I’ve received a lot of pushback on this thread.

Why does it happen? Because it happens.

Roll the bones.

Do you like them better in the high school halls, or in the shopping malls?

People gonna people, I suppose.

I honestly believe if this thread discourages someone from writing, they were never going to make it anyway.

My musing on collection oversaturation is more nuanced than Bsky makes room for. (I mean, I’m 7 in, so obv it’s not stopping me.)

This is probably why there’s motivation for so many short story writers to write a novel. Even if it’s just to experiment with something different after so long, it gives them a chance to toe the waters of a different, more tempting and lucrative pond. (9/9)

I wonder if it wouldn’t be better to only publish 2 or 3 short story collections at most over a career. Once you get past 5, who really wants to keep reading them? Isn’t around fifty short stories enough to get the gist of what a writer’s all about? With 2 or 3, you leave them wanting more. (8/9)

There’s a heavy mental load buying a book of ten short stories, much heavier than buying a novel where there’s only one story. And the more books of stories you write, the more daunting that mental load becomes. (7/9)

Why would anyone buy ANOTHER book you wrote when they already bought the last two? (6/9)

And, if that doesn’t kill your short story writing dream, what follows is a slow decline into the firmament of the genre. People take your presence for granted. Reviews of your work dry up, readers mention you less often. (5/9)

What no one tells you is being a fresh new kid on the block has a short lifespan. People want the high of discovering a new thing, so as soon as you’re the thing, you’re out the door in favor of the next fresh new thing. Readers… they don’t care who they hurt. (4/8)

If you fight through all that—if you get through the constant rejection and overcome life’s obstacles and continue writing—you may be one of the lucky ones who develops a bit of a buzz. You may even become a bit of a thing. Congratulations! You’re a fresh new kid on the block! (3/8)

You work a lot for next to no money. It burns out almost everyone. I’d wager over 90% of the writers I was published alongside when I started stopped writing short stories years ago. Life probably got in the way. (2/8)

Shameless.

Kurt Fawver?

Atticus standing around while Trent sings is giving real Pet Shop Boys vibes.

Let's see how she feels after THE EXORCIST III.

I hope it’s not lost on you just how angry this makes me.