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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HarperPress to focus on non-fiction

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Thu, 28/07/2011 - 14:22 HarperPress will no longer publish fiction by the end of June 2012 with the publisher choosing to concentrate on non-fiction in the wake of Clare Smith's upcoming departure to Little, Brown. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Solzhenitsyn stories head rights deals

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Fri, 15/07/2011 - 10:29 A new collection of stories from the late Nobel Prize-winning author Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn; a début by a former Macmillan, Penguin and Hachette marketer; and Richard Ford’s new novel were among the rights deals signed this... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #counterpoint press #anna carmichael #abner stein


iRiver Story HD: First Dedicated E-Reader for Google eBooks:

The launch of a $140 dedicated eBooks reader puts Google's store more directly in opposition to the Nook and Amazon's Kindle. The iRiver Story goes on sale July 17 at Target. Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2011-07-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #dedicated e-reader #google ebooks


Gollancz deal to put Encyclopedia of Science Fiction online

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Wed, 06/07/2011 - 09:19 The third edition of the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction is to be released online later this year by ESF Ltd, a new company set up by the contributors to the book, in association with Orion imprint Victor Gollancz. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #science fiction #company set


Dawn retains top spot but fiction sales slump on 2010

Written By: Philip Stone Publication Date: Tue, 05/07/2011 - 16:04 Dawn French’s début novel, A Tiny Bit Marvellous (Penguin), retains its position at the summit of The Official UK Top 50 week-on-week, thanks to a promotional appearance on ITV’s “This Morning”, and a “£2.99 if you spend £10”... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #wh smith


Mamut completes Waterstone's takeover

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Wed, 29/06/2011 - 09:31 Waterstone’s today begins its first day under the ownership of Russian billionaire Alexander Mamut’s A&NN Group as previous m.d Dominic Myers officially leaves the bookseller. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-06-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Writing young-adult fiction: Better than going to the prom.

Young-adult books are being sold to an audience that can't vote, yet they're being written by people commonly referred to on the Internet as "the olds." We should know. We're two of them. Both of us have made our living writing. One of us in journalism (Grady) and the other in literary fiction... Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2011-06-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #young-adult books


Fiction Rules E-Books

Fiction is the leading sales driver of ebooks, and just how dominant that segment has been is clearly seen in a new market study just released by Bowker. According to "2010–2011 U.S. Book Consumer Demographics & Buying Behaviors Annual Review," fiction accounted for 61% of unit sales in 2010... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-06-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Seven Stories gets Blyton funds

Written By: Caroline Horn Publication Date: Fri, 17/06/2011 - 07:59 The Seven Stories centre for children's books in Newcastle is to benefit from a £750,000 endowment donated by the Enid Blyton Trust for Children, following a decision to close the Enid Blyton Trust and donate its funds to one... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-06-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #stories centre


Hearst Completes Most of Lagardere Acquisition, Including Hachette in U.S.

Hearst Corp. announced today that it has completed the U.S. portion and the majority of its $919 million acquisition of Lagerdere SCA's nearly 100 magazines outside the French market. The deal, which had been undergoing regulatory approval in 15 different countries, was expected to close in the... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-05-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #hearst completes #including hachette #hearst corp #announced today #french market


Aurum buys spy's story

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Tue, 24/05/2011 - 08:25 Sam Harrison at Aurum has bought a biography of Cold War spy George Blake by journalist Roger Hermiston. Harrison acquired UK and Commonwealth rights for a "significant" five figure sum from Andrew Gordon at David Higham... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #figure sum #andrew gordon


Random House dominates Fiction Uncovered list

Written By: Katie Allen Publication Date: Thu, 19/05/2011 - 12:59 Three Random House Group titles have been picked for the first Fiction Uncovered promotion, which also includes two from indie Portobello. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Short Order: May 16, 2011

A round-up of news from the cookbook world: 'Top Chef' Mike Isabella Gets a Cookbook Deal; Chronicle Joins iBookstore; 'Bon Appétit Desserts' for iPad. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-05-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Think short-term to stay ahead of digital change, publishers told

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Tue, 10/05/2011 - 16:07 Publishers should avoid locking themselves into any long term strategy, technology or partnerships in their digital publishing because they cannot accurately predict the next two years' developments, today's World eReading... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishers told #stay ahead #digital change #digital publishing


BBC defends genre fiction coverage

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Wed, 20/04/2011 - 09:45 The BBC is broadcasting an item on “The Culture Show” about science fiction next month, in the wake of a row about the broadcaster’s approach to genre fiction. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #culture show #science fiction #genre fiction


Fiction Express seeks interaction from readers for digital series

Written By: Caroline Horn Publication Date: Fri, 15/04/2011 - 08:56 An e-fiction venture aimed at tweens and teenagers is being launched by packager Discovery Books in May. Called Fiction Express, it will invite teenagers to buy books in instalments and to vote to decide the direction of the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital series #buy books #released weekly


Sphere serves up Nadal life story

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Mon, 11/04/2011 - 15:45 Sphere believes it has a smashing winner with the acquisition of the autobiography of Rafael Nadal, the Spanish tennis ace and current world number one. Non-fiction publishing director Adam Strange bought UK and... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #rafael nadal #anne edelstein


Angry Robot buys two fantasy fiction

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Thu, 07/04/2011 - 09:01 Angry Robot has made two fantasy fiction acquisitions, one a swashbuckling adventure and the other set in Elizabethan England. Both deals were signed by publishing director Marc Gascoigne for world English rights for physical,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fantasy fiction #swashbuckling adventure #elizabethan england #audio editions #zeno agency


Coronet to publish Tess Daly fiction

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Tue, 05/04/2011 - 16:11 Coronet will publish "Strictly Come Dancing" presenter Tess Daly's first sashay into fiction, having acquired The Camera Never Lies by the TV host. Editor Charlotte Haycock acquired British Commonwealth rights to the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #tv host