i gathered from a publisher that short stories and poetry has no market value these days. Is it true?

Answer 1

Yes, it's sad but true. The only way a successful publishing house, like say Random House, might take a chance on a collection of short stories or book of poetry is if you are already famous or have had some success by already being published in someplace like The New Yorker.

Answer 2

Generally speaking, I'm afraid it's true.
Collections of short stories that sell well (i.e. make money) are generally anthologies of 'great' writers or established writers who have a good pedigree.
Ditto for poetry.
As a new writer you would find it EXTREMELY (re: impossible) to find a publisher for your poetry or short stories unless you'd won a significant (i.e. national level) compeition.
It's horrid and unfair, but that's the state of publishing. Certainly in the UK (I have worked in publishing in the UK) and, from what I saw and heard, that's also the case in the US.
Good writing always sells, mind you, so don't be too dispirited. But as an unknown you will have trouble getting your work seen within those genres (poetry and short stories) if you don't have some kind of publishing portfolio behind you (say in magazines - but well regarded ones) or have won some note-worthy prizes.
Probably not what you wanted to hear, but best you know the truth.
Study the markets and see what sells. When you've made a name for yourself THEN you can unleash the real you onto the literary world. Either that or content yourself that you haven't sold out and that you love writing for the personal pleasure it brings.

Answer 3

One could argue that market value ought not have anything to do with writing. It can be somewhat restrictive to write exclusively for and to a market. Good art appears to come about when the artist is motivated by an idea and uses form (genre) to express his/her ideas.
One feels almost certain that accomplished short story writers and poets such as E. A. Poe and Herman Melville did not consider market value when they embarked upon writing short works of prose or when they set about writing poetry. Melville did not write Bartleby or his Battle-Pieces with the motive of generating coins for his purse. Poe did not consider market value when he wrote The Fall of the House of Usher. In reading great works of literature one rarely considers market value or how much money each work produced for each writer. It seems an absurd notion to measure art is such a manner.
It seems best to dissect the market from the task of writing and in turn to separate the writing of short prose and poetry from the allures and farce of market ratings and best seller shelves designed for indiscriminate readers that cannot detach themselves from reading along with trends generated from book markets and indolent crowds.

Answer 4

According to the US's new poet laureate, Donald Hall, poetry is flourishing now...as compared with other periods in his lifetime. (he's been around a while!). Check it out here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5485767
I don't think I'd plan on getting rich, or even making a living, by writing poetry, but if you do write, keep it up. The world needs more poets.

Answer 5

Short stories were doing well. It's hard to imagine that they've just stopped. But if this publisher is offering a deal then maybe consider it.

Answer 6

I don't know about poetry, but there are still lots of collections of short stories out there, Annie Proulx has a couple, so does Marian Keyes. You don't find many short story collections from new writers, though, in my experience.

Answer 7

the short story is not as big as it was when it was invented. Alot of people say that edgar allan poe was the creator of the short story. People still write short storys but not as much it is perty much the same with poetry

Answer 8

As a small publisher myself, I would say that they have limited market value. But there will always be room for those two genres.

"How to" books are the current craze.

Answer 9

That is not true........ If you;re from the United States, there's a poetry contest each month. Actually, I wanted to koin that contest but they just need participants from the United States only.

Answer 10

not sure about poetry but theres lots of short stories especially for people with short attension span like me.