Thinking About Publishing an Anthology
I can't forget about the idea of publishing my own anthology. I think it would be fun and help the contributing authors share some of their readers with each other.
Having fun and gaining readers are both elusive goals for introverts who can't stop writing.
So I am throwing out some ideas here, looking for comments from readers and writers. If no one comments, I will probably continue to ponder publishing an anthology, and do nothing about it.
Shared Universe or Not: I love the idea of editing a shared universe anthology. The universe could be based upon one of my books; superhero, monster hunting, or my super-secret book in the works. I really wouldn't mind editing an anthology based upon someone else's universe. Of course, then I would have to learn the details of that universe. The advantage of a shared universe would be a ready made setting that the reader could relate to. Disadvantages would be that writes may hesitate to submit to it if they think their stories might be rejected and not be saleable anywhere else.
Author Payment: There are a few options here; I keep reading that it is a poor practice not to pay contributors in cash up front. I am willing to take on some financial risk, but it would be bad to lose a fat stack of cabbage after doing all that work. On the other hand, if you don't offer immediate payment, you won't get many submissions. If you don't pay well, you won't get any bigger named authors who can pull in more sales. Some indie authors are only looking for exposure, but it might be hard to find those authors if their only payment is a small royalty. It could be a pain to determine who gets what. Perhaps the best thing would be to donate the net profits to a charity. Question: If the indie authors are paid a flat fee up front, are they as inclined to promote the work if they get nothing extra from the additional sales? What about a two-tiered payment system, where authors with bigger following get a better payment?
I am interesting in exploring this idea further. Please leave your comments on any aspect of it.
Having fun and gaining readers are both elusive goals for introverts who can't stop writing.
So I am throwing out some ideas here, looking for comments from readers and writers. If no one comments, I will probably continue to ponder publishing an anthology, and do nothing about it.
Shared Universe or Not: I love the idea of editing a shared universe anthology. The universe could be based upon one of my books; superhero, monster hunting, or my super-secret book in the works. I really wouldn't mind editing an anthology based upon someone else's universe. Of course, then I would have to learn the details of that universe. The advantage of a shared universe would be a ready made setting that the reader could relate to. Disadvantages would be that writes may hesitate to submit to it if they think their stories might be rejected and not be saleable anywhere else.
Author Payment: There are a few options here; I keep reading that it is a poor practice not to pay contributors in cash up front. I am willing to take on some financial risk, but it would be bad to lose a fat stack of cabbage after doing all that work. On the other hand, if you don't offer immediate payment, you won't get many submissions. If you don't pay well, you won't get any bigger named authors who can pull in more sales. Some indie authors are only looking for exposure, but it might be hard to find those authors if their only payment is a small royalty. It could be a pain to determine who gets what. Perhaps the best thing would be to donate the net profits to a charity. Question: If the indie authors are paid a flat fee up front, are they as inclined to promote the work if they get nothing extra from the additional sales? What about a two-tiered payment system, where authors with bigger following get a better payment?
I am interesting in exploring this idea further. Please leave your comments on any aspect of it.
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