Anthologies: Your Publishing Shortcut

By Sophfronia Scott

What do you get when you mix a handful of writers, a hot topic and a snazzy title? You get an anthology -and one of the more popular form of books being published today. The New York Times noted “the wave of anthologies has not yet crested” and the phenomenon is still a great seller. You can take advantage of this trend to get yourself published faster than working on your own. I know it might not be what you dreamed-sharing a byline and being in a book that’s not wholely yours, but it is a way for a first time author to get a foot in the door. Here’s how they work.

Choose Your Topic

Anthologies are organized and driven by their subject matter. And the title usually makes it crystal clear what that subject is. Examples: Maybe Baby: 28 Writers Tell the Truth About Skepticism, Infertility, Baby Lust, Childlessness, Ambivalence and How They Made the Biggest Decision of Their Lives; The Bastard on the Couch: 27 Men Try Really Hard to Explain Their Feelings About Love, Loss, Fatherhood and Freedom. When you choose your topic you’ll want it, of course, to be something you’re interested in writing about, but you’ll also want it to feel as though you are responding to what’s on the minds of a particular group or society at large. You’ll want to do your best to plug into the zeitgeist because that’s what will generate buzz about your book and get you interviewed in the media.

Gang Up! Find Your Co-Authors

Next, find other writers interested in participating. You can do this by Googling your subject and seeing what writers are already working in the field. You can also scan online groups, like on Yahoo, to find unpublished writers looking to do their first book as well.

How Will You Publish and Split Costs?

If you self publish your anthology, you’ll have to come up with a plan for how you’ll handle the costs and oversee the project. Will it by “your baby”, in which case you’ll pay for the book’s production (and possibly even pay the bigger name writers if that’s what it takes to get them involved) and marketing costs. If you go in with a group of first timers, you’ll all be able to split the costs, but it might be a good idea to have someone act as the project manager, to keep from having a “too many cooks” scenario develop.

Co-Market For Your Best Results

The best part about working with more than one writer is that you’ll be able to use the muscle of marketing to more than one list. Ideally each writer will have their own list (either their personal contacts or a list they developed as part of a business) and that automatically multiplies the number of people you can reach with the book. You’ll want to put your heads together to develop a good marketing plan so you’re all sending out similar materials with a similar message. Again, you can designate a project manager to handle submitting the book to media markets (your co-authors can handle local media if they already have their own contacts). Hopefully everyone will pitch in and do their share. After all, if the book succeeds it could be the stepping stone the writers need to their own individual book contracts!

© 2009 Sophfronia Scott

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, but you must include this complete resource box with it: Sophfronia Scott is Executive Editor of the Done For You Writing & Publishing Company. Learn what a difference being a published author can make for your business. Get your FREE audio CD, “How to Succeed in Business By Becoming a Bestselling Author” and your FREE online writing and book publishing tips at www.DoneForYouWriting.com.

Be Sociable, Share!

•