This week, we bring Matt Herron back to the Round Table to discuss what we writers can do with our short stories. We define the collections, the novel-in-story, and serialization, discussing pros and cons of each. This week we stray into marketing territory, because when it comes to deciding what to do with your stories, how you brand them matters.

VIDEO

AUDIO

SHOW NOTES

How do you approach a short story collection? And when do you know you are writing one? What is the difference between a collection of short stories and a novel-in-stories? And what are the challenges of writing a short story collection? Why do some genre’s seem to lend themselves to serialization? And what is the difference between a serialized work, and a collection of short stories?

What we talked about:

The story behind Matt’s Tales of the Republic collection. (1:05)

As readers, is there a difference between a collection of short stories and a novel-in-stories? (3:20)

Do we read short stories? (5:50)

What are the challenges of writing a short story collection? (7:38)

How do you know if you are writing a novel-in-stories versus a novel? (10:53)

Should you read a short story collection beginning to end? (14:22)

Is it appealing to work in small slices rather than the novel as a writer? (17:00)

What about serialization? (17:38)

What is the difference between serialized fiction and a short story collection? (21:40)

How is a series of short stories different from serialized fiction? (22:40)

Why serialization lends itself to certain genre’s. (24:20)

What has to change when you take a novel and turn it into a serialized form? (25:20)

LINKS

Things we mentioned:

Charles Dickens
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 
Leo Tolstoy 
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
Amy Tan 
Drown by Juno Diaz
The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway
Assignment Darklanding by Craig Martelle and Scott Moon
Wool by Hugh Howey
Yesterday’s Gone by Sean Platt and David Wright
Stargate 
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Altered Carbon 
The Expanse 
Under the Dome 

Have thoughts, questions, other examples? Join the conversation at the Story Works Writers Facebook group.