Magna cum Murder is just over a week away. I am looking forward to attending and being involved as an author. Among the things I have been assigned is a panel titled "What's Wrong with Short Stories?" This panel will be moderated by my friend and Sister in Crime Brenda Stewart. The panel will be discussing the strength of short mystery stories from the writer's and reader's standpoint and the venues where you can find them.
Anyone who reads short mystery can tell you there aren't as many places to submit short mystery as there were when Lawrence Block, winner of the 2010 Golden Derringer Award, began writing short mysteries. Some would argue that it is because they don't sell. I disagree. I don't think the audience for short mystery is shrinking. I do think the number of places that publish short mystery has shrunk.
As a lover of short mystery, I am at a loss to explain why they don't sell. So what is wrong with short stories? Why don't anthologies and collections sell as well as novels? Why have so many magazines stopped carrying short fiction? I would love to hear your opinions this week.
I am also looking for suggestions of short fiction markets and information about new stories coming out. Where do we find good short mystery today? Magna is giving me a forum for short stories and I would love to do anything I can to promote them. Suggestions anyone?
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