Crafting an anthology is something I've wanted to do for a long time. Due to some recent changes, I now have the time to focus on making it happen. In the spirit of full disclouse I will tell you that I personally do not have any kind of experience at all with running an anthology, but I do have the passion and drive to mold it into something wonderful. In addition, I've got a few knowlageable people assisting behind the scenes.
It's still in early development. The team is still being put together, and the official site launch isn't scheduled isn't for another two weeks. I debated on if I should post anything about it, but this is a great place to share things not quite ready for prime time so here I am.
I'm looking for writers, obviously, but I'm also looking for any words of wisdom from other's who've done this.
If you are interested, here's a link to the project page: http://stealthfiction.com/daylight-dims/
Please let me know if this might be something you think you might like to submitting to.
Also, if you have a skillset that could be benifieial to the project, let me know what you can offer and under what terms. I'm completely funding this out of my own pocket, but I don't expect people to work for free. :-)
As for the writers, I want to pay for the accepted submissions. We'll be looking at that more closely in a week or so.
Thanks guys.
Sounds like a cool project. I think I have something that's been rattling in my brain waiting to come out. I'll try to put it together and send it off to you in time for your deadline.
The one major hurdle I'm stuggling with is the idea of having concept. Is the one I am considering any good? Should I change it to something else? Will a concept help or hinder?
Perhaps the title itself is enough of a guideline. Daylight Dims gives me a feeling of impending doom. How about you?
I think when you have a concept that's too constricting, it can lead to stories that are very similar. I think opening up to "daylight dims" may be a broad enough concept that you will have a bigger variety of stories that keep to the overall theme you're going for.
At one time, I had started collecting stories for an anthology but had to cancel it. I didn't feel like I was getting enough to pick and choose from, and who wants to bother putting out an anthology that's just "okay?"
So, if suggestions from doing it wrong help, mine are: (1) List it on Duotrope, if you haven't already. (2) Give the submitters as much that they want as you reasonably can, to get a good number of submissions to choose from. For example, allowing simultaneous submissions, answering quickly, some kind of pay, even if only a $10 "honor" payment. (3) Choose as broad a topic as you can go with and also allow for a wide variety of forms and lengths (again, to get more submissions to choose the best from). (4) Don't put an ending date on it. Make it "until filled" instead. That way you won't get into a position where the time is up but you don't have enough high quality stories. (5) Close each deal when you make it so you don't have people backing out and putting gaps in at the end. Make it clear that it will be edited as you see fit or edit it before you accept it and show it to them first to see if they agree with it. Have them sign the contract then as well.
Hope that helps and good luck with it!
Carly those are some really excellent Ideas. Some of which we've already implented.
(1) List it on Duotrope, if you haven't already
We're listed and approved! I love that site. Shame it's going premium, but I understand the decission.
(2)Allowing simultaneous submissions, answering quickly, some kind of pay, even if only a $10 "honor" payment.
simultaneious will be okay. reading as being done as quickly as possible, but not so fast that a story won't get a fair shake...I also like the token payment idea. I don't know if I can afford it since we're going to do a limited print run so each contributor will recieve a copy.
(3) Choose as broad a topic.
We dropped the concept as the name already describes the idea we want to acchieve pefectly.
(4) Don't put an ending date on it.
I wish I could do that but there is a down side. The project might go stale. The deadline keeps up the motivation. If it slips, that's alright.
(5) Close each deal when you make it so you don't have people backing out and putting gaps in at the end. Make it clear that it will be edited as you see fit or edit it before you accept it and show it to them first to see if they agree with it. Have them sign the contract then as well.
Excellent advice, this will indeed be added to our rules.
Thank you so much for the feedback!
What do you mean by 'Close each deal when you make it'? How do you do that?
I'm sorry, Mr. Penetrator, I missed checking this thread. If you meant that question to me, I mean have them approve the edits you want to make and have them sign the contract, before or shortly after you accept their story. Otherwise, you might get in a fix later when it's time to put the book out, and be short one or more stories. For example, what if they move or get a new email address and you can't find them to get them to sign the contract. What if you make the final edits and show it to them and they have a fit and refuse to budge on it. That's just a couple of things I can think of that could go wrong. What I mean is leave as little as possible up to chance, that's all.
You're welcome, Kris. :)
OK cool, thank you Carly. I'm a terrible writer, therefore haven't had a short story published, so I have no idea what the process is.
huh...funny, i just sent in a story. never saw this thread before. the site looks very cool.
Wow it feels like forever ago that I posted this. We're getting close to release!
Check us out on DaylightDims.com
We got a goodreads giveaway going on too, so if you'd like to enter, you might win one of the books there!
Very exciting. I think you have a few illustrations by Luke Spooner in there as well, last I heard. Love the front cover art.
