Nathan Bransford - The Forums

Dear Nathan:

Thank you for the very informative FAQs.

I've written a literary 12-short-story collection and have a few more questions on how to query agents:

1. Should I write a hook (2 sentences or less) for each of the 12 stories, in addition to an overall hook for the collection, in the query? The stories are connected in theme and narrative, but each can stand alone.

2. I have a PhD in philosophy and have published in the top journals in the field. Should I mention this in the bio? My field is Continental philosophy, which intersects literature considerably.

3. Should you ever query an agent twice for the same work (for instance, again after you've established more cred, as an agent may be more likely to want to read the manuscript then)?

4. Is it ok to include a link to the manuscript in the query--that is, if I'm storing the manuscript in, say, a pdf on a secure server?

5. I understand it is difficult to publish story collections. Should I query publishers directly?

You might look into Breadloaf:

http://www.middlebury.edu/blwc/bakeless_prize

Graywolf Press publishes the annual winner's book-length manuscript.

I know two contest winners. This is one way to break into publishing if you write literary fiction. The deadline has passed, but you could hold it in mind for the future if you have a tough time elsewhere.

"Manuscripts may contain stories, poems, chapters, and essays that have already been published individually in magazines, anthologies, and periodicals, but the manuscript itself cannot have been published previously as a whole, commercially or privately."

damnation's delights wrote:Dear Nathan:

Thank you for the very informative FAQs.

I've written a literary 12-short-story collection and have a few more questions on how to query agents:

1. Should I write a hook (2 sentences or less) for each of the 12 stories, in addition to an overall hook for the collection, in the query? The stories are connected in theme and narrative, but each can stand alone.

I would try and get at the overall theme, if there is one, but for short story collections the more important element is the writing credits.

damnation's delights wrote:2. I have a PhD in philosophy and have published in the top journals in the field. Should I mention this in the bio? My field is Continental philosophy, which intersects literature considerably.

3. Should you ever query an agent twice for the same work (for instance, again after you've established more cred, as an agent may be more likely to want to read the manuscript then)?

These are in the FAQs: http://blog.nathanbransford.com/2008/08/faqs.html

Please remember to check there first!

damnation's delights wrote:4. Is it ok to include a link to the manuscript in the query--that is, if I'm storing the manuscript in, say, a pdf on a secure server?

No, let the agent ask for it.

damnation's delights wrote:5. I understand it is difficult to publish story collections. Should I query publishers directly?

If you're in doubt I'd recommend querying agents first, but short story collections can be extremely difficult, particularly if you haven't been published in major publications. Ultimately up to you though!