The Remarkable Rise and Fall of Anthologies – Magazine Publishing
The Remarkable Rise and Fall of Anthologies can be traced all the way back to the late 18th and early 19th Centuries. Short fiction became particularly popular in the 19th Century with the rise of magazines and the thirst for content.
Early examples in England came in the form of The British Strand Magazine. The British Strand Magazine was first published officially in January 1891, but copies were available around Christmas of 1890.
The popularity of short stories grew during this period and The Strand Magazine included works from Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes.
The Strand Magazine published content from other famous authors, including Rudyard Kipling, Agatha Christie and Leo Tolstoy.
The Remarkable Rise and Fall of Anthologies and the early publishing of short stories in magazines also saw some rather more unusual contributors make their mark. Queen Victoria and Winston Churchill both contributed to content in The Strand Magazine over the years.
The Strand Magazine continued to be a pivotal source of short story material until March 1950. To read more about the history of The Strand Magazine, click here.
The Remarkable Rise and Fall of Anthologies – Short Stories to Genre Focused Collections
Anthologies, as in collections of short stories or creative articles from various authors, have been around for centuries. There is evidence to suggest that the first collection of poems, titled The Classic of Poetry, also known as Shijing or Book of Odes, was produced in China between the 11th to 7th centuries BCE.
For English Poetry, the first published anthology was Songes and Sonettes by Richard Tottel in 1557.
Short Stories being categorised by genre emerged in the late 19th and 20th Centuries. Genre fiction, including detective stories, horror, and science fiction, developed rapidly during this time. Often, though, they were published first in magazines rather than standalone books.
The Remarkable Rise and Fall of Anthologies notes the decline around the mid-20th century. The time period following WW2 was particularly challenging for the publishing industry due to a lack of materials and the costs involved in producing weekly magazines. As with all things, though, the short story and anthology compilations are making a resurgence.
The Remarkable Rise and Fall of Anthologies – Writing Groups, Online Platforms and Literary Appreciation
Formal writing groups exist in many villages, towns and cities across the UK and across the world. They allow writers to meet up in an informal setting and discuss their current work in progress, their desire to write, their writer’s block and many, many publishing queries that writers have. Writers of poetry, fiction and non-fiction are always welcome, as are writers who do not want to write an epic novel, but are good at creating evocative stories in a few words.
These writing groups provide support and counselling for many authors and also provide access to competitions and potentially being published in an anthology.
One of the oldest writing groups in England is The Slough Writers, which was formed in 1967. In 2007, they celebrated their 40th anniversary and produced an anthology of work, which is available in PDF format on their website. Click here for details.
Writing Groups like the Slough Writing Group are in part responsible for the resurgence in short stories and anthologies. They give authors a platform on which to publish their work without having to seek out traditional publishing houses. Short Story Competitions have also created a wealth of new writers and have uncovered hidden talent from around the globe. Writing a story in less than 2000 or, in some cases, 1000 words is challenging. The Bridport Prize, which is an annual literary competition, includes a short story competition. They require an original piece of work of less than 5000 words. The first prize is £5,000!
Online Platforms and competitions provide new and emerging writers an opportunity to express themselves to a whole new, more diverse audience. Busy lives, coupled with technology where thirty-second videos entertain, have also supported the resurgence of short fiction and anthologies. Whilst full-length novels are still attractive to many, some people want a bite-sized story, one that can be devoured in a single sitting.
The Remarkable Rise and Fall of Anthologies – My Bardstown Writers Group Experience
REVENGE IS A DISH BEST SERVED ICE COLD
The delicate crystallised droplets tickle my nose and my cheeks as I make my way up the long driveway to the manor. My stay will be short, two nights at most. The snowfall signals the thaw. With the temperatures rising, I have a brief window in which to make my mark.
The thaw also signals the fall. Timing is everything; for it to look like an accident, I have to control the descent.
I should have asked to be dropped off at the house, but I wasn’t expecting the pea shingle drive to be carpeted in white candy floss. The powdery snow drifts and drapes the ornately manicured privet forming the formal element of the façade lining the drive. The manor, being surrounded on three sides by an ancient woodland, provides the solace and privacy which my father craves. Neither the house nor the woodland is welcoming. The house, whilst maintained, is a fifteenth-century manor that exudes history from every nook. The four red brick turrets are chimneys, yet on a freezing cold day in February, only one emits smoke.
When I was growing up, I was convinced that Father was trying to recreate an ice house inside because the one in the garden was no longer in use. I had explored the old ice house on many occasions. It was more accessible in winter when the shrubbery growth was stunted by the cold. The indistinguishable mound covered neatly in grass bore a resemblance to something out of The Lord of the Rings. Its entrance, no more than four feet high, opened up into a bricked interior with a well, which, back in the day, would have been filled to the brim with ice. The woodland is my father’s domain.
Ten acres of oak, ash, hazel, maple and holly. A few trees still standing are older than the house, scarier than the house. The oak and ash dominate with their broadleaf canopies, shading smaller variations below. It’s uncluttered and well maintained, with several bark-lined paths providing ease of access. Annually, he carefully removes interlopers and bullies with a nip and a tuck, thus permitting new life to see the light and meet its potential. The woodland has the potential to swallow you, and whilst Father seemingly knows every inch of it, even after twenty-five years of hide and seek, I fear the shadows. It isn’t what I can see that frightens me; it is what I can’t…
For a few years, I was a member of Bardstown Writers Group in Stratford-upon-Avon. I joined after I attended a writing workshop run by Ellie Stevenson. Ellie is a book coach and the author of four novels.
I enjoyed the monthly meet-ups, whereby members would share an extract from their work in progress, ask for feedback or participate in writing exercises. With the group’s support and encouragement, I self-published my first novel, Transcending Love, in December 2020.
Producing anthologies was nothing new to the Bardstown Writers. Before my time, they had already produced three, a couple of which are available on Amazon.
In 2023, Bardstown Writers published their fourth anthology. This anthology titled Seasons of Change, contains 24 short stories and odes. All of the pieces have a seasonal theme.
My piece, titled, Revenge is a Dish Best Served Ice Cold, is just under 5000 words. It’s set in winter and has a slightly dark theme with a twist. Whilst this story has been published in the Seasons of Change Anthology, I am making it available for all to read.
The extract opposite will give you a taste of what’s to come.
If you click here, you will be taken to a PDF version of my story. I hope you enjoy it. Seasons of Change – A Bardstown Writers Anthology is not currently available online for purchase.
In summary, whilst there was a rise in the 19th Century and ultimate decline in the 20th Century, the twenty-first Century has seen a resurgence of short stories and anthologies in many new and exciting formats. Helped by social media and self-publishing platforms, the short story or anthology collections have made a comeback, and everyone is getting in on the act. With competitions, writing groups, and blogging, more and more people are having a go at writing and are starting out with a short story.
If you are thinking of dipping your toe in the ink and would like some support and guidance, then I can help. If you want to create characters for your short story or novel, then I can help you frame them. I provide support to writers who are particularly interested in writing crime novels or scripts for crime-related drama. Please take a look at my other website, Police Film Advisors, for further details.
Thanks for reading.