Could ebook readers revive the short story format? - Page 2

DixieGal · 02-22-2009, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deety

I think it would really help if short stories from an anthology ended up being sold individually, maybe after some time has passed since their original release. I rarely buy anthologies because of their hit-or-miss nature, so it would be nice if I could get them from the library and then buy my favorites of the stories later on.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CleverClothe

There are bunches on FictionWise.

I LOVE SHORT STORIES! Go to Fictionwise, choose your genre, and sort by lowest price. There are hundred and hundreds of stories that are either free or just a few cents.

And Mike Resnick is a superstar - search by author and see how many important scifi stories he has published.

Sweetpea · 02-23-2009, 07:58 AM

I hardly had read a short story until I started reading ebooks.

A short story is good to read when you want to read something in between two books of a series, or when you just want to read something else than that big volume you're reading (ok, "big" doesn't make much sense for an ebook, but you know what I mean!).

bill_mchale · 02-23-2009, 11:31 AM

I am not sure if ebooks will revive the short story, but I hope so. I think the decline of the short story, by and large, is a market driven phenomena. Historically the primary market for short stories were magazines that were dedicated to publishing fiction. The problem I think is that this format rewards neither the successful author nor the magazine the way that novel form does. Magazines tend to have a shelf life of anywhere from one to three months (depending on how often the magazine is published). As a result most short stories will never be in print longer than that. In practice, I expect, that most short stories are read by the dedicated readers of the magazine. Authors get paid a fixed rate for their story regardless of how well the story is received. At best they can hope the story will be picked up for an anthology.

In contrast, it is hard for them to ignore the millions of copies that latest Stephen King novel sells. Granted everyone knows that the vast majority of novels never sell anywhere near that many copies, but it seems to me that the blockbuster mentality permeates publishing. Midlist authors who can produce a steady stream of income for a publisher are often neglected while the publisher courts someone they believe will write the next best seller.

That being said, I do have hopes that ebooks will change the publishing model that I believe has ill served both authors and readers for the last 50-60 years. Ebooks mean that there is little practical difference between stories in a pulp and in an anthology. Also in theory at least stories that start getting recognized can be sold independently (Something that was never economical with paper for short stories). And if the stories are sold independently, they can probably have nearly the same presence in an ebook store as a full length novel. Certainly they already often do in the Public Domain book sites.

--
Bill

DixieGal · 02-23-2009, 12:24 PM

What I like about being able to get the short stories in eformat is that many of them are stories I read long ago. They were in Asimov's, FSF, Analog, etc. But then, unless they are included in an anthology, they sort of vanish. Even the Nebula and Hugo winners become impossible to find again after a while. But now, thanks to ebooks, those golden oldies are re-surfacing. I have been able to re-read many of the stories I enjoyed so long ago.

The short stories are where a lot of the basic ideas are formed. A single incident, the definition of a short story, is often later expanded into a novel or series. Like I said earlier, I LOVE SHORT STORIES!

BenG · 02-24-2009, 01:24 AM

It would be nice to have the old Alfred Hitchcock anthologies released as ebooks. You know, the ones with titles like Stories Not For The Nervous or Stories To Be Read With The Door Locked.

Ea · 02-24-2009, 02:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenG

I would be nice to have the old Alfred Hitchcock anthologies released as ebooks. You know, the ones with titles like Stories Not For The Nervous or Stories To Be Read With The Door Locked.

Oh, yes! That would be great

Dr. Drib · 02-24-2009, 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stoogeswoman

I've only had my eBookwise 1150 for less than two weeks and already I've downloaded & read several short stories by authors I've never read before. (For example, "Dark Replay" by Mike Resnick - highly recommended if you haven't read it!

)

They're the perfect length for a read on the subway going to/from work! And it occurred to me - if eBook readers really become a staple, maybe that would revive the market for short stories, which hasn't really been "hot" for a long time (except maybe in s/f).

What do you think?

If you like short stories, check out the F. Scott Fitzgerald stories I assembled.

By the way, I'm a HUGE, HUGE Three Stooges fan.

Don

dadioflex · 02-24-2009, 10:39 AM

Edit.

MichelleR · 03-02-2009, 02:53 PM

The stories from 20th Century Ghosts, Joe Hill, are now sold individually. At least for Kindle.

igorsk · 03-02-2009, 04:45 PM

Fictionwise sells numerous magazines, and then there is Jim Baen's Universe.

dschill · 03-03-2009, 12:21 AM

i believe that short stories will come back maybe a little bit depending if the popularity of the kindle comes up

quimby · 03-06-2009, 05:30 PM

Could I recommend a collection of short stories which I came across on a blog today?

http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu...ookup?num=6340

Never heard of the author before, and the text file converted badly in Calibre (but I still don't know what I'm really doing there!), but I'm really enjoying the stories. They are *very* short, but funny.

dreams · 03-06-2009, 09:47 PM

I found some of the stories by this author right here at MR

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/ebooks.php

Most were uploaded by Madam Broshkina and I found one uploaded by Anais9000

Many thanks to both of them

quimby · 03-07-2009, 02:23 AM

Excellent - thanks for that, dreams. I shall download that version of Literary Lapses (and more!) instead, it's bound to be better formatted than the text file. Thanks to the uploaders too. :-)

forwhatitsworth · 03-10-2009, 11:44 AM

I think ebooks are a great format for short stories... either that or something like an iphone or blackberry are great for reading something that isn't too long.

02-24-2009, 01:24 AM	#20
BenG Home Guard Posts: 4,729 Karma: 86721650 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Alpha Ralpha Boulevard Device: Kindle Oasis 3G, iPhone 6	It would be nice to have the old Alfred Hitchcock anthologies released as ebooks. You know, the ones with titles like Stories Not For The Nervous or Stories To Be Read With The Door Locked. Last edited by BenG; 02-24-2009 at 10:47 AM.

02-24-2009, 10:39 AM	#23
dadioflex Dyslexic Count Posts: 526 Karma: 5041991 Join Date: Aug 2008 Device: Palm TX, Advent Vega, iPad, iPod Touch, Kindle	Edit. Last edited by dadioflex; 12-16-2010 at 04:05 AM.

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02-23-2009, 07:58 AM	#17
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	I hardly had read a short story until I started reading ebooks. A short story is good to read when you want to read something in between two books of a series, or when you just want to read something else than that big volume you're reading (ok, "big" doesn't make much sense for an ebook, but you know what I mean!).

02-23-2009, 11:31 AM	#18
bill_mchale Wizard Posts: 1,451 Karma: 1550000 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Maryland, USA Device: Nook Simple Touch, HPC Evo 4G LTE	I am not sure if ebooks will revive the short story, but I hope so. I think the decline of the short story, by and large, is a market driven phenomena. Historically the primary market for short stories were magazines that were dedicated to publishing fiction. The problem I think is that this format rewards neither the successful author nor the magazine the way that novel form does. Magazines tend to have a shelf life of anywhere from one to three months (depending on how often the magazine is published). As a result most short stories will never be in print longer than that. In practice, I expect, that most short stories are read by the dedicated readers of the magazine. Authors get paid a fixed rate for their story regardless of how well the story is received. At best they can hope the story will be picked up for an anthology. In contrast, it is hard for them to ignore the millions of copies that latest Stephen King novel sells. Granted everyone knows that the vast majority of novels never sell anywhere near that many copies, but it seems to me that the blockbuster mentality permeates publishing. Midlist authors who can produce a steady stream of income for a publisher are often neglected while the publisher courts someone they believe will write the next best seller. That being said, I do have hopes that ebooks will change the publishing model that I believe has ill served both authors and readers for the last 50-60 years. Ebooks mean that there is little practical difference between stories in a pulp and in an anthology. Also in theory at least stories that start getting recognized can be sold independently (Something that was never economical with paper for short stories). And if the stories are sold independently, they can probably have nearly the same presence in an ebook store as a full length novel. Certainly they already often do in the Public Domain book sites. -- Bill

02-23-2009, 12:24 PM	#19
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	What I like about being able to get the short stories in eformat is that many of them are stories I read long ago. They were in Asimov's, FSF, Analog, etc. But then, unless they are included in an anthology, they sort of vanish. Even the Nebula and Hugo winners become impossible to find again after a while. But now, thanks to ebooks, those golden oldies are re-surfacing. I have been able to re-read many of the stories I enjoyed so long ago. The short stories are where a lot of the basic ideas are formed. A single incident, the definition of a short story, is often later expanded into a novel or series. Like I said earlier, I LOVE SHORT STORIES!

03-02-2009, 02:53 PM	#24
MichelleR Just Me. Posts: 35 Karma: 37810 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: MN Device: Kindle Touch, Kindle Fire, Nook Touch	The stories from 20th Century Ghosts, Joe Hill, are now sold individually. At least for Kindle.

03-02-2009, 04:45 PM	#25
igorsk Wizard Posts: 3,442 Karma: 300001 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Belgium Device: PRS-500/505/700, Kindle, Cybook Gen3, Words Gear	Fictionwise sells numerous magazines, and then there is Jim Baen's Universe.

03-03-2009, 12:21 AM	#26
dschill Connoisseur Posts: 50 Karma: 12 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: none	i believe that short stories will come back maybe a little bit depending if the popularity of the kindle comes up

03-06-2009, 05:30 PM	#27
quimby Otter Detective Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Sony Reader PRS-505, Kindle 3	Could I recommend a collection of short stories which I came across on a blog today? http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu...ookup?num=6340 Never heard of the author before, and the text file converted badly in Calibre (but I still don't know what I'm really doing there!), but I'm really enjoying the stories. They are very short, but funny.

03-06-2009, 09:47 PM	#28
dreams It's about the umbrella Posts: 25,112 Karma: 56250158 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: Sony 505\| K Fire \| KK 3G+Wi-Fi \| iPhone 3Gs \|Vista 32-bit Hm Prem w/FF	I found some of the stories by this author right here at MR https://www.mobileread.com/forums/ebooks.php Most were uploaded by Madam Broshkina and I found one uploaded by Anais9000 Many thanks to both of them

03-07-2009, 02:23 AM	#29
quimby Otter Detective Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Sony Reader PRS-505, Kindle 3	Excellent - thanks for that, dreams. I shall download that version of Literary Lapses (and more!) instead, it's bound to be better formatted than the text file. Thanks to the uploaders too. :-)

03-10-2009, 11:44 AM	#30
forwhatitsworth Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: none	I think ebooks are a great format for short stories... either that or something like an iphone or blackberry are great for reading something that isn't too long.

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