Complete fiction: why 'the short story renaissance' is a myth

With soaring sales, viral hits like Cat Person and a cameo by Tom Hanks, the form seems to be staging a comeback. But did it ever go away?In 2017, almost 50% more short story collections were sold than in the previous year. It was the best year for short stories since 2010. Booksellers are reporting a surge in popularity for the form, commentators note publishers are buying more collections and issuing them with greater care and enthusiasm; in December the newcomer Kristen Roupenian cut five- and seven-figure deals in the UK and US after her New Yorker story “Cat Person” went viral. On top of all that, collections are being reviewed more than ever before, the Sunday Times EFG short story award (worth £30,000) has received its highest ever number of entries and the BBC national short story award continues to grow in popularity. We are experiencing the renaissance of the short story form, right?Wrong; which isn’t to say 2017 wasn’t a good year for the short story – it was, but the “renaissance of the short story” story is an old one that is rolled out year after year. Does that matter? I think it does. By getting caught up in this recurring phantom narrative, and dwelling on press release froth rather than the work being produced, we spurn the opportunity to talk about short stories in a way that might actually deepen how they are understood and engaged with by readers.How can the short story ever have time to wither, given the frequency of its rebirth?In the cases of Tom... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2018-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #books sold #complete fiction #cat person #tom hanks #short stories #short story #jojo moyes

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Jim Gavin talks about the mix of fact and fiction in 'Middle Men'

The Southern California author's first story collection draws from his experiences in high school basketball, plumbing sales and more.There's a subtle arc to Jim Gavin's first book, "Middle Men" (Simon & Schuster: 224 pp., $23). Gathering seven stories largely set in Southern California, it... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-02-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A Crossmedia Love Story: Cadaver by Jonah Ansell

Writer and filmmaker Jonah Ansell shares how he took his story "Cadaver" from a poem written for his sister to a short film to a graphic novel and, hopefully, a feature film. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-02-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hillary Clinton's story released

A biography of Hillary Clinton's time as US secretary of state will be released on 5th March... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-02-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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HarperCollins merges non-fiction divisions

HarperCollins is to merge its three non-fiction divisions into two imprints, creating a new... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-02-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Cambridge Completes Warehouse Sale

Cambridge University Press has completed the sale of its U.S. warehouse and distribution facility in West Nyack, N.Y. CUP announced plans to sell the warehouse as part of a strategic process that included an agreement last summer with Ingram Publisher Services to have Ingram manage the... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-02-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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How Fiction Doesn’t Work

It is no surprise to see aphorism alive and thriving in our current celebrity climate. The forgotten, it may be assumed, never said anything interesting, whereas choice words of the famous live forever at cocktail parties and in book reviews. To carry a portfolio of pithy quotations is to... Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2013-02-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Short Books hits top spot with Fast Diet

Independent publisher Short Books has scored its first ever Official UK Top 50 number one. The... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Why WHSmith Remains the Most Remarkable Story in UK Bookselling

A tightly focused strategy on maintaining margins has enabled WHSmith to persist after than two centuries at the heart of UK bookselling, inspiring admiration and ire alike. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-01-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Support for Seven Stories as it fights funding cut

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[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Shortlist for International Prize for Arabic Fiction

The shortlist for the 2012 International Prize for Arabic Fiction has been announced in a... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Egmont acquires historical fiction debut

Egmont Press has acquired a debut historical fiction title, The Executioner's Daughter, by TV... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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DoJ Penguin settlement to be completed in May

The process for Penguin to join the Department of Justice's settlement over the ebook price-... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Andrew Lownie to grow fiction

The Andrew Lownie Literary Agency has appointed David Haviland to build a fiction list, with the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Eoin Colfer to write Dr Who story for Puffin

Eoin Colfer has been named as the author of the first of Puffin's eleven Dr Who short stories... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Puffin plans Doctor Who e-shorts series

Puffin is joining in the Doctor Who 50th anniversary celebrations by publishing a year-long e-... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Happy Holidays! Here's a Free E-Book of Our Best Stories From 2012

A free ebook of our best work just in time for the holidays. Makes a great gift for wordy nerds! And much cheaper than a Battlestar Galactica box set. Continue reading at The Atlantic

[ The Atlantic | 2012-12-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hodder picks up foxy fiction

Hodder Children’s Books has acquired a new series, Foxy Fiction, by author Caryl Hart and... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-12-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Is a new 'Harry Potter' short film in the works?

'Harry Potter' cast members are reportedly filming a short movie that will be screened at the franchise's theme parks. What will the new film show? Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-12-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Lion Hudson launches Christian fiction imprint

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[ The Bookseller | 2012-12-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Put me in the story, mom!' Now you really can

The new app 'Put Me in the Story,' released by publisher Sourcebooks, will allow older readers to add the name of a younger one to Sourcebook titles. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-11-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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