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So I'm finished with my short story "Misfortune's Child". It ends on somewhat of a cliffhanger regarding the life and death of the main character (POV). There is also a purposely unresolved storyline within the story that will bridge all three parts of the story I want to tell.
My question is this though: Would any publishers buy the first part of a probable 3 part story, or would they commit to even the one considering there is an obvious unfinished part of the story? If it will be near impossible to sell a short story of this type, I can easily expand this into a novel or one point of view of several in a novel, but I need to know how much I need to expand this. It's a bit of a dillema for me to say the least.
this is the last question I really have and will be discussing it with my professors once I start school on the 22nd to get as much opinion about this as possible. Thanks in advance for the feedback and advice!
If you click on "selected lengths" instead of putting in the exact word count, one of the options is "serial." Then you can do a search for markets that might be interested.
It's pretty rare to serialize things anymore, though. Like PP said, it might be better to write the whole story and sell it as a novella/novelette/whatever.
[This message has been edited by Christine (edited August 09, 2007).]
posted
It is common practice for writers to publish parts of a novel. Damon Knight called such novels "fix ups". Examples include Asimov's Foundation, Van Vogt's The Weapon Shops of Ishar, and Farmer's To Your Scattered Bodies Go.
But...
The story has to be a satisfying stand-alone story. There has to be a conflict and a resolution. Some things can be left open ended -- no story ties up all the loose ends. But there must be an emotionally satisfying conclusion. Without that, no, it won't sell.
posted
I just want to add one thing: If you're going to have any hope at all of selling this as a serial, you really need to have the whole thing finished. They might trust known authors, but they'll want to see the whole thing from an unknown author to make sure you can follow through.
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Cool, sounds like I just need to hop right on into the next part/chapter, or whatever it will end up being.
As far as what I have for this first part though, I think it does have a cliffhanger, a conflict, a resolution, and a loose end. I'm just about done with it, and I'll post about it in another forum, but if anyone is interested in reading the whole thing (part one), just email me and request it. I'll send it out to anyone that is interested. Halfway through the final revision and it stands at about 12000 words.
Rick Norwood: I can't believe it someone else that has read Farmer. Please e-mail me some time I would love to know what you thought of that series. If you read the whole thing. blah blah blah...
Again sorry I know it is off topic, I just don't find many people that have read his work.
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Speaking of following through, anyone know when Dean Koontz's last Frankenstein novel is coming out? I feel like I've been left hanging.
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Offhand, I'd say if it has some sort of resolution, it's all right...if it does sell, and the editor brings it up, tell him you're saving something for the sequel...but if he wants a fix-up of the fix-up story, fix it up.
(What's so odd about reading Philip Jose Farmer? He's a core SF writer---fifties-through-seventies era---and has written a lot of interesting stuff. (I was particularly fond of his Dare for many years---probably its luridness appealed to me.))
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You are welcome to start a topic in the Discussing Published Hooks and Books area for books by Farmer.
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No problem, jeffrey.hite. I'm just trying to encourage people to make more use of the Discussing Published Hooks and Books area, and you provided a chance for me to do it.
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