If you write short pieces, as opposed to full-length books, anthologies are markets to explore for your work. The two book covers above are anthologies in which I have been published. A publisher decides to put together a group of stories by different authors, usually around a specific theme.
The one I first submitted to and where I've had good success is Chicken Soup for the Soul. Their books are always filled with stories geared to a particular theme. They stay with a specified number of stories in each book--101. The stories they seek are heartwarming, humorous, heart-tugging true tales. No horror or erotica here. (Go to the bottom of the page where three columns are shown in blue ink. At the top of the third column, you will see Submit Your Stories. Click on this to go to the page that gives you all the information you need to submit.
The Moments series of anthologies does not pay the authors. All royalties for the books go to an international charitable organization called Samaritan's Purse. You can read more about this series here. Submitting here, and being accepted, gives you a publication to add to your list and offers an opportunity to help others in our world.
Bards Against Hunger is another no-pay series of poetry anthologies. Royalties for the books go to fight hunger around the world. Again, it's one more publication if you are accepted.
If you subscribe to writing newsletters, you can be on the lookout for anthologies that need submissions. You'll find lists of calls for submissions, anthologies being only one type.
Do a search on your favorite search engine. I tried that just recently. I was surprised at the number of horror anthologies listed. There are also a lot of sci-fi and erotica books that are looking for stories. For people who write in these genres, it looked like a fertile field.
As always, read the guidelines carefully. Read samples of the anthology if possible to give you an idea for what they like to publish.
Here are a few links to anthologies looking for submissions:
- Crack the Spine--theme is The Year
- Heroines
- The Fiction Desk
- Once Upon An Enchanted Forest--witchcraft stories
- Untitled Time Anthology--theme is Time
- Horror Anthology
- Travel Tales (some dates are past, some still open)
Nancy, thanks for the resources. One of these days, Jim
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