Playing the Short Game: How to Market & Sell Short Fiction is an ideal book for writers who want a no-nonsense primer on how to start selling short stories. (It’s not about writing style or how to improve your craft.) At more than 200 pages, it may initially seem intimidating, but it’s cleanly and legibly laid out, with lots of white space. And it’s written with a clear, direct voice that makes reading easy. Douglas Smith writes like the kind of mentor you’d happily join for a few hours in the pub. His advice and explanations are authoritative and match my experience.
Smith’s explanation of contracts (more negotiable than you might think) and licensing rights more than repay the price. He provides good advice on working with editors (negotiations, not power struggles) and on reviews: “A review is [only] one person’s opinion” (p. 147). What really matters? That an editor liked your story enough to publish it. That’s not as objective a decision as one might hope; I’ve had stories rejected dozens of times, then eagerly purchased. Writers’ groups are similarly subjective; you have to find one that meets your needs and use judgment about their advice. There’s excellent advice on when to stop revising: if you think you’re finished, set the story aside for at least one week, review it with fresh eyes, revise it one last time—then submit it.
Unfortunately, there’s no index. If you’re seeking something, you’ll have to skim through the relevant chapters to find it. There’s no bibliography of “further reading” and no categorized list of the many web pages Smith cites. In the self-publishing chapter, there’s no mention of the problem of letting bookstores return unsold books nor any mention of how to use conventions for networking. Last, there’s only a passing mention of the growing problem of artificial intelligence, which deserves a chapter.
Playing the Short Game will get you started, but as Smith notes, success takes thick skin, hard work, and stubborn persistence. Even good stories get rejected; authors must learn to shrug off rejections and move on to the next market. Unlike Smith, I recommend reviewing rejected stories because you’ve probably improved your craft since you submitted the story. Smith recommends not replying to rejections, but I’ve found that editors who liked a story enough to explain their rejection are often willing to buy a revision that incorporates their suggestions.
This isn’t a book to simply read; you’ll have to commit to applying Smith’s advice, step by step, until you find that brilliant editor who wants your story. And you’ll have to develop and use your judgment. But Playing the Short Game will speed the move from story to career.
Playing the Short Game. How to Market & Sell Short Fiction Douglas Smith. 2024. 2nd ed. Spiral Path Books. [ISBN 978-1-928048-39-8. 230 pages. US$19.99 (softcover).]
