Introduction
Today our study focuses on short stories and novellas and
the huge reader marketplace for short reads. The study discusses the marketing
concepts, the writing challenges and great opportunity for old and new authors.
The study addresses the way authors are using short stories
to market their writings, keep their products in front of their readers and the
challenges they face in writing shorty’s.
This post is a summary of answers about short stories I have
collected from a group of over 70 outstanding, award-winning authors
interviewed at the
HBS Author’s Spotlight.
All these authors have experience writing short stories and marketing them to
their readers.
(To date we have conducted over 600 author interviews and book showcases with over
475,000 views. (Click on the author’s name to
view their complete interview.)
Question
This is the general question asked in the author interviews at the
HBS Author’s Spotlight
blog about their short stories.
You have written
several short stories. Can you tell us if they had an impact on the sales of
your novels? Are shorty’s one of your styles of writing or are they created to
give readers a sample of your work? Do you feel short reads are a product of
our email and smart phone age?
Marketing Tools
Many authors use short stories to market their novels. The
following are the experiences from a group of outstanding authors.
Using
Samples to Sell Short Stories
Here are the answers from a few authors that use short
stories as samples to market their novels.
Author Carolyn Arnold @Carolyn_Arnold writes Mystery
& Thrillers and Romance novels including the MADISON KNIGHT series.
I believe that short stories can be utilized as a marketing
tool. In fact, I recently made Pearls of Deception, my mystery short,
permanently free. It provides the reader
with entertainment and gives them a taste of my writing style. I also included
excerpts from other published works hoping it will motivate readers to read
them, and in turn, buy the books.
Author Jenna Bennett a.k.a. Jennie Bentley
@Bennett_Jenna is the NYT and USA International bestselling author of Mystery
Novels. Jennie writes the Do-It-Yourself Mystery series and Jenna authors the
Savannah Martin Mysteries series.
I write long naturally. I have to really focus to write
anything short. But as I’ve been experimenting with it, I’ve realized that it’s
possible to tell a complete and satisfying story in a smaller package, too. It
just has to be a simpler story. So now I write all different lengths, from very
short – just a few thousand words – to around a hundred thousand.
Author Cara Brookins is an Author and Motivational
Speaker. Cara is the author of the TimeShifters series.
I had fun writing Treasure Quest because I imagined an
entire treasure hunting novel spinning off from it. (I still may write that
someday!) Buzz Books used it as a marketing tool by frequently offering it for
free download and including the first three chapters of Timeshifters along with
it. I love the idea, and I think more authors should offer free short story
samples like this…Free short stories and joining with boxed sets is a great way
to increase sales.
Author Donna Galanti @DonnaGalanti is the
International Thriller Writers Debut Author of the The Element Trilogy.
This collection, THE DARK INSIDE, was created during a
writer’s retreat. It was hard for me to leave my characters behind, and this
was a way to create new stories of them between books 1 and 2 in my Element
Trilogy. It definitely gives folks a sample of my work and also provides
readers extra insight into the characters.
Award-winning Author Norah Wilson @norah_wilson is the writer of
romantic suspense and paranormal romance novels. She co-writes the
laugh-out-loud Dix Dodd Mystery series with Heather Doherty.
It languished for a while until it occurred to me that I
could put Needing Nita up for free as a sample of my work, and to try to drive
traffic to the Serve and Protect series. I have to say it was a success. By
now, I think that little 15K novella has been downloaded over a million times.
While the conversion rate is not high – many people who buy
a free novella go on to buy more free novellas, not my full-priced novels –
there are always readers who tell me they found my series through the novella.
I must say, writing short is a unique challenge. People who
do it well have my lasting admiration. I can do it, but I prefer the long, slow
build of a novel.
Rhys Bowen @RhysBowen is the New York Times
bestselling writer of the Molly Murphy Mysteries and A Royal Spyness Mystery
series.
I love writing short stories as I can explore worlds I
wouldn't want to visit for whole novels. I find them a challenge but also
satisfying. I have done several short stories that feature the same characters
as my book series and of course these are helpful in introducing the books to
readers who might not have tried them.
Wendy Cartmell @WendyCartmell is the
bestselling author of the Sgt Major Crane Military Crime Thrillers.
To be honest I don’t
often write short stories, although that’s what I started writing when I was
learning my craft. Who’s Afraid Now was written as a give-away for people
joining my mailing list, although it is also for sale on Amazon. It was just a
natural way of explaining how Sgt Billy Williams came to be on the train that
was hijacked. A number of well-known authors are now doing this and I thought
it would be fun to try. So really my short stories are a way of giving readers
a sample of my work. However, often short story readers are just that. They
prefer that format to full length novels.
Author Leslie Kohler @LeslieKohler is a mystery
writer with a Southern border flavor.
Short stories give the reader a sample of one’s writing
style and ability. Because you can do various deals on Amazon with them, such
as free giveaways, they’re a good marketing tool. I began writing short stories
for the youth market when my children were young, as that was a genre I related
to as a mother.
Author Kfir Luzzatto @KfirLuzzatto writes Horror,
Mystery & Thrillers and Science Fiction & Fantasy plus short stories.
While I think that short stories can be a good way to
introduce your writing to new readers, to let them sample your writing without
investing too much time, I never write market-driven fiction. I wrote short
stories simply because I enjoy the medium, and stopped writing them because
they were too distracting and took away the time I needed to write full-length
fiction.
Author Meg Mims @megmims is the Award-winning author
of western mystery and sweet dog/cat books.
I love writing short stories - and yes, I do believe they allow
readers a glimpse into an author's style, including descriptions, character
development, narrative and dialogue. It's much harder to write short, given the
brief page span - as an author, I prefer writing a full novel. But novellas and
short stories may help sales of longer works.
Author Cathy Ann Rogers @feywritinggirl writes
Mystery, Crime, and Suspense novels. Cathy is the sponsor of Death and
Deception in the Desert, Arizona Mystery Con 2016 on June 3-4, 2016 in Phoenix
Arizona. (Aquitaine Ltd Publishing)
First, I enjoy creating short stories and consider them an
art form in their own right. Similar to telling a story as flash fiction, in
less than 100 words or 500 words, I love the challenge of using fewer words to
get the story across. On the business side, I track the free downloads of my
short stories and get a lot of activity. Some of the previous versions are
still online at various website, but I consolidated my previously published
shorts into one volume last year, Heavy Mascara. I have had positive feedback
about the stories. And yes, short stories provide a taste of what a reader can
find in my novels. Besides that, many readers enjoy a quick or fast read.
Author Vincent Zandri @VincentZandri is the No. 1
International Bestselling Amazon Noir Author. Vincent is the writer of the Dick
Moonlight Thriller Series, the P.I. Jack Marconi Series and the Chase Baker
Thriller Series.
I write short stories and novellas simply because that's
what I feel like writing at the time. Or perhaps the story just wants to be
told in that particular length. I don't use them as tools to sell my novels,
although I suppose they might entice a reader to pick up my longer works.
Using
Giveaways to Sell Short Stories
Many authors use short stories as giveaways to get readers
to read their work and buy their novels. Here is what they had to offer.
Terry Ambrose @suspense_writer is the author of
the McKenna Mystery series and a member of Murder, We Wrote.
I did give away my short story collection, LIFE’S SHORTS.
It’s a collection short stories and vignettes that range from funny to very
serious. I have a couple of additional free days available left on that and may
do another giveaway of that collection again in the near future. But, the
full-length books will not go up for free.
They like the idea of expanding their name recognition. The
problem is; their name becomes recognized as one of those authors who are
willing to give their stuff away. So, readers think, why buy? If the author is
good enough, there’s a possibility that they’ll be the exception and get
readers hooked.
Author Linton Robinson @LintonRobinson has written
many novels, short stories and essays. Linton has created several award winning
videos.
I have done a lot
of short work, but very little in traditional “short story” form. Much of it walks an odd line between fiction
and reporting. I’m not sure how much
crossover or “sell up” there is from shorts to novels. But shorts material is excellent grist for
the promo mill when given away as samples or “lead bait” or whatever.
Author John Dolan @JohnDolanAuthor
is the author of the TIME, BLOOD AND KARMA series.
It's hard to say what impact 'Jim Fosse' has had on sales,
though the short story was designed as a free giveaway to introduce folks to my
writing. The first chapter of 'Everyone Burns' is included with it and
hopefully tempts some people to buy the novel. I think you might term this the 'Drug
Dealer Strategy'.
Author Marcy McKay @MarcyMcKayBooks is a new author
and creator of Mudpie Writing industry blog.
I love all types of writing: novels, short stories, magazine
articles. A Cemetery Plot Worth of Love is the free short story on my website
that's the precursor to my novel. It's a thank you to people for signing up for
my email list.
Using
Collections to Sell Short Stories
Sometimes authors bundle their short stories together to try
to increase their audience. For example, I have created a 6-pack of Jonathon
Stone short stories called
Operation Alpha Dog to gain exposure to
my novels.
Eden Baylee @edenbaylee is the author of a
psychological mystery/thriller and three collections of erotic novellas and
flash fiction.
Before Stranger at
Sunset, I wrote flash fiction, short stories, and novellas. I continue to
do so and have a collection of shorts with poetry called Hot Flash. Also, one of my shorts is included in an anthology
called Allegories of the Tarot. As my
shorts are written in multiple genres – thriller, humor, romance, erotica –
they do give readers a taste for my writing.
Bestselling Author Darren Sant @Longcroft_Tales writes Mystery
& Thrillers, Humor, and Horror novels. He has written the Cirque Du Freak
and The Demonata series. Today we feature his book: Shattered Hearts and Broken
Glass.
I’ll be honest in saying that my collection of short
stories, Dark Voices, does not sell as well as the Longcroft Tales. Dark Voices
was more an attempt to put together a body of work that I have worked on in the
last few years. It’s well known that story collections do not sell as well as
longer fiction, unless you are Stephen King, of course.
Author Eric B. Ruark @ericruark is the author of the
Murder Beyond the Milky Way and many short stories.
For the most part my short stories pre-date my novel
writing. I basically wrote the short
stories to have fun... to explore “what if” scenarios, like can a person be in
two places at the same time? (The answer
is yes, but only once a year.) The
editors at ALFRED HITCHCOCK MYSTERY MAGAZINE have been the most receptive to my
work. Recently, I collected my short
stories and published eight of them in a volume called THE CARD SHARP and other
stories of murder, mystery and mayhem. I
now use that as a 99-cent tease to attract readers and lead them to my longer
works.
Using
Anthology to Sell Short Stories
Related to collections, anthologies are regularly published
short stories in a particular genre giving readers a sample of a variety of
author’s writings. Many readers read the anthology because one of their
favorite authors is included only to find another author they like.
Award-Winning Author Jade Kerrion @JadeKerrion writes the DOUBLE HELIX series. Also, she
writes a great blog featuring authors and writing.
The collection of short stories started out as a writing
competition…I was one of the authors, and I thought that an anthology would
prove an interesting marketing tool, so I took a lead in gathering the stories
into an anthology. It’s hard to tell if a sales bump can be attributed to the
anthology versus other marketing activities that I’m doing, but it was
definitely fun collaborating with other authors to put out a shared piece of
work.
Author John A. A. Logan @JohnAALogan writes novels and
short stories. Also, he has been a columnist and film reviewer.
I started out by writing short stories. John Fowles and A L
Kennedy chose one, which was also an extract from a novel, to be published by
the London publisher, Vintage, in a paperback anthology of stories which was
sold in most countries of the world. A few years later, another couple of
famous British authors, Toby Litt and Ali Smith, chose one of my stories to be
published in a Picador anthology called New Writing 13. I published my short
story collection, Storm Damage, so it was the sales of the novel as an ebook
which helped the sales of the short story collection, to readers who had been
waiting for a second book to come out.
Award-winning Author Melodie Campbell @MelodieCampbell is the
Executive Director of Crime Writers of Canada. Also, she is the author of the
THE GODDAUGHTER mob caper series and bestselling Rowena fantasy series.
I actually got my start writing short stories, and had 24
published and six awards before writing my first novel. Many people have found me through short
stories published in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, and have gone on to read
my novels. I will always write short
stories! I love the clarity and
crispness of a good short story.
Alicia Dean @Alicia_Dean_ is the
award-winning, bestselling author of the Reapers of Boon Series, The Isle of Fangs
Series and The Northland Crime Chronicles.
It is difficult to measure the impact of short stories and
novellas on novel sales, so I can't really say. However, that isn't the
intention of the shorter works. Yes, they are a style of writing, and sometimes
a story can be told in a shorter word count and I feel that if a writer
stretches it into a novel, they are probably leaving in a lot of boring parts. I will say, though, that some of my
short stories and novellas were created as part of a particular anthology or
project with a limited word count.
Pauline Baird Jones @paulinebjones is the
award-winning author of the The Lonesome Lawmen and the Project Enterprise
series.
I didn’t actually plan to write novellas. Like my other
random acts of writing, they happened. It’s hard to assess how much they help. Some
readers do like shorter works and some readers tell me they wish they were
longer. Most of my short stories were either written by request for anthologies
or written during highly stressful times in my life when all I could manage was
short bursts of writing. My two collections of romance stories fall into the
latter category. I was too stressed to even ramp up the suspense.
Turnaround
on thinking
Actually there are some authors who believe the process
works in reverse. They feel the sale of their novels drives the sales of their
short stories.
Author George Wier @BillTravisWrite is the author of
the The Bill Travis Mystery series.
I wouldn't say the shorts have impacted my sales terribly.
I'd say it works the opposite direction. A reader of my series is more likely
to purchase a short story simply because they trust me. They know I write a
story rich in character, location and plot, and when they see I've put out a
new short story, many (though not all) snap it up. So far, I've garnered some
good reviews. No, for me, short story writing is not a marketing ploy. A story
idea will sometimes come along that is too good to pass up. It'll hit me
between the eyes and get my attention, and I'll say, “Who the hell are you?
Author Shelley Young @dardiandreshaj is the author of
the Dardian Dreshaj novels.
What a good question, because Indies often wonder the same
thing. I’m not a fan of flash fiction. I can be, but not at this time. I did
the Dali series after a discussion I had with a fan. It was something that she
wanted and she asked me to try my hand at it, so I did. I had to pull back from
the series, because the more I wrote of it the more the readers wanted! It
began to take up too much time.
Has short stories helped me sale my full-length novels? No,
but I do believe that flash fiction can do just that. With flash fiction you
have to market just as fully as you do your other work. My sales from the Dali
series are actually the other way around for me. My fans buy the Dali stories
after they enjoy my full-length reads, and they are quick to tell me that they
prefer my full-length novels, as the Dali series is far too short and too much
of a tease.
Author Jenny Hilborne @JFHilborne is the author of the
Jackson Mysteries and Thrillers Series.
False Pretense is loosely based on a real life event. It's very
short and carries a powerful message. I think readers have bought the short
based on the strength of the novels rather than the other way around. Shorts
are a great way to sample an author’s work and perfect for those with a busy
schedule.
Bestselling Mystery
and Suspense Author Robin Mahle is an
author of the Redwood Violet suspense series.
My short story, Long Journey Home, was really my first work
of any real length. Prior to that, I
wrote articles and moved up to essays and then the short story. I wouldn’t say it’s had much impact on sales
of my novels, but I can tell you that since I’ve published the second book in
the Redwood Violet series, sales of my short story have increased fairly
significantly.
Terry Odell @authorterryo is an author of
romance, mystery & romantic suspense novels. She is also a publishing
industry blogger and hosts the Booklover’s Bench, a website for readers.
I think it's the other way around. I notice sales of my
short stories after I release a new novel.
Also, my short stories are contemporary romance, not mystery or romantic suspense,
so there's a different audience. I wrote them so long ago, and they're still
with The Wild Rose Press, so I can't really track sales. And, to be honest, I
find it very hard to write short stories—I'm long-winded I guess. However I do
have a couple of mystery short stories that I'll be releasing some time later
this year, I think. One was in an anthology and I'm working to get my rights
back to publish it myself along with a couple others featuring the same
detective.
Author J.T. Lewis @JTLewis_Books is the bestselling
author of the The Adventures of Gabriel Celtic Series and the The Pepper and
Longstreet Series.
Many of the short stories are prequels to the Gabriel Celtic
series. Currently I offer these for free as an enticement to get people
interested in the series…and yes, it has had a dramatic effect on sales of the
novels.
“Circles” is the
newest of my creations, one that has been rumbling around in my head for quite
a while. A sci-fi offering, it is the first of probably ten shorts that this
series will have as it stands now. One advantage (to me as a writer) to
producing shorts is to start to get the story out.
Think of Readers First
Authors fell short stories are a useful tool to keep their reading
audience engaged in their writing.
While
Your Readers are Waiting for the Next Novel
Some authors approach the dead period between novels by
publishing a continuing stream of short stories while there readers are waiting
for the next novel.
Award-winning and
bestselling author, Sharon C. Cooper
@Sharon_Cooper1 is a Romantic Suspense writer.
Interesting enough, my first short story was written
because I first wanted to see if I could write a short story. Once written though, one of my
critique partners suggested that I publish it and offer it for FREE. This was
to draw readers to my work.
I tried it again, writing another short story, back in
October. I wrote Secret Rendezvous
mainly because I was behind in my self-inflicted deadline for Rendezvous
with Danger and readers were asking about “Quinn’s” story. Not only did the short
story appease some readers who were waiting for Quinn’s full-length story, but
because it is still a FREE read, it has introduced readers to my Reunited
Series – people who might not have ever heard of me. This means now I have a
few new followers.
Occult Thriller
Author Lisa M. Lilly @lisamlilly is the
author of the The Awakening Series.
I shied away from writing short stories until I attended a
5-day writing retreat with author Steve Barnes. He had us write a short story
every night and turn it in the next day for critiquing. That cut off my
tendency to turn everything into a novel. At the time, I felt cranky about it.
I didn’t want to write anything short. But one of those stories became the
first fiction I sold to a paying market. Now I enjoy writing short stories when
I take breaks from longer projects. My latest is a horror story called Ninevah. It’s about a woman who must
decide whether to stay or go when the company where she works is swallowed up
by a conglomerate, and the consequences of her choice are more frightening that
she ever could have imagined. I published Ninevah
exclusively for my email list subscribers. Anyone who signs up gets a link to
read the story free.
Author D.R. Ransdell @dr_ransdell writes Mystery,
Travel and Romance novels plus short stories.
I haven't seen an impact on sales, but since you're always
trying to develop a readership, any kind of writing is useful! Once in a while
I have a good idea for a short story and run with it. Most of the time I'm
wrapped up in longer projects, so a short story is a nice break.
Author Bernard Schaffer @BernardSchaffer is the author
of the Grendel Unit, Way of the Warror and Superbia series.
A good use of short stories can be in keeping an established
series going, in between larger projects. Or to flesh out smaller characters in
your canon that didn't get enough shine, if you want to. I do not recommend
them. Too many writers chomp on short stories like candy, or fast food, when
they should be taking the time to measure out their ingredients and chop up the
veggies to make a gourmet feast. But I understand. Writing novels is much
harder work.
SA Today Bestselling
Author Jamie Lee Scott @authorJamie is an
Award winning Screenwriter, Producer/Director and the creator of the Gotcha
Detective Agency Mysteries series.
The short story was written for fun. I wanted to put
something out for the holidays, and give readers a chance to see something
different while waiting for the next novel. Tagged was a lot of fun to write,
but I can’t say it increased sales of my other books. I’m always game for
something new. I’m not a short story writer, but I’m learning the process, and
will definitely try a few more when time allows.
Author Nick Stephenson @Nick_Stephenson is the author
of the Leopold Blake Series. He writes mysteries, thrillers, and suspense
novels. Also, he has a book written just for author to help them with Book
Marketing.
Each new release has a noticeable effect, and “Paydown” was
no different. I was rather surprised; this title sells just as well as the full
novels – probably because it’s strongly linked in to the rest of the Leopold
Blake series. Considering it only took about 4 weeks to write, I’m definitely
considering getting more out there. It gives me something to do while I’m
waiting for editing and proofreading to go through!
Author Glenn Trust @GlennTrust writes Thriller
and Suspense novels including the
Bestselling Hunters Series.
Thanks for asking about the short stories. ‘Lightning in the
Clouds’ was one of my favorite projects. I have always been a fan of the short
story format. Short works of Bradbury and Hemingway are among my favorites…
‘Lightning in the
Clouds’ was written solely because the stories were inside and needed to come
out, not so readers could sample, although if they do, great. There are plenty
more stories floating around in my head, and I will probably put out another collection
in the next couple of years, in between novels. Writing short stories gives me
time to recharge the batteries after a long project. The format by nature is
compact and requires more conciseness than a major novel.
Author Jami Gray @JamiGrayAuthor writes Science
Fiction & Fantasy, Romance, Suspense novels. Jami is the author of The Kyn
Kronicles series.
Actually, shorts are one of the hardest story types for me
to write in. As a series writer, I prefer full length novels. WRAPPED IN
SHADOWS was my first attempt at shorts, and I was thrilled to have an
opportunity to give readers a glimpse into the Kyn world and discover some
great writers.
I finally decided that if I could offer a series of short
stories that followed the series, ones that would enhance current readers, but
also work to lure new ones in, then I could also indulge in sharing what
happens to my characters in between the books. Collections like this don’t just
make your readers gleeful; they offer writers a chance to share the “off stage”
life of their characters.
Author Marcia James @Marcia_James writes comic romantic mystery and suspense
novels, as well as humorous contemporary romance.
Writing short can be more challenging than writing a full-length
book because you have to fit a lot of character development into a small word
count. One thing I like to do is to
have the hero and heroine know each other before the novella begins.
Most indie authors believe it's important to have books or
novellas come out every one-to-three months. Writing novellas helps authors
have new releases more often than if they only wrote books. And hopefully, if a
reader enjoys one of your stories, they will want to read them all.
Author PJ Schnyder @pjschnyder writes
Paranormal,Sci-Fi Romance,Urban Fantasy and Steampunk novels.
Short stories are great to explore other genres. They are
also a way of introducing other readerships to my work. Plus, they provide a
nice treat for my existing readers in the midst of waiting for the next
novella- or novel-length release.
Introducing
New Characters
Other authors use short stories to present new characters or develop secondary characters from their novels to keep their reader’s attention.
I find writing a short story very challenging. A Crime At the Bakery was written to further
develop some of my characters in the fictional village of Taye, Scotland. Also, I wanted the readers to know things
were happening back in Scotland while Duncan was investigating a case in
Spain. A Crime At the Bakery also gave folks
something to read in the series while awaiting the next full length novel.
Author Jennifer Chase @JChaseNovelist is the
award-winning Mystery writer of the Emily Stone Thriller Series.
Short stories are an interesting aspect of writing. Some
people say they are dead in the water as far as sales, while others claim that
it is a wonderful way for readers to sample your work. I agree with the
later. I have so many ideas that writing
a short story is a wonderful project in between novels. I have received many
requests that some of my supporting characters should have their own books. What
better way to highlight some of these characters in short stories?
M. Louisa Locke @mlouisalocke is the Author of
Maids of Misfortune and Uneasy Spirits, bestselling Victorian San Francisco
Mystery Series.
I wrote Dandy Detects,
which featured characters—including a Boston Terrier—from my first novel,
primarily as a way to introduce readers to the series. Making this story free
for short periods of time did help do this. Then, free books became much more
prevalent (as did 99 cent books) and the free or cheap short story became less
attractive. Now I write the shorts for my own benefit and to give fans of the
series something to read in between books (I am a slow writer). I find it very satisfying
to expand on minor characters (which I do with all 3 short stories).
International
Bestselling Author Tonya Kappes
@tonyakappes11 writes Small Town Southern Mysteries.
I came up with my first short when I wanted to introduce the
reader to a new crop of characters. It was sort of a prequel thing. Since I
write mystery, I have a tad bit of romance in them. Short stories are great to
hit on those romance elements instead of incorporating them in a full novel.
It's been very helpful for me and keeps my readers happy between novels.
Author Mimi Sebastian @SebastianMimi is a Fantasy and
Historical Fiction writer. Mimi has written the Necromancer Series.
It’s hard to say if they’ve had an impact. It was a story
that came to me about one of the minor characters in the Necromancer Books and
I decided to make it into a booklet as a giveaway and introduce people to my
writing.
Your
Readers Asked for More
The best position of all is when readers keep asking for
more. The following authors discuss their experience.
Author Tallulah Grace @TallulahSpeaks writes Romantic
Suspense Novels with a Paranormal Twist.
My first short-story, Trapped
in Spaulding Manor, was simply a story that was rattling around in my head
which needed to get out. My latest shorty, An
Extraordinary Christmas, was in response to readers wanting to know more
about two of my characters. I’ve also placed a few shorts on my website, so
that readers can experience my writing style. As for the impact on sales, I
think that the shorts are more of an extension to my existing sales, rather
than an avenue to find new readers.
Author Jacquie Biggar @JacqBiggar is a Romance,
Contemporary and Suspense writer who writes the 'Wounded Hearts' series.
I did the Sheriff because fans were asking for Jack
Garrett’s story, a great feeling, by the way! This was my first novella but I
gotta say, I like ‘em. Done properly, you still get a full story, it just loses
that saggy middle, that most writers struggle with anyway. I know, as a reader,
I like novellas; they’re a quick, enjoyable read when I don’t have time for
more.
Ideas a Plenty
Many authors have so many ideas floating around in their
head the stories just have to come out no matter the size of the writing.
Fuel
for Your Short Stories
Back stories and cut chapters can fuel short stories and make
great reading for their audience.
Best Selling Mystery
Author Lauren Carr @TheMysteryLadie is
the author of the Mac Faraday Mysteries
& the Lovers in Crime Mysteries.
Actually, most of the short stories I have written are
left-overs, for lack of a better term. I keep a cut-scenes file for every book,
in which I place scenes that have been cut, subplots that didn’t work out, or
other “darlings” that I had to kill during my writing process.
Toni Anderson @toniannanderson is a New York
Times and USA Today international bestselling author who writes dark, gritty
Romantic Suspense.
I’ve written one novella and I’m also writing some extra
scenes for certain characters. Short is not my preferred style of writing, I
prefer big stories with complex plots. I wrote the novella (HER LAST CHANCE)
because during the editing process of HER SANCTUARY I deleted an entire love
story between two secondary characters. While I couldn’t fit an entire novel
around these characters, I could give them a HEA with their own novella and
give readers an update on life on the ranch that they’d been demanding…Frankly,
I’m just happy that people are reading!
Author DV Berkom @dvberkom is the bestselling author
of two award-winning thriller series (Leine Basso and Kate Jones).
My first published book was Bad Spirits, a novella and the first installment in the Kate Jones
thriller series. I wrote it specifically for an online publisher who had read Touring for Death and requested I write
the back story for the character, Kate, to publish as a serial. I decided to combine
the novellas into a box set (Volume 1) for release. Readers can still buy them
separately, but I priced the box set lower than the sum of the novellas
together, so most buy the set.
Introduce
Yourself to Readers
Short stories can be a way to introduce your writings to a
new audience.
Author Paul Levine is the award-winning, bestselling
Mystery & Thrillers author of the JAKE LASSITER and SOLOMON vs. LORD
series.
I’m giving away “The Road to Hell” as a sort of introduction
to my work. Same with “Solomon and Lord
Sink or Swim.” They’re both free ebooks
on Amazon, and they’ve led readers to my regular ebooks and paperbacks that are
very reasonably priced, too. In terms of
future work, I don’t envision more short stories. Novels are my format of choice.
My novellas are all parts of a larger body of work. Taming
the Country Star was designed to introduce my contemporary romance series.
Bound by Blood is a sequel to Sanguinary—it and Siren's Kiss (as well as a few
other forthcoming novellas) will all tie together to create a complete story, even
though every book will also stand on its own.
Challenges
Short stories are not a slam dunk adventure. They come with
their own problems and challenges.
Problems
and Challenges Ahead
The following authors share their experiences of a not so
rosy venture.
Author Colin F. Barnes @ColinFBarnes is a Hybrid
writer of dark fiction & Technothriller novels.
I definitely like short stories for their own right, and so
far I’ve not written any to funnel readers into my novels. I did try that, but
I end up going to long and writing novellas instead! In terms of sales, they’re
disastrous and I’ve stopped publishing short stories. I think there’s an
opportunity for perhaps a collection once I have a bigger following, but for
now my focus with short stories is to try and sell them to pro markets to help
raise my profile and introduce readers to my work that way. Trying to sell
short stories as a self-published is a really hard deal in my experience.
Authors don’t get as much feedback as one might think. Also
you ask, does a free short story impact sales? Who knows, but I sure like
writing them. They are absolutely not just for sample purposes. In fact, I wish
there were a larger audience for short stories. Agents and editors swear they
can’t sell short story anthologies in general.
Author Giacomo Giammatteo @JimGiammatteo writes
Mystery and Suspense novels in which many of the scenes are taken from
real-life experiences.
I never intended to write a novella, but after A Bullet For
Carlos came out, I received a lot of emails asking about one of the secondary
characters in the book--Dominic Mangini. I decided to write a novella that
tells the story of his background. It can function on its own, but it works
best if someone has read Bullet first. I tried using it as a sample of the
other writing, but it didn't work as planned. I gave away a few thousand
copies, but what I ended up with were people who didn't know anything about my
writing in general or Bullet in particular. I think it caused more confusion
than anything. It did give me an idea to publish a list of the order I think
the books should be read.
Author Michelle Medhat @theconnected1 is the Author
of the 5 star novel Connected: The Call, a genre-busting, fast-paced, surreal
spy thriller.
Moving from one form of writing to another is demanding, in
that you have to take yourself out of one creative zone and go into another.
Being someone who can write captivating short stories doesn't automatically
mean you can develop and write a full book, nor a business article. I have
known poets who wouldn't even consider writing a book or article, and authors
who would run a mile if someone said compose a poem.
The
Audience is Changing
A flag is being raised slowly over the publishing industry.
Reading time is shrinking. People are reading short reads on their tablets and
ipads more and more.
Eden Baylee @edenbaylee is the author of a
psychological mystery/thriller and three collections of erotic novellas and
flash fiction.
I believe some readers’ attention spans are shorter, but
avid readers will still read lengthy novels, even on their smart phones. It’s
apples and oranges really. Despite that flash fiction and short stories have a
lower word count than novels; they are not necessarily easier to write. If
anything, they are sometimes more difficult because the author needs to be
economical with words and still be able to tell a complete story.
Author Lindsay Buroker is author of the The Emperor's
Edge, Swords & Salt, Rust & Relics and Dragon Blood series.
I’ve heard a lot about how readers supposedly have shorter
attention spans these days and are consuming content on their phones, and I
know Wattpad has acquired a large audience by serving up stories a chapter or
chunk at a time, but my readers really seem to prefer the full-length novels,
the longer the better, they say!
Author Carmen DeSousa @Author_Carmen is the Author of
the Southern Suspense Series.
My first short story was a blog exercise. I wrote 500 words
and then asked readers to give me suggestions, and then every week I’d add
exactly 500 words to the story. IT WAS A HIT, and out of it, ‘The Pit Stop’ and
‘The Depot’ came about, but then something happened… As much as readers loved
the stories, almost every one of them screamed for more.
Author Jess C Scott @jesscscott is the author of the
Wilde Twins and the Seven Deadly Sins Series.
My erotic novellas certainly helped sell the anthologies. I
enjoy writing novellas and short stories because they require a different
approach as compared to writing a novel. They can be a good form to "try
out" too before working on a longer project in a similar genre. I think
short attention spans are a product of our email and smart phone age. I've
taken this to mean that people enjoy things that are easily digestible.
Author Douglas Dorow @DougDorow is a mystery and
thrillers writer.
I'm committed to writing at least a series of 3 novellas in
the FBI HRT Critical Incident series. If it finds a following, I'll keep it up.
The novella series to me is more like a television series, each alone is
entertaining, while the compilation tells the bigger story and character
development. I believe some readers are looking for the shorter book, one that
can be read in one sitting, maybe on their smartphone.
Author John W. Mefford @jwmefford writes Mystery,
Suspense, and Thriller novels. John is the author of the Alex Troutt Series,
BOOKER Series, and the GREED Series.
And, long story short (no pun intended), I wrote up a
novella full of sass and suspense that allowed me to use Joe's characters and
my characters from the Booker series. It was a blast to write. I think some readers
are always looking for shorter pieces of work to determine if they want to
invest more time.
Short
Stories can be a Learning Experience
Short stories can be a learning experience for new authors
when they start their writing careers.
Troy Blackford @TBlackford3 is a Paranormal Action-Adventure, Short Stories Author
and Editorial Consultant.
That's exactly the truth! My first stories that people
responded well to were the shorts and not the novels. The first novels are more
like learning opportunities for you as a writer than they are likely to be
examples of your best work.
What I had wished I had known when I started? How much I loved this! I would have been doing
it far earlier!
Award-winning and USA
Today Bestselling Author Susan M. Boyer
@susanmboyer is the author of the Liz Talbot romantic mystery series.
I don’t think the short stories have impacted the sales of
the novels. They were all published years before the novels. Honestly, I wrote
the short stories when I was learning the business of publishing and someone had
told me I needed to get a few short stories published before I tried to sell my
first novel. I’ve since learned this isn’t necessarily true for commercial
fiction, but more helpful if one writes literary fiction. It was part of my
learning process.
Brent Hartinger is the author of The Russel
Middlebrook series. The movie version of his novel: Geography Club was released
in 2013.
…short stories are a
great way to get your feet wet, to learn the process of putting words down
on paper -- and to experience the act of completing something, and getting
feedback, in a class or a critique group or whatever.
Award-Winning and
Pushcart-Prize nominated author Gary Ponzo
@AuthorPonzo is the author of the Nick Bracco series of thrillers.
I began writing short stories because I figured I'd get all
my mistake out of the way in the short form. If I wrote a lousy short story I
only wasted a week or two of my time. If I wrote a lousy novel, well, I've
wasted a year or more. Once I began getting published and receiving nominations
for Pushcart Prizes, it gave me the confidence to move on to the long form.
Author DV Berkom @dvberkom is the bestselling author
of two award-winning thriller series (Leine Basso and Kate Jones).
Learning how to write novellas was like boot camp for
writing lean—to strip out all but the most essential information. This has two
purposes: one, you don’t waste the reader’s time with unnecessary fluff; and
two, it allows the reader to become
more deeply involved in the story by using their imagination to fill in more
details. I still apply these same principles for my longer works—my main rule
is to NEVER bore the reader.
Author Ian Walkley @ianjwalkley is a Thriller writer,
property marketer and author of action thriller No Remorse.
Several established authors and writing teachers suggested
that I should try writing short stories as a way of practicing creative
techniques. I tried it but I'm not a huge fan of short stories, so I don't
think I've really had the motivation. There is an increasing trend for writers
to pen short stories as a way to keep a series protagonist in front of their
fans.
Author JT Brannan @JTBrannan_ is a Political Thriller
and Sci-Fi Action author who writes the Mark Cole Thriller series.
I’ve always wanted to have a go at writing a short story,
and my editor at Headline asked me to write one in the build-up to the release
of EXTINCTION. I leapt at the chance and – although it’s not normally the genre
I write in – I decided to do a sci-fi action tale, as I feel science fiction lends itself very well to the
short story dynamic. I’m not actually sure what effect it had on sales of my
novels, but I definitely had fun writing it, and might well write more in the
future.
Author Madison Johns @madisonjohns11 is the Author of
the Amazon bestselling Agnes Barton senior sleuth mystery series.
I did a short story collection and it was the first sample
of my work, but since then I went another way. My novella Pretty and Pregnant
is good example of a way to test out the waters in another genre for me.
Author Nicole Wolverton @nicolewolverton is a
YA/adult author and the short fiction writer of the THE TRAJECTORY OF DREAMS.
I wrote short stories long before I tackled novel-writing.
It's definitely a different kind of writing and plotting--my published shorts
are all adult, either horror or literary, while my novels are primarily young
adult horror and thrillers or adult thrillers. I think it's hard to tell if my
published shorts have had an impact on novel sales. I'd like to think author
discovery works that way, though!
Short Stories to Support a Cause
Many authors publish short stories to benefit special
causes.
Bestselling Thriller
author M.A. Comley @Melcom1 is the author
of The Justice series.
I started to release the short stories as a means to support
a charity close to my heart. All the proceeds of Merry Widow and It's A Dog's
Life (both connected to the Justice series) go to P.U.P.S. the charity I got my
rescue dog, Henry, from, he's 13 now. The lady who runs the charity has saved
over 1500 dogs and was awarded an MBE (Member of the British Empire) for her
work. I always promised her that one day I would contribute to the dogs she
saves, this is my way of doing that.
Phyllis Zimbler Miller @ZimblerMiller is an
author of Mystery & Thrillers. Also, she is a Web marketer and writer of
several book industry publications.
I do not think the short stories I have written have had any
impact on the sales of my novel. I did
not write these to give readers a sample of my work -- I use Amazon's KDP
Select for that. I wrote SOLOMON'S
JUSTICE because of my long-standing interest in helping to spread information
to veterans about PTSD.
Author Lorna Dounaeva @LornaDounaeva is the author
of sizzling psychological thriller, Fry.
It was one of IndieReader.com's Best Indie Books of 2013.
So far my short stories have just been a fun little side
project, more of a hobby, really. For instance, Vampire Driving School is part
of a charity anthology about Vampires called In Vein, and The Snowpersons is
part of a writers’ anthology called A World of Joy. Neither of these are in my
usual genre, Crime Fiction, so they don’t necessarily have the same audience. I
think short stories are a interesting way to hook in readers, but ideally, the
stories need to be in the same genre you write in, and ideally linked to other
stories and books.
Author Marcia James @Marcia_James writes comic romantic mystery and suspense
novels, as well as humorous contemporary romance.
"Love Unleashed" is my shortest story (12,000
words), and I wrote it originally for an American Heart Association fundraiser
that asked for short stories. "Heating Up the Holidays" is a standard-sized
novella (22,000 words). Writing short can be more challenging than writing a
full-length book because you have to fit a lot of character development into a
small word count. One thing I like
to do is to have the hero and heroine know each other before the novella
begins. This means, I can develop the romance along one of several plot themes
-- reunited lovers, friends-to-lovers, and enemies-to-lovers, for example.
Other Things to Consider
Here are some other special items authors expressed in our
study.
Author Kathi Daley @kathidaley is the author of the Zoe Donovan cozy Mystery Series, TJ
Jensen Paradise Lake Mystery series, Whales and Tails Cozy Mystery Series, and
Seacliff High Mystery Series.
I definitely think that novellas have a place in my overall
portfolio. I personally enjoy reading a shorter story if I have an hour or so
that I can devote to a book but I know that I most likely won’t get back to it
for a week or more due to my schedule. I like to publish often in order to keep
the reader engaged with the characters in each of my series…
Author Richard C Hale @Richard_C_Hale is thriller and
paranormal writer and author of the Near Death Series.
I love the short story. It’s a fun and challenging art form
and if done well, can have a big impact for the small amount of words that go
into them. As far as impacting sales, I don’t believe they’ve made much of a
difference. They do not sell as well as novels, and for that reason, I mainly
use mine now as little teasers. I give the electronic ones away free so new
readers can get a taste of my writing and style and then decide if I’m a good
fit for them.
Author Marla Madison @MarlaAMadison is the
bestselling author of She's Not There. She writes Suspense and Mystery &
Thriller novels.
When I first started writing and had more time, I was active
on a sight called
Fanstory. It’s a great place for
writers to post their work, enter contests, and get feedback from other writers
and readers.
Award-winning author Christine Nolfi @christinenolfi is a Mystery
& Thrillers and Romance author. Christine writes the Heavenscribe
Series,The Lei Crime Series and Liberty Series.
The Kindle Worlds novellas
weren't part of a marketing strategy although they've certainly helped expand my reader base. Author
Toby Neal was given a World by Amazon, and asked if I'd write one of the debut
stories. I've known Toby for a long time, and was delighted by the offer.
Author Lorhainne Eckhart @Leckhart is the Author of
Kindle Bestseller THE FORGOTTEN CHILD.
Many of my readers enjoy the bridge short stories, and these
short stories have contributed to the sales of my novels. I do enjoy writing
short stories within a series, taking my characters on a side trip. And it does give new readers a sample
of your writing style. For myself, I enjoy reading short stories from other
Authors and I’ve discovered many new authors this way.
Author Geoffrey West @GeoffreyDWest is an editor,
proofreader and author of the Jack Lockwood Mysteries.
I did the Jack Lockwood Diaries as a result of my blog The
Jack Lockwood Diaries, where I added a short story every week or so, and took
these off the blog and into the book. I
still do this blog, but have been doing the Jamie Dark stories more recently.
Conclusion
Marketing short stories is a challenge. Whether you’re
offering a sample of your work, keeping your readers engaged between novels or
introducing new characters, you need a strategy to make your effort worthwhile.
Example
of a Collections of Short Stories x James Moushon
A 6-pack of Jonathon Stone short stories called Operation
Alpha Dog.
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