How to Create a Riveting Collection of Short Stories or Poems

If you like to write short pieces like I do, you will probably want to publish a collection or three at some point in your writing career. However, readers don’t want you to just throw every short piece you’ve written together and call it a day. Collections are more successful and impactful if they have an emotional arc and theme. You need to curate your collection. Here’s how.
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Caitlin Berve is a fantasy author, editor, and speaker. Through her company Ignited Ink Writing, she edits novels, creates video tutorials, and writes. Using her MFA, she teaches creative writing at conferences, colleges, and Colorado writers’ organizations. Her collection of modern fairy tales When Magic Calls is available is paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats most places books are sold, including www.caitlinberve.com/books. Caitlin seeks to fill the world with the kind of writing that lingers with readers and find magic in modern times.
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[@Duriel1000]

Who did your website? I am an author and want one too.

[@ignitedinkwriting8746]

I did it myself using Squarespace, but I know website designers and have thought about offering the service myself. If you want recommendations, let me know.

[@themastermind2873]

i got two questions my first questions is about tying the themes together i got one story i am working on that is science fiction do i need multiple science fiction stories that needs the same theme or is all of the stories being the same genre fine? my second question is do i need a appropriate word count for each story.

[@ignitedinkwriting8746]

Genre is a good unifier when it comes to collections. However, you might think about what type of science fiction your collection is to better advertise it. Do you right hard or soft sci-fi? Are the stories space operas? You don't have to do this, but it could help you find your readers faster.
The word count of each individual story doesn't matter as much as the word (or page count) for the whole collection. For example, it will need to be a minimum of 46-72 pages, depending on your printer, in order to have text printed on the spine. Unless you are writing for a contest with a specific word count, I believe in allowing the story to be as long or as short as that particular story idea needs to be a fun, clear read.

[@themastermind2873]

@@ignitedinkwriting8746 thanks for the reply i will that in mind when if i am making a collection

[@helenakrieger5880]

does a collection need a specific age range? because my style is more middle grade, but for my stories, the MC's age best fits them to be 16.

[@ignitedinkwriting8746]

That is going to be a hard sell. The different between middle grade and young adult (teen) books isn't just age. It's themes, life stage, complexity, content, vocabulary, etc. Those are two very different readers.
What do you mean by middle grade style?