Last week, I received these words from a thoughtful, well-respected agent:
... I have no confidence in being able to place a collection at this time in the world of publishing. Publishers don't like to publish short story collections in general unless they are VERY high concept or by someone very strange or very famous or Indian. In the current climate, it is harder to publish even those. Some of the authors I represent have story collections I have not been able to talk their loyal publishers into publishing. I can't in good conscience encourage you to send them to me. It will just make both of us feel bad. I am very sorry. If you write another novel, I will gladly read it...
Not very encouraging, to be sure. Is this agent right? Is the short-story collection going the way of the dodo bird? It's been a long time since I've been in grad school. Are short stories still the working unit of MFA workshops? If so, where are all those stories going now?
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