Anthologies… Waddaya Think Of Them?
Tuesday, September 18, 2007Posted in: anthologies, good idea or not?
I used to buy anthologies quite often, always with the hope of discovering a super-duper new author. So what if I had to pay more money for them? I wasn’t just getting one author, I was getting three or four authors, so the price leap was totally justifiable…right?
Well… it depends. It depends on the authors, and it depends on the stories. I started resenting the fact that I only ever got one half-decent story out of the three, or four. What’s that about?
Now, I rarely ever buy them, unless one of the authors is an auto-buy, and even then, I’m still a bit reluctant to shell out the money.
The only anths I buy these days with any kind of regularity (also known as, once a year) are the Kensington Brava anths. I still resent the 拢9.99 ($20) that I have to pay for them though.
So, what do you think of anths? Do you buy, or like me, do you generally avoid them like the plague?
Also, what do you think of the prices? Value for money, or not?
Also, does anybody out there know how well they sell, in comparison to single-authored books?
shiloh walker
September 18
9:13 pm
I don’t dislike them… and not just because I’ve done a few. 馃槈
One thing about anthologies is that I can get a good, quick read in and I’ve got the time for that, as opposed to I don’t always have time for a full length book. And I’m the kind who wants to finish in one sitting.
However, I have read some anthologies that really weren’t worth it, to me, just to get one or two decent stories.
As to sales… well, I can’t complain. :OD
Alessia Brio
September 18
9:41 pm
I buy them, I write for them, and I edit them. My anthology titles (both my single-author & the ones I’ve edited for charity) have all sold better than my individual titles. Of course, none are raking in BIG bucks (yet) … but I’ll get there.
Rosie
September 18
9:55 pm
Karen I’m so on the same page with you on this one. I rarely buy an anthology any more unless its gotten some great reviews from people I trust…usually other readers.
My biggest anthology gripe is when an auto-buy author will stick a story that’s part of a series in an anthology. No matter what I tell myself beforehand I almost always end up buying the book because I don’t want to miss out.
Anonymous
September 18
10:28 pm
Are you moving?
https://karenknowsbest.com/
Wendy
September 18
10:52 pm
I like anthologies for when I have a short attention span. Seriously, that’s when I tend to read them. When I can’t be bothered to read anything over 120 pages.
That said, I buy the bulk of them used. It’s a low-risk way for me to try new authors, although like you, I find most anthologies wildly uneven. That’s probably why I buy very, very, very few of them brand-spankin-new.
The last anthology I bought new? Geez, I think it was My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys – a Kensington anthology featuring Lorraine Heath that came out in March 2006. And basically the only reason I bought it new was because it was a western anthology. I like to “support” my favorite sub genre.
Emily Veinglory
September 18
10:58 pm
I’m not really sure why anthologies should cost more? I buy them occassionally but on the whole if a story is good I want it to be long. If it is bad I don’t want to buy it at all….
Kat O+
September 18
11:07 pm
I’m planning to buy Hotspell and Boundless. I would usually buy an anthology if one of the stories is by a must-buy author, or if I want to try at least two of the authors listed.
Eve Vaughn
September 18
11:50 pm
I still buy them, especially if it has an author I really like. I like one author anthologies too. I’m especially looking forward to reading For Her Pleasure by Maya Banks.
Anonymous
September 18
11:50 pm
Don’t buy anthologies. Burned too many times with the story by a BNA being a reprint.
Ann Bruce
September 18
11:56 pm
Been burned too many times by anthologies, so unless there’s an auto-buy author who’s keyboard I worship (e.g. Crusie), I’ll pass. Just not worth the money, especially with some publishers not specifying that the stories are reprints. Bad, publishers, bad.
katieM
September 18
11:58 pm
I only by Science Fiction or Mystery anthologies, but then only rarely. The last one I bought had one good story out of 5. What a waste. I could have read it in the store instead of buying it.
路:*篓篓*:路.Mad.路:*篓篓*:路.
September 19
12:16 am
I rarely buy them unless it’s got an auto-buy author that I must have. 馃檪
Sherry Thomas
September 19
1:02 am
That reminds me. I want to do an anthology with Shana Abe. I’ll have to talk to her about it next time I see her.
vanessa jaye
September 19
1:41 am
I’m a sucker for those christmas themed regency trads anthologies. They’re short and sweet and really focuse on the magic of the season and on the couple falling in love.
Anonymous
September 19
2:13 am
I buy anthologies with authors that are auto-buy and to try newbies where I don’t want to invest the time to read a whole novel. Like Meljean–great reviews everywhere, but I hate neck biter books. The feeding aspects gross me out. So I bought an anthology w/ a Marjorie Liu short in it,since bestiality does not seem to bother me much (guess the feeding is different and sex is just sex) and that had a short by Meljean. It was great, as good the Liu, but I just hope she starts writing non-neck biters. So I see anthologies as a way to read newbies without a huge time investment, since my life is a tad complicated.
–Jackie L.
Giselle
September 19
2:22 am
Ugh! I hate them. There’s never enough character development for my taste. They all feel rushed and like you said there’s almost always just one story that’s worth the hassle.
Dionne Galace
September 19
3:37 am
*crying*
Maralyn
September 19
10:35 am
I haven’t bought an anthology book in forever. I find them a little too unpredictable, and I’ve been burned too many times to take the risk. Single-authored anthologies are a totally different matter, especially when the author is somebody that I like reading.
Sarah McCarty
September 19
10:39 am
LOL! Give all the authors a crisis of confidence, Karen. *G*
Actually, I’m not a big anthology fan. As an author and a reader, I like big stories with lots of depth to the plot and the characterization. Because of that, when I proposed my single author anthology series, I structured the anthology so I can provide both throughout. I found it much easier to write as 120K is normal pacing for me. I guess I’ll see next summer if it works for readers too.*trying not to chew nails*
Anonymous
September 19
1:38 pm
I do not buy them. Most anthologies are worthless. Usually they have one good author, one that’s mediocre and two who are pretty bad. Then some are stories that have been read before or the start (or continuation) of a new series which the story makes no sense unless you buy the author’s books.
Casee
September 19
2:07 pm
$20?!?!? That would turn me off anthologies for life.
For me, it really depends on the authors. I used to read anthologies all the time, for the same reasons as you listed. Now I’m not crazy about the price, especially when all you’re getting is a short story. That’s just me, though. I intend to buy the anthology w/ Nalini Singh later this year. I also still buy the JDR anthologies. Those are the only two I can think of off the top of my head.
Teddy Pig
September 19
3:52 pm
I think short stories are an art form in themselves. Maybe even a different set of skills.
The best short story writers are usually not my favorite novelists and the same works in reverse.
So anthologies for me are not usually fun unless I know there is a writer that knows how to work the short story. I have been surprised mind you.
So I can handle having one good story be amazing. But, it really has to be AMAZING for me to feel content with the purchase.
Otherwise I come away feeling like they are a place holder till you can read that writer in a better format.
Angela
September 19
4:35 pm
The only anthologies I’ve purchased were those Lady Whistledown thingys Avon put out a few years ago. I like them in theory in that they can be used to introduce new or unknown authors, but they aren’t published consistently enough for me to form a definite opinion of them.
Dionne Galace
September 19
4:45 pm
I think short stories are an art form in themselves. Maybe even a different set of skills.
Agreed. I’ve always thought that Stephen King’s best medium was the short story. His longer works always rambled and seemed redundant. Somehow he is able to restrain his tendency to go into crazy tangents when he’s writing short stories.
Another author who writes WONDERFUL short stories but tend to ramble in her longer works, I think, is Octavia Butler. But some people would vehemently disagree with me on that.
avidbookreader
September 19
11:58 pm
Hey Karen,
I don’t care for antholgies honestly, but I’m fickle. I did buy them when Robin Schone contributed to a couple of them and the Pam Rosenthal short story, blanking on the name, was really good but I didn’t read the rest. I’m willing to give them a try, I guess, but I really don’t go out of my way to read them.
Keishon
QB
September 20
1:52 am
*hangs head in shame*
No, wait… I will stand up and be PROUD of my anthology addiction!
I ADORE anthologies. Sometimes it’s just because I don’t have the patience for four complete novels on a particular subject matter. You know, like sweet fairy love stories and stuff like that.
Other times it’s a subject matter I DO like (like paranormals) but contains authors I’ve never read (usually along with authors I already like).
But, probably like a lot of you, I save those anthologies to read in the bathroom. Now, there’s a picture for all you anthology authors to scrub out of your brain! BWHAHAHA
Angelia Sparrow
September 20
2:28 am
I read anthologies.
I write for anthologies.
And most of the ones I’m in are the same price as a full length novel: $5-7 (The trade paperback of Torqued Tales goes for $14)
I love the Hot Blood anthology series and the Chicks in Chainmail series. The Bubbas of the Apocalypse series is, if not excellent in quality, more than workmanlike and well worth the price for the laughs.
I’ve discovered authors I want to read more of, and authors I’m not at all interested in.
I like anths because I seldom have time for a full-length novel these days.
Dionne Galace
September 20
3:04 am
But, probably like a lot of you, I save those anthologies to read in the bathroom. Now, there’s a picture for all you anthology authors to scrub out of your brain!
Damn your eyes, QB.
Writer & Cat
September 22
10:34 pm
Oh, I forgot all about Chicks in Chainmail! I need to reread some of those. There were several CatFantastic anthos I love, too. But I get the impression most of the folks here are talking about romance anthologies with 3-4 novellas, yes?