By Pamela Crane
It was the first time I’d been called the “b” word. My
husband and I were sitting cattycorner at the dining room table—me scratching
off crayon scribbles while Hubby piled after-dinner dishes—and all four kids
had finally gone to bed (note I said bed
but not asleep, as their chatter
permeated down the hall). Then the “b” word slipped out: “Brilliant, honey. You’re brilliant!”
I had just shared some big news with him, which provoked
the praise. My short story had just gotten accepted into a traditionally
published anthology. It was a huge leap for lil’ ol’ me, a game-changer. My
humble short story thriller, The Scream
of Silence, would be in the company of literary greats!
If you have a short story in you, you too can grab hold
of anthology opportunities, and it’s not as hard as you might think. Stay
seated (at your computer, typing) because it might just fall into your lap.
Step number one: Get writing! The best part of writing a
short story is that it doesn’t take a lot of time. If you have idle hands,
start now and hone it, then save it for the right time.
Next, the biggest “in” is your author connections. In my
case, another author I had collaborated with on marketing a year prior came to
me with the offer out of the blue: “Hey,” he said, “interested in writing a
short story for an anthology?”
How could I say no to the free publicity?
“Heck yeah!” I replied. And that night I started
brainstorming what to write. I decided to write a prequel to my upcoming Little
Things That Kill Series, since the anthology publicity could help spread the
word about it.
And so it began.
My big break came from an author who knew another author
who mowed the grass of another author being published by this large house. My
point: Make connections with fellow authors. Nurture them. Join writers groups
locally or on social media—it’s littered with this crowd. Sure, it’s the nature
of writers to isolate themselves; it’s how writing is—a lone affair. But when
it comes to discovering opportunities, it’s all about connecting.
If your author connections aren’t reaping anthology
opportunities, it’s not the end of the road. Look up anthologies on Amazon,
find the name of their publisher, and solicit your short story to them. Many
online magazines also publish short stories. Or better yet, consider
collaborating with your newfound fellow authors to create an anthology
together, opening up a realm of shared creativity.
Whatever anthology route you pick—or that picks you—it’s
sure to be an exciting adventure.
Pamela Crane is a professional juggler. Not the type of
juggler who can toss flaming torches in the air, but a juggler of four kids, a
writing addiction, a horse rescuer, and a book editor by trade. She lives on
the edge (ask her Arabian horse about that—he’ll tell you all about their wild
adventures while trying to train him!) and she writes on the edge. Her
characters and plots are her escape from the real world of dirty diapers and
cleaning horse stalls, and she thrives off of an entertaining tale. She is the
author of the best-selling psychological thriller "The Admirer’s Secret," Amazon top 20 short story "A Fatal Affair," and her
latest releases "A Secondhand Life" and "A Secondhand Lie." To pick up a copy of a FREE book, or to find out more about her chaotic
existence, visit her website at www.pamelacrane.com.
Author Links: http://www.pamelacrane.com https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crane.52 http://www.amazon.com/Pamela-Crane/e/B00FOS91AI
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