Why I like writing for anthologies

If anyone is paying attention, it seems of late (perhaps the last year or two, even), that all of my work has been self published. There is truth to this. But that does not mean I've given up on traditional publishing. I've just been so busy catching up with the indie publishing market.

I do send out a short story here and there to editors, though I've not sent out a novel in a good long while. As for literary agents, I don't feel the need for one.

All that being said, I've found more personal pleasure in working with anthology editors. For the most part, I no longer have to send out short stories "over the transom." I hear about an anthology, or often enough are contacted by the editor of an anthology, and am asked if I would like to submit a story. This is a nice feeling. My stories are not automatically accepted based upon my name, of course, but so far I've not had a story turned down.

Right now I have two stories scheduled to appear in anthologies sometime in the next six months or so, with the possibility of a third. I'd tell more, but the editors haven't gone public with their anthologies yet, so I'll keep the details to myself.

I have found that I quite enjoy writing short stories for the anthology market, more so than I ever did for the magazine market. I've thought about why this is, and I've come up with three reasons.

1.) There's the acceptance I mentioned above. No, not automatic acceptance of my stories, but acceptance of me as a writer. I don't have to go begging to an editor, hoping, hoping, hoping they will take time to look at my story. With anthology editors, especially those with whom I already have some kind of relationship, I know my story is going to be read. If it's going to be read, I feel fairly confident the story will be included in the anthology.

2.) I find anthologies something of a challenge, mainly because anthologies tend to be themed. And I mean this as a good thing. Such a challenge gets my mind working, gets me to thinking of possibilities, perhaps more so than when I'm working on my own material.

3.) One of the things I really like about anthologies, and a reason I think they are becoming more popular, is that they last forever (at least seemingly so). With the magazine market, your story gets read for a month and then is discarded, more or less. With anthologies, your story can be around for years, decades even. I like that. Not only is it nice for the writer's ego, but it's a semi-permanent way to market oneself.