use the KillFile short stories to give background information on the main character. So if a reader read the novels, they can get more information on Katla by reading the KillFiles. Plus, because the KillFile take less time to craft than a novel, I can publish a few KillFiles between the novels to keep the readers interested.


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## Greg Banks (May 2, 2009)

It would help if we had a better pricing structure. Short stories might sell better at 99c if there weren't so many novels available at the same price, you know? More "bang for your buck" so to speak.


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

dalya said:


> "People used to like to read short stories because each one was a story and it was short. Now, though, nobody reads short stories except other short story writers. And the stories always end with an "epiphany" in which the main character realizes his life is hopeless ..."
> 
> taken from http://isteve.blogspot.ca/2009/10/f-scott-fitzgeralds-finances.html
> 
> ...


i really like David Sedaris. Hadn't heard of the Vinyl Cafe, but it looks like they both tend to perform their short stories. Which kind of ties into what I said in an earlier comment. I've found that people really like it when I read my short stories instead of just speaking at them about my books. It kind of turns into performance art.


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## RM Prioleau (Mar 18, 2011)

Has anyone ever tried putting their short story on the Android Marketplace or the iTunes store?


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## Todd Thorne (Dec 28, 2011)

Anne Frasier said:


> NEVER would have thought of making them available in audio. love, love, love that idea. i do plan to put some up through createspace.


^^ Audio is certainly one format that works quite well on smartphones and iPods. Seems like half of my extended family has a crop of audio books queued up on their mobile devices, ready for those occasions when you don't want to read a story, you want to hear it. Often while you're doing other things, like driving, exercising, gardening or playing words with friends while also watching TV (a neat hat trick of multitasking there).


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## GUTMAN (Dec 22, 2011)

jljarvis said:


> I'm afraid I must agree. It's like going on a one-day vacation.


Some folks like one day vacations. 

Sure, everyone wants a week in Hawaii, but sometimes all you have time for is a day under the sun lamp.

There are both kinds of readers...


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## Jan Strnad (May 27, 2010)

I like the twenty-five cent idea.

I'm just not going to pay a dollar for a short story...let alone $2.99. 

I'd be most tempted by a collection of short stories selected by a writer I admire or a well-known editor of such things.

It's just too easy for a novice to write a short story and throw it out there. I'm not going to be tempted until the story gets vetted somehow.


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## DB Boyer (Apr 17, 2012)

Jan Strnad said:


> I like the twenty-five cent idea.
> 
> I'm just not going to pay a dollar for a short story...let alone $2.99.
> 
> ...


It's a fair point, but I have two concerns with pricing my shorts at $0.99.

Firstly, how does one become vetted as a writer among the sea of ninety-nine cent titles? It almost seems to me that in order to stand out, in order to draws some attention to one's work, one must do something to suggest that this is more worthy of consideration. Setting a higher price can sometimes accomplish this. It draws attention to one's work and assigns it more value among the myriad of competitors.

Secondly, is the practical issue of the 35% vs. 70% royalty. It's just a better business decision. One only needs one buyer at the higher price and royalty rate to match the end result of six buyers at the lower tier.

By the way, please count me among those who loved _Sword of the Atom!_ One of my favorite DC concepts. Kudos, sir!


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## lisalgreer (Sep 17, 2011)

My hottest seller since November 2011 is a self pubbed short story. It's in a popular genre and has a great cover (not erotic romance). It has sold over 1600 copies as of this month. Its sister follow-up short story (we are talking 6K here or less for each of them at .99) has sold about 500 copies. My estimation is that I've sold at least 10K books (still getting some royalty numbers into a spreadsheet to get the final number to date), and I have 39 e-books of varying length out now. Soooo does short fiction sell? YES. I have another novelette that has sold hundreds of copies, too. My best sellers are short stories or the lengths 5500-25K words. 

I like short stories. A lot. You just have to write what people want to read. Do all my short stories sell that well? No, they don't, but enough do that I go with my strength when I feel like it...writing short. And I write what I want and let my big sellers cover the slow sellers (yes, I have shorter works that sell 2 copies a month). I write novellas/novels, too, but I find them tougher going.


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## lisalgreer (Sep 17, 2011)

I wanted to add that a lot of my books under my name are in a niche genre--gothic romance. I find that makes for tougher going if you're not writing all historical gothic romance.


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## GUTMAN (Dec 22, 2011)

lisalgreer said:


> I wanted to add that a lot of my books under my name are in a niche genre--gothic romance. I find that makes for tougher going if you're not writing all historical gothic romance.


So, are you saying that your huge seller is not a gothic? What genre is it?

And, BTW, your gothic titles are doing well-- I clicked on one title, and the numbers were great, especially for a short. Congratulations on that, and for having a lot of short fiction published.


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

lisalgreer said:


> My hottest seller since November 2011 is a self pubbed short story. It's in a popular genre and has a great cover (not erotic romance). It has sold over 1600 copies as of this month. Its sister follow-up short story (we are talking 6K here or less for each of them at .99) has sold about 500 copies. My estimation is that I've sold at least 10K books (still getting some royalty numbers into a spreadsheet to get the final number to date), and I have 39 e-books of varying length out now. Soooo does short fiction sell? YES. I have another novelette that has sold hundreds of copies, too. My best sellers are short stories or the lengths 5500-25K words.
> 
> I like short stories. A lot. You just have to write what people want to read. Do all my short stories sell that well? No, they don't, but enough do that I go with my strength when I feel like it...writing short. And I write what I want and let my big sellers cover the slow sellers (yes, I have shorter works that sell 2 copies a month). I write novellas/novels, too, but I find them tougher going.


So glad to hear this! Those are great numbers. My shorts tend to be fantasy, occult, paranormal, suspense, and gothic suspense. i don't think any would be classified as gothic romance. love gothic romance though.


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## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

KateDanley said:


> Up until this year, I thought flash fiction was short slash fiction, so like... "5 Shades of Gray" or something.


LOLSLISMH! <<<<<<<<Laughing out loud so loudly, I scared my husband!


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## A. S. Warwick (Jan 14, 2011)

I much prefer short stories.  Not only is it a time issue, but frankly they tend to be better stories.

I'm speaking as a reader of fantasy in that regard, and I was getting sick of the endless padding and never ending series that were dominating fantasy.  Going back and reading short stories by the likes of Robert E Howard, Fritz Leiber and Michael Moorcock was a breath of fresh air.

Why don't people like short stories?

Hard to know.  One big reason is that they haven't been introduced to them - short stories were the big thing once upon a time but the big publishers preferred novels for economic reasons, so they slowly dwindled away into the background.  The emergence of ebooks and indies has started to see them return, but they have started from a long way back.


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## AdriannaWhite (Jul 30, 2011)

I have over ten short stories on B&N ranking from 2,500 to 10k. I don't think any of those readers got the memo that no one reads short stories


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## JFHilborne (Jan 22, 2011)

Greg Banks said:


> It would help if we had a better pricing structure. Short stories might sell better at 99c if there weren't so many novels available at the same price, you know? More "bang for your buck" so to speak.


I tend to agree with this. Short stories are great for readers with only a few minutes of time to read or those checking out a new author's work, but 99c is not far off the cost of many full length novels.


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## Dave Walker (Jul 20, 2012)

Hello everyone.

I'm a reader. I lurk a great deal.

I buy short stories. 

I prefer collections to individual stories, however for an author that I know I like I'd consider a single story. Something to keep in mind, if I pick up a collection of stories in it I'm more likely to find at least one I really like. If I pick up a single story and it doesn't resonate with me, I may not try that author again. That puts a lot of pressure on a single story.

The kindle app on a smartphone is revolutionizing how I read. I suspect we're in a revitalization period for the short story.


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

A. S. Warwick said:


> I much prefer short stories. Not only is it a time issue, but frankly they tend to be better stories.
> 
> I'm speaking as a reader of fantasy in that regard, and I was getting sick of the endless padding and never ending series that were dominating fantasy. Going back and reading short stories by the likes of Robert E Howard, Fritz Leiber and Michael Moorcock was a breath of fresh air.
> 
> ...


 That's a really good point about people not being introduced to them. And the fantasy thing - i've written a lot of novels, but none of them are fantasy. Most of my short stories are fantasy. Have no idea why, but it does seem to lend itself to the form.


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

AdriannaWhite said:


> I have over ten short stories on B&N ranking from 2,500 to 10k. I don't think any of those readers got the memo that no one reads short stories


it's encouraging to get these reports!


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

Dave Walker said:


> Hello everyone.
> 
> I'm a reader. I lurk a great deal.
> 
> ...


Yay! So good to hear from you, Dave. And very interesting about the collection versus single. Never thought of that.


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## Alain Gomez (Nov 12, 2010)

A. S. Warwick said:


> Why don't people like short stories?
> 
> Hard to know. One big reason is that they haven't been introduced to them - short stories were the big thing once upon a time but the big publishers preferred novels for economic reasons, so they slowly dwindled away into the background. The emergence of ebooks and indies has started to see them return, but they have started from a long way back.


I agree with you. People don't know how to deal with them so they "don't like them."

Besides we're all being very narrow minded in this conversation by basically crying over Amazon US short story sales. This is certainly not the only ebook market. And it is actually one of the weakest short story markets if you're writing anything other than romance. When it comes to my sci-fi shorts, the various non-US Smashwords channels (Kobo, Sony, iTunes, etc...) are my best sellers. Which is why KDP Select is almost totally useless for the short story writer.


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## The 13th Doctor (May 31, 2012)

Just to add my tuppence-worth, my short story 'Curiosity Killed' under my Izzy Hunter pen name is doing all right over on B&N. It seems to have been in the  mid 40,000 ranking for months, and I am making a little money each month from it. It's not a romance story, more a horror-with-a-twist.


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

i'm definitely taking all of my short stories out of select after reading the feedback here.


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## Caddy (Sep 13, 2011)

> Yes, but books end, my series of short stories will go on and on, giving you a chance to stay in touch and watch the characters grow and change for years.


This confuses me. Are you saying that the same characters continue their story in different books? If it is the same characters following the same story and it's development, to me that is not a short story. It is a novel sold in peices, or a serial novel.I probably would not buy that, either, because I want a novel. I would rather buy a series, with each book being quite long, than 20 short books. As I said, I like to get lost for awhile.


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## Tuttle (Jun 10, 2010)

As a reader - I don't like buying single short stories because when I'm done one story I'll have to go and spend as much time reading the story choosing the new thing to read. That isn't nice. 

However, I do like short stories. So short story collections are a thing I'll definitely buy. I just want to get more than 100 pages at a time usually because of the time of reading vs choosing something to download, choosing what I'm reading next, and going through all of that.


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## Alain Gomez (Nov 12, 2010)

Anne Frasier said:


> i'm definitely taking all of my short stories out of select after reading the feedback here.


Hear, hear! *bangs coffee mug on desk*


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## A. S. Warwick (Jan 14, 2011)

Caddy said:


> This confuses me. Are you saying that the same characters continue their story in different books? If it is the same characters following the same story and it's development, to me that is not a short story. It is a novel sold in peices, or a serial novel.


I'll go back to one of my favourite authors - Robert. E. Howard. One of his (many) creations in his short career was Conan the Barbarian. His collection contain one short novel and a whole lot of short stories, novelettes and novellas. They were scattered over a vast period of in story years, following the exploits of Conan. And yet they weren't linked in any way and barely referenced any of the other stories. They aren't a serial novel because each story is a separate, stand alone story.


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## Remington Kane (Feb 19, 2011)

TattooedWriter said:


> No, what is being described is an episodic series...which is a world away from a serial novel.


Exactly, each of my short stories is an episode in a series. I love novels, I have written seven of them and I'm currently working on an eighth, but much of modern fiction is needlessly bloated due to the former parameters of the print media. We no longer have to live within those parameters.
Look at Reader's Digest, for decades they took full length novels and cut out the waste without diluting the story. I'll say it again, this is an experiment for me, this form of writing. I like stories told this way, many won't, and that's okay.


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## DRMarvello (Dec 3, 2011)

Tuttle said:


> As a reader - I don't like buying single short stories because when I'm done one story I'll have to go and spend as much time reading the story choosing the new thing to read. That isn't nice.
> 
> However, I do like short stories. So short story collections are a thing I'll definitely buy. I just want to get more than 100 pages at a time usually because of the time of reading vs choosing something to download, choosing what I'm reading next, and going through all of that.


Right on! That's how I feel about it. I do like short stories, but there really is a psychological bang for the buck/time problem. I've read a lot of short stories, but I don't think I've ever paid for one. 

I'd like to try my hand at writing short stories myself, once my novel series is done. I have ideas for stories that would feature the supporting cast from my novel series in leading short story roles. It would let me leverage the same story world, but explore it through the eyes of completely different characters. I did that once already with a flash fiction story, and it was a hoot. Although, from what others have said here, it sounds like I might have to write a pile of stories and publish them in a collection if I want them to be economically viable (since I don't write erotica).


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## DB Boyer (Apr 17, 2012)

Donald Wells said:


> Exactly, each of my short stories is an episode in a series. I love novels, I have written seven of them and I'm currently working on an eighth, but much of modern fiction is needlessly bloated due to the former parameters of the print media. We no longer have to live within those parameters.
> Look at Reader's Digest, for decades they took full length novels and cut out the waste without diluting the story. I'll say it again, this is an experiment for me, this form of writing. I like stories told this way, many won't, and that's okay.


This is a great post, too true.

As a writer who appreciates and utilizes an economical prose style, I often get frustrated by writers whose works needlessly meander with convoluted minutia and abundance of description. I want my fiction (as reader and writer) to have a good pace, a nice clip that keeps things moving.


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## Remington Kane (Feb 19, 2011)

DB Boyer said:


> This is a great post, too true.
> 
> As a writer who appreciates and utilizes an economical prose style, I often get frustrated by writers whose works needlessly meander with convoluted minutia and abundance of description. I want my fiction (as reader and writer) to have a good pace, a nice clip that keeps things moving.


The funny thing is, whenever I write a novel, I wind up cutting away much of the first draft. With short stories, I find I tend to lengthen them when I revise. The first draft of a short story puts the bones in place,(Who, what, where, when, how) then I go about adding muscle and flesh, (What was the weather like? The car on page two, what color was it?) finally, I give them some dapper attire. (Make sure that everything flows well and that there is nothing that will rouse the reader from the fictional dream I've created) A little pocket money. (A good cover and description) and it's time for them to leave home. (Edit and Publish)


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## Vanades (Aug 10, 2012)

Caddy said:


> This confuses me. Are you saying that the same characters continue their story in different books? If it is the same characters following the same story and it's development, to me that is not a short story. It is a novel sold in pieces, or a serial novel.I probably would not buy that, either, because I want a novel. I would rather buy a series, with each book being quite long, than 20 short books. As I said, I like to get lost for awhile.


Jumping into the conversation here. The way I understand it it's more like a tv-show. A series of stories, not a serialized novel. You get a complete story with beginning, middle and end. And then next week you get another complete story with the same characters. Yet it's not the next chapter of a novel published in serialized form, because every story can stand on its own and is a complete work.

This used to be pretty popular in the 80s and 90s, at least in Fantasy. Mercedes Lackey did it, Jenifer Roberson too. Or Charles de Lint. I remember buying for example the Sword and Sorceress-anthologies from MZB because they had a new Tarma&Kethry-story (Mercedes Lackey) in them or a new Sword-Dancer-story (Jennifer Roberson). Sometimes there were also short-stories that filled in gaps in novels. Or were another adventure with the characters from a novel. Just shorter and more condensed.

I still love Charles de Lint-short-story-collections. I actually like them better than the novels that were also written in the same universe (Newford-series) and with some of the same characters.

To switch genres, Kathy Reichs, Patricia Cornwell, Val McDermit and a number of other crime-writers are doing exactly the same thing, just in novel form: Every novel is a complete work in itself but the next novel builds upon the things that previously happened and continues the story-line. And over the time the characters grow and change.


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

Lyonesse said:


> Jumping into the conversation here. The way I understand it it's more like a tv-show. A series of stories, not a serialized novel. You get a complete story with beginning, middle and end. And then next week you get another complete story with the same characters. Yet it's not the next chapter of a novel published in serialized form, because every story can stand on its own and is a complete work.
> 
> This used to be pretty popular in the 80s and 90s, at least in Fantasy. Mercedes Lackey did it, Jenifer Roberson too. Or Charles de Lint. I remember buying for example the Sword and Sorceress-anthologies from MZB because they had a new Tarma&Kethry-story (Mercedes Lackey) in them or a new Sword-Dancer-story (Jennifer Roberson). Sometimes there were also short-stories that filled in gaps in novels. Or were another adventure with the characters from a novel. Just shorter and more condensed.
> 
> ...


This brought back some reading memories. I read some of the early sword dancer books. looks like there's a new one coming out in 2013.


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## Greer (Sep 24, 2011)

DB Boyer said:


> Firstly, how does one become vetted as a writer among the sea of ninety-nine cent titles? It almost seems to me that in order to stand out, in order to draws some attention to one's work, one must do something to suggest that this is more worthy of consideration. Setting a higher price can sometimes accomplish this.


One way you can become vetted as a writer is to submit to small presses that publish shorts. If you can get someone else to invest themselves in your work, that could help you rise above the sea of $0.99 competitors.



DB Boyer said:


> It draws attention to one's work and assigns it more value among the myriad of competitors.


It may draw attention to one's work, but it might not be the kind of attention a writer wants. Consider it like this... A potential buyer reads the sample, but is on the fence about buying the book. The higher the price being asked, the higher the reader's expectations are going to be, and the higher the quality needed to get buyers to pony up the dough.

For me, if the author is charging professional trad pub prices (or higher), then I'm going to be looking at everything with a very critical eye. I'd expect everything about them to be at least equivalent to professional trad pub books. That means pro-looking covers, proper editing, professional quality grammar, and most especially, voice. And if any of those are missing, it's highly likely that I wouldn't part with my hard-earned money.


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## RM Prioleau (Mar 18, 2011)

What's an ideal (min/max) price range for short stories these days?


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## Caddy (Sep 13, 2011)

> No, what is being described is an episodic series...which is a world away from a serial novel.


Yes, thank you! I was racking my brain for that and called it the wrong thing.


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## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

Lyonesse said:


> Jumping into the conversation here. The way I understand it it's more like a tv-show. A series of stories, not a serialized novel. You get a complete story with beginning, middle and end. And then next week you get another complete story with the same characters. Yet it's not the next chapter of a novel published in serialized form, because every story can stand on its own and is a complete work.
> 
> This used to be pretty popular in the 80s and 90s, at least in Fantasy. Mercedes Lackey did it, Jenifer Roberson too. Or Charles de Lint. I remember buying for example the Sword and Sorceress-anthologies from MZB because they had a new Tarma&Kethry-story (Mercedes Lackey) in them or a new Sword-Dancer-story (Jennifer Roberson). Sometimes there were also short-stories that filled in gaps in novels. Or were another adventure with the characters from a novel. Just shorter and more condensed.
> 
> ...


Yep, and MZB also put out Marion Zimmer Bradley's Fantasy Magazine every month, with 10 or 12 short stories. That is how Mercedez Lackey and Jennifer Roberson both got their first breaks: in that magazine. There is a strong tradition of selling shorts to magazines as break-ins to traditional publishing.

Aside: I have a personalized rejection letter from MZB, with a wet signature. I may yet frame it.


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## Amanda Brice (Feb 16, 2011)

Jan Strnad said:


> I don't know why I'm not tempted by individual short stories, but I rarely am.
> 
> I used to buy a lot of short stories in the form of magazines and anthologies. I like to "settle in" with my reading material, so a collection has more appeal to me than a short story by itself, even if it's an anthology of stories by different authors.
> 
> Pretty strange.


I'm the same way, actually. I never buy individual short stories, although I might occasionally download them for free if I'm familiar with the author or the blurb sounds particularly compelling.

But I do buy anthologies/collections.


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## AmsterdamAssassin (Oct 21, 2011)

Lyonesse said:


> Sometimes there were also short-stories that filled in gaps in novels. Or were another adventure with the characters from a novel. Just shorter and more condensed.


That's what I intend to do with the KillFiles in the Amsterdam Assassin Series - when the first book [Reprobate] starts, Katla is already an accomplished assassin with a long history that is only hinted at in the book(s). In the KillFiles, I take some of Katla's contracts pre-Reprobate and write a short story that give both insight in Katla's skills and more brief glimpses in her personal history. The KillFiles stand alone and are not 'necessary' to enjoy the novels, but for fans of the series they'll be valuable. And new readers can try out the KillFiles to see if they like my writing before they shell out 2.99-3.99 for the novels.


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

I think there is an audience, but it is a select audience - the true readers.  Far too many people feel that reading is only worthwhile if it's a long book.  

Personally, I got through periods where I just want to read shorter stuff, but I have always liked short stories.


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## budowriter (Jul 31, 2012)

Anne Frasier said:


> i'm definitely taking all of my short stories out of select after reading the feedback here.


I'd like to do this myself, but in reviewing the KDP Select Q&A, it looks to me like you still have to honor the exclusivity agreement with Amazon.

"You can un-publish your KDP Select-enrolled titles at any time during the term. However, keep in mind that your commitment to the KDP Select terms and conditions, including exclusivity, will continue even after you have un-published your title. In other words, you cannot un-publish your KDP Select-enrolled title from KDP and make it available on another sales channel before the title's current KDP Select term expires."


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

budowriter said:


> I'd like to do this myself, but in reviewing the KDP Select Q&A, it looks to me like you still have to honor the exclusivity agreement with Amazon.
> 
> "You can un-publish your KDP Select-enrolled titles at any time during the term. However, keep in mind that your commitment to the KDP Select terms and conditions, including exclusivity, will continue even after you have un-published your title. In other words, you cannot un-publish your KDP Select-enrolled title from KDP and make it available on another sales channel before the title's current KDP Select term expires."


yes, true! i should have said i'm not letting them renew.


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## lisalgreer (Sep 17, 2011)

Hi, Gutman, in response:

So, are you saying that your huge seller is not a gothic?  What genre is it?

It is a bonnet gothic romance. That is, it's set in the Hutterite community, and no, there are no vampires but there is a ghost, isolation, mystery and gothic elements. Number two in the set is of the same bent. Ditto with my other big seller that is a novelette. It's also Amish. I have an interest in these communities/Pietist groups, and one day the muse said, write 'em, so I did. I have written some just sweet romance ones too, but they don't sell as well, so I have to assume the gothic twist has something to do with it. I have another sweet historical (a Shaker romance) coming out under my name writing as...with a great cover...next week, so we'll see how it does.  



And, BTW, your gothic titles are doing well-- I clicked on one title, and the numbers were great, especially for a short. Congratulations on that, and for having a lot of short fiction published.

Thanks!


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## CraigInOregon (Aug 6, 2010)

Anne,

Do you find that what sells varies on how readers first discovered you and the type of story that was?

For example, I find myself drawn to your serial killer vs. female cop books; they have nice goth-feel covers and I love thrillers in the James Patterson vein. (In fact, I just picked up 2 of the 3 you list there.)

But some of the other titles in your signature are of a different genre, and so I don't feel as compelled to try them out, at least not yet.

NOTE: I picked up Play Dead, too, after all, so I now have all three.


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## vicki batman (Jan 6, 2012)

Hi, I haven't posted in a long while and when I saw this post, I got all charged up. I write short romantic fiction.

Someone mentioned the 99cent issue. I've heard not to price anything 99cents because it may be considered poorly written. 

A lot of the epublishers buy shorter fiction nowadays.


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

CraigInTwinCities said:


> Anne,
> 
> Do you find that what sells varies on how readers first discovered you and the type of story that was?
> 
> ...


Craig, yes, I think that's true. In 1988 i started out writing romance, romantic suspense, and women's fiction, then I moved into thrillers in 2001 with a new name (anne frasier). Romance readers didn't follow me there, and in fact many were very angry when i left romance. I don't think I have much of a crossover audience because the books are very different. My Frasier books support me, so i'm glad to hear you find the covers/plots appealing. I really, really need to get another frasier book written. Am writing a sequel to play dead this winter. if i would just quit writing these damn short stories!!!!


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

vicki batman said:


> Hi, I haven't posted in a long while and when I saw this post, I got all charged up. I write short romantic fiction.
> 
> Someone mentioned the 99cent issue. I've heard not to price anything 99cents because it may be considered poorly written.
> 
> A lot of the epublishers buy shorter fiction nowadays.


 i've noticed that about epublishers. some even market books of 28,000 as full-length novels so we are really living in a gray area. That would still be a novella to me, but i'd be happy to call it full-length.


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## Decon (Feb 16, 2011)

The first story in my compilation of shorts, The Mystery of the Crimson Robe, spurred me on to write a full length book, (110,000 words) that is with my editor and should be published next month. Both are completely stand alone crime thrillers, and the  full length touches on the paranormal, but the characters are exactly the same. I liked the female lead and her attudude, so it seemed natural to write her a full story.

Now it's finished and thinking about it, I will probably make the short free as a stand alone on smashwords and hopefully Amazon will price match and it will assist sales.

I have read articles where it has been said that famous authors are being encouraged to put out short works as fillers between longer projects.

As for select, I only have the first short in my signature in select,but I'll be taking it out soon.


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

I haven't read this entire thread, so sorry if some of what I'm going to say has already been said.

I'm a reader. And I do buy short stories.  However, I rarely buy a single short.  To me, that is like buying one potato chip, or one Hershey's kiss.  Neither time or money efficient.


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

Decon said:


> The first story in my compilation of shorts, The Mystery of the Crimson Robe, spurred me on to write a full length book, (110,000 words) that is with my editor and should be published next month. Both are completely stand alone crime thrillers, and the full length touches on the paranormal, but the characters are exactly the same. I liked the female lead and her attudude, so it seemed natural to write her a full story.
> 
> Now it's finished and thinking about it, I will probably make the short free as a stand alone on smashwords and hopefully Amazon will price match and it will assist sales.
> 
> ...


i think making the short story free is an excellent idea.


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## GUTMAN (Dec 22, 2011)

Anne:

I hope you'll keep writing shorts as well. You got me to bite on your latest. Looking forward to the read.

G


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

telracs said:


> I haven't read this entire thread, so sorry if some of what I'm going to say has already been said.
> 
> I'm a reader. And I do buy short stories. However, I rarely buy a single short. To me, that is like buying one potato chip, or one Hershey's kiss. Neither time or money efficient.


a few people have said the same thing, but it's good to hear it from several people.
i just looked at my sales, and i do have one collection that is outselling other collections and singles. but my second-best selling title out of both short singles and collections is a single.


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

Gutman said:


> Anne:
> 
> I hope you'll keep writing shorts as well. You got me to bite on your latest. Looking forward to the read.
> 
> G


thank you! that must be one of the sales i just noticed. 

I LOVE writing them, and would like to be able to financially justify it.


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## mish (Jun 27, 2011)

I guess I'm going to be the odd duck reader.  I will read short stories but prefer to choose single short stories rather than buy them in a bundle.  But here's the rub... I rarely pay for shorts (bang for the buck and all that). I usually just get the freebies.  I will on a rare occasion pay .99 but it has to be one I'm really interested in and on the longer end of a short story word count.  On the other hand, I would be happy to pay for a bundle, but here's the rub again... I don't want to pay for a bundle that only has one or two stories that interest me. I would LOVE to be able to pick my own bundle, but that is just not an option that is available right now. (Would be cool if it was!)

If I buy an anthology of shorts or novellas it is usually one that has all or most stories related to the series I read or want to read. I already have a vested interest in the world and characters. These types of anthologies are very common in trad publishing for paranormal romance genre, which is my bread and butter reading.  I have bought a couple of indie anthologies--they were all PNR, had mostly authors I was familiar, and the money went  to charity.


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## Shane Murray (Aug 1, 2012)

Caddy said:


> I don't read short stories because I want to get lost in a book. It is like being woke up in the middle of a good dream to read a short story to me. I just don't buy them. I am sure there are many good ones but I don't want to invest in characters just to have them ring my doorbell and run.


I am the same. I tend to buy books for that reason, ans also because I consider books better value for money.


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

mish said:


> I guess I'm going to be the odd duck reader. I will read short stories but prefer to choose single short stories rather than buy them in a bundle. But here's the rub... I rarely pay for shorts (bang for the buck and all that). I usually just get the freebies. I will on a rare occasion pay .99 but it has to be one I'm really interested in and on the longer end of a short story word count. On the other hand, I would be happy to pay for a bundle, but here's the rub again... I don't want to pay for a bundle that only has one or two stories that interest me. I would LOVE to be able to pick my own bundle, but that is just not an option that is available right now. (Would be cool if it was!)
> 
> If I buy an anthology of shorts or novellas it is usually one that has all or most stories related to the series I read or want to read. I already have a vested interest in the world and characters. These types of anthologies are very common in trad publishing for paranormal romance genre, which is my bread and butter reading. I have bought a couple of indie anthologies--they were all PNR, had mostly authors I was familiar, and the money went to charity.


that WOULD be cool if readers could choose the stories they wanted in a bundle!!!!


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## GUTMAN (Dec 22, 2011)

Anne Frasier said:


> that WOULD be cool if readers could choose the stories they wanted in a bundle!!!!


That would be cool!

Mish, do you buy and read novellas?


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## Dennis E. Yates (Nov 27, 2011)

I love short stories. They're the reason I've been obsessed with writing since I was a kid. A really great short story can hold its own against a dozen novels. I can get just as lost thinking about a great short story long after I've read it. My favorite novelists are masters of this form. I'm glad to see it making a comeback.


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## mish (Jun 27, 2011)

Gutman said:


> That would be cool!
> 
> Mish, do you buy and read novellas?


Abso-tootin'-lutely! In fact, I'm much more inclined to buy and read novellas than shorts.


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## antares (Feb 13, 2011)

I have had a learning experience reading through this thread.

What have I learned? 
1. Some readers dislike short stories and do not buy them; they buy only novels. 
2. Some readers like short stories and buy only collections. 
3. Some readers like short stories and buy collections and singles.

What do I conclude from what I learned? 
There is a market for short stories.

My take-away impression is that Amazon is not the preferred market for short stories.

Tell you what. Let's find out.

Where did you buy your last eReader short story (collection or single)? 
1. Amazon. 
2. Apple. 
3. Baen's Books. 
4. B&N. 
5. Google. 
6. Smashwords. 
7. Other. (Please tell us where.) 
8. I do not buy short stories.

(If I get a substantial number of responses (more than 100) I shall tabulate and present the results.)

Thank you.


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## CraigInOregon (Aug 6, 2010)

For what it's worth, Antares, I do occasionally buy short stories. Usually just singles, though I know some folks prefer collections.

And everything I buy eBook-wise comes from Amazon.

Unless the free handbook for my Nexus 7 counts. That came from Google Books.


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## Carradee (Aug 21, 2010)

I've bought collections and singles, but from authors I already know I enjoy. Preferred vendor: Smashwords.


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## Vanades (Aug 10, 2012)

antares said:


> [size=12pt]I have had a learning experience reading through this thread.
> 
> Tell you what. Let's find out.
> 
> Where did you buy your last eReader short story (collection or single)?




The very last one I bought from Amazon and before that directly from either the publisher or allromance.

I enjoy reading short-stories. On stressful days a shortstory is better and more fulfilling than a novel. Mostly because I can read and finish it in the evening before bed. I also read short-story-collections in pieces, one story at a time. A bit like eating pralines. Not all at once but spread out over some time.

On my currently reading-stack I have two anthologies right now.

I really do like the idea of making up my own bundle. Pity that it isn't possible yet.


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

Dennis E. Yates said:


> I love short stories. They're the reason I've been obsessed with writing since I was a kid. A really great short story can hold its own against a dozen novels. I can get just as lost thinking about a great short story long after I've read it. My favorite novelists are masters of this form. I'm glad to see it making a comeback.


love this. and as someone said earlier, a good short story can be so powerful.


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

antares said:


> I have had a learning experience reading through this thread.
> 
> What have I learned?
> 1. Some readers dislike short stories and do not buy them; they buy only novels.
> ...


what a fantastic idea! i wonder if this merits its own thread so more people will see it.

edit: all of my short story purchases have been from amazon.


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## menette (Feb 8, 2012)

The genre makes a big difference in the sales of short stories, If you're writing romance or mystery, the reader generally likes to get wrapped up in the characters. I find that writing in the humor genre, such as satires, attracts a different type of reader who is simply looking for a chance to break up a hard day at work with a few laughs.


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## Reeve_Thomas (Aug 9, 2012)

Would Antares be allowed to post those questions to a KB readers' board and not in the cafe? Or is that not appropriate? I'd say our responses will be skewed. 

I do buy short stories and mostly from B&N -- but I have a Nook.


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

remember, in the wc you are mostly talking to other authors.  if you want opinions from readers who are not authors you need to go to the book corner


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

Reeve_Thomas said:


> Would Antares be allowed to post those questions to a KB readers' board and not in the cafe? Or is that not appropriate? I'd say our responses will be skewed.
> 
> I do buy short stories and mostly from B&N -- but I have a Nook.


that's a great idea. maybe a post in both places?
and we're also polling an amazon board.  i might put a poll on my Facebook page.


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## Chris Northern (Jan 20, 2011)

antares said:


> I have had a learning experience reading through this thread.
> 
> What have I learned?
> 1. Some readers dislike short stories and do not buy them; they buy only novels.
> ...


I really do think this should have it's own thread with a proper Poll set up. The information would be useful to myself and others. So far I've sold only a handful on Amazon and one lone copy through Smashwords. I really like and believe in these stories; I'd like them to find their audience.


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

I agree. Please set up a new thread with a poll attached in both the WC and one of the forums for readers here. I'd love to see the results! 

FWIW, I started off publishing my shorts as singles because I like to read them that way, but I've since published my first collection (Learning to Fly) because others have said they prefer to read short stories in a collection! I figure: give readers as many options as possible!  

Hope that helps!

Rue


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

okay, since i'm not an author, i may be able to get away with starting the poll in the book corner.....

give me a few minutes.


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## Guest (Aug 24, 2012)

I haven't read this entire thread, but here is my take. Readers don't buy one short stories, because of one single reason; every braniac is giving their book on the price of a diet coke or less.

In the past the prices were;
$0.99 - 3.99 - Short Stories, Novelettes
$4.99+ - Anything else.

But now;
Free, $0.99 - Full length book

So why the readers would buy short stories, if some branics are giving full stories for much cheaper instead? This is the primary reason why most of the readers won't buy short stories. The other reason is that short stories are requiring a certain level of imagination and... well, intelligence, as you have to fill the missing gaps in a fully compressed storyline. Many readers have problems with a bit harder read, or a bit more complex sentence these days, even in full length books. And shorts are using both, especially if they're ultra compressed storylines. Many short stories are hard reads these days as you can't explain things to the reader, but they have to use their imagination.


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

telracs said:


> okay, since i'm not an author, i may be able to get away with starting the poll in the book corner.....
> 
> give me a few minutes.


let us know when it's up. thanks!!!


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

Anne Frasier said:


> let us know when it's up. thanks!!!


i've PMed the mods to see if it's okay for me to do it. still waiting...

if i don't get an answer when i get home tonight, i'm doing it anyway!


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

Istvan Szabo said:


> I haven't read this entire thread, but here is my take. Readers don't buy one short stories, because of one single reason; every braniac is giving their book on the price of a diet coke or less.
> 
> In the past the prices were;
> $0.99 - 3.99 - Short Stories, Novelettes
> ...


i think that's true about the cost, but i don't see that changing anytime soon. .99 for a short story probably seems outrageous to some when compared to the newer scale. and you might have something there about requiring more from the reader. i actually never thought about that, but it makes sense.


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## antares (Feb 13, 2011)

Lyonesse said:


> I really do like the idea of making up my own bundle. Pity that it isn't possible yet.


Perhaps this will satisfy your urge to make your 'own bundle': 
http://nancyfulda.livejournal.com/tag/anthologybuilder


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

antares said:


> Perhaps this will satisfy your urge to make your 'own bundle':
> http://nancyfulda.livejournal.com/tag/anthologybuilder


wow. 
that's like when i see a yummy dessert and get all excited about making it. then i read the complex recipe and think - now that ain't never gonna happen.


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## A. S. Warwick (Jan 14, 2011)

It seems like to have much traction you need to release short stories in collections, unless you already have a large fanbase who will buy anything, even individual shorts stories.

The question is, how big does a collection have to be before people decide to try it?  Novel length?  Shorter?

I've been doing 2-4 stories, totalling 15-30K, mostly, and even they can be a hard sell.

The plan had been to do these short collections as completed and then later on bundle them into a larger one.  I may need to rethink it and just wait until they are all done before releasing them.


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

i've posted the poll

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,124222.0.html

please answer as readers, not authors. and please note, no comments about pricing of shorts or bemoaning the fact that shorts don't sell.

thanks.


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## GUTMAN (Dec 22, 2011)

Thank you for doing this, Telrac. Very helpful.

The next poll I'd love to see is about price point.  .99, 1.99 or 2.99 for a story?


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## Marilyn Peake (Aug 8, 2011)

I do sell some short stories, but not nearly as many copies as my novels. I buy both short stories and novels, since I enjoy both writing forms.


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## Anne Frasier (Oct 22, 2009)

telracs said:


> i've posted the poll
> 
> http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,124222.0.html
> 
> ...


yay! thanks so much for doing this!


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## leep (Aug 25, 2011)

Simon Haynes said:


> To me that would point to android/iPhone as the short story market


Supposedly they're the devices driving flash fiction, though I've yet to see any specifically marketed that way (heard some authors say they've had success with it though).


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## Greer (Sep 24, 2011)

Istvan Szabo said:


> The other reason is that short stories are requiring a certain level of imagination and... well, intelligence, as you have to fill the missing gaps in a fully compressed storyline. Many readers have problems with a bit harder read, or a bit more complex sentence these days, even in full length books. And shorts are using both, especially if they're ultra compressed storylines. Many short stories are hard reads these days as you can't explain things to the reader, but they have to use their imagination.


I'm going to have to disagree with this. A short story is not just an ultra-condensed novel -- it's a story with a single plot, a limited cast of characters, and generally speaking, would likely cover a small span of time. Every word needs to pull it's own weight, and all of the scenes should be in service to the main plot.

Stories need to be the length they need to be, and trying to shoehorn them into something they're not will not do the story any justice. If writers are trying to cram an entire novel into a short work, it's no wonder readers aren't able to follow the story. And I suspect that this is a contributory factor in why many people shy away from shorts - because writers who aren't familiar with the requirements of a good short story tend to write short stories that aren't very good *as short stories*, and that makes the reader leery of reading any more of them.


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## Iain Rowan (Mar 5, 2011)

SunHi Mistwalker said:


> I think for bargain hunters, the price is the deciding factor. They may think, "oh, I only get 5,000 words for 99 cents, that's a ripoff!"


For sure. I have a short short story that is published on its own as a promo for my bigger collection of shorts, and although the reviews are generally positive, I have had a couple complaining about the length of the story. It's _free_.


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## DRMarvello (Dec 3, 2011)

ShayneHellerman said:


> ...writers who aren't familiar with the requirements of a good short story tend to write short stories that aren't very good *as short stories*, and that makes the reader leery of reading any more of them.


I believe you. I'm a little leery of _writing_ short stories because I do want to do the form justice. I'm going to give it a shot though, once my trilogy is done. I'll have to do more research on what makes a great short story first.


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## JohnMcDonnell (Mar 31, 2011)

I have five collections of horror short stories, plus three of humor shorts and one other of a more literary style of shorts. One of the horror collections sells very well, a couple of the others are doing okay, but the humor and literary shorts are not selling. They're all priced at either $1.99 or $2.99. I'm thinking of offering one story from the literary collection as a freebie, because I already posted it on a short story Website and it's gotten a lot of downloads and positive feedback. I'm hoping that by offering this one for free I'll get more interest in the story collection. It's only about 1200 words, so some readers might not want to download something that short, even if it's free. I don't think it's right to judge ebooks based on how many words you get for the price, because a 100k word book takes time to read and if it's lousy writing it's not fun to read at any price. I understand the mentality, though, because when I see an ebook that's has a word count of six figures and it's being offered for 99 cents I think, why would anybody want to pay $2.99 for my short story collection that's only 16k words total? The thing is, as I said, I'd rather spend my time reading well-written short stories than a huge novel that's poorly written and doesn't have a compelling story.

http://www.amazon.com/13-Horror-Stories-ebook/dp/B004JF4MDI/ref=la_B004AXGYHQ_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1348846767&sr=1-4


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