The Art of Anthology Submissions

I'm new to this craft, I admit it.I have edited one anthology thus far, and had my work appear in 5 other anthologies (with two or 3 more coming in the next year). I also admit that I have bitten off a lot launching two anthology calls at the same time- one for my own work, and one as a fundraiser for CARAS.Different anthology calls work differently. But, most have the following information, somewhere in the call:Topic- what will we be writing aboutPublisher- or editor, ie who is this project forCompensation- what are you getting paid or given in exchange for your work (also often includes whether you retain your copyright, etc)Length/Content- how long should the final piece beHow to submit- the style, format or whatever that the publisher wants the submission.  Sometimes this is info to have it in a specific format, font, a call for summaries, a call for excerpts, bios, etc... varies by callDeadline- when the submissions are needed byWhen an author does not actually read the call, and submits anyway, its kind of hit or miss.Today, I vented the following on twitter/facebook:Vent- a summary and an excerpt are not the same folks. I need to know that you know what you are actually going to talk about. </vent>Someone replied that with that sort of attitude they are not sure that they would want to submit to my anthologies.That is a fair response, and yet, how unreasonable is that vent?Point 1 ) Summary v Excerptan Excerpt is a sentence, paragraph or page from the writing itself.a summary is an overview of what the author covers in the work.These are two very different concepts.  An except lets an editor see *how* you write, while a summary gives an editor *what* you want to be writing about, your vision and concept.  These are two very different things.Point 2) I need to know that you know what you want to talk aboutI have people who tell me at events "I want to write!" and I say "Good- what about?" and they stare at me.  Um, you know, my life and stuff.  Okay... why should a reader want to read that?  Because your life is interesting?  Maybe.  But what is the vision, the concept, if a reader could take home just a few key thoughts- what would you want them to take home?This applies to teaching too.  At the end of the class, what should the student be able to take home?The topics of the heart are tricky ones, but even that is possible.  Some examples of summaries from some of my books:Shibari You Can Use: Bondage can be sexy and fun.  You can do it.  I want to show folks step by step easy pictures and descriptions on how to do rope bondage at home, for sex, play, decoration and more.  By the end of the book they will know how to decorate or restrain their partner in a number of different ways, and not be scared of bondage.Sacred Kink:Kink can be a tool for altered states of consciousness and growth, and there are 8 major paths that these tools and journeys take.  There are sacred practices that mirror kink practices and visa versa.  These tools vary wildly, and not everyone is suited to every tool or path.  By the end of the book readers will know a bit more about what calls to them, the history of these tools, and understand paths that might not be their own, as well as have a lexicon and resources for further discussion.As compared to some of my essays:Mummy, from Power Exchange Age Play:I am an FtM transman who also identifies as a Mommy in age role playing.  Discussing my own relationship with my own mother, I talk about my queer approach to these seeming comflicting desires for being seen as a Man, and being loved as a Mommy.  If women can be Daddies, why shouldn't men be Mommies? I will do this through the lens of my own Mommy/boy relationship.Between Shows, from Trans People In Love:My relationship with my trans partner came in fits and starts, but was framed by two performances.  The love happened somewhere between these two shows.  Thus, I will talk about two stage performances that I did, and the magic that happened on and off stage that led to me falling in love.As compared to excepts:Shibari You Can Use:Every person I have ever met who does rope bondage as a Rigger/Artist/Top (the person who does the tying) or as a Submissive/Bottom/Rope Slut (the person being tied) has a slightly different reason for doing bondage. Here are a few of them:((see, in this paragraph it might be inferred that the whole book is about the WHY of bondage if I just take the first paragraph from chapter 1))Sacred Kink:If eight paths of Sacred Kink are to be explored, eight tales need to begin. Eight tales, eight life moments, eight journeys towards beauty, towards change, towards manifestation, towards catharsis, towards the limitless. These eight erotic adventures will create a roadmap through exploration, uncertainty, truth, hope, desire and passion. A roadmap that might give insight to your own journeys from the past, your own journeys ahead.((wow, again, see the difference))I am a decent author.  I strive to be better.  I am still a new editor.  And yes, perhaps venting in public is tricky when my personal and private life are so intimately blended... but it was not an unreasonable vent.  There is a distinct difference between a summary and an excerpt.I admit that I am different in my call by requesting summaries.  The method to the madness?  I don't want four authors in the book talking about how amazing their cathartic flogging scene was.  One, two tops (not received so far, bring it on :)).  But I would hate to turn away folks for lack of variety.  With thousands of topics under the Spirit of Desire to discuss, I want to at least have the anthology show some of that amazing variety!  Thus, I also want voices from a variety of populations- straight, gay, lesbian, queer, bi, poly, monogamous, god-slaves, agnostic, christian, muslim... I want it all!But please folks, all I'm saying is READ the anthology calls.When the call says "no dark horror" they mean it, and submitting dark horror to a fiction anthology is rude.  It wastes everyone's time.Unsure if your thing counts as dark horror?  Drop an email before submitting the full thing saying "Hi, do you consider were-spider rape sex to be dark horror" (see my story in Like Tooth and Claw) to be dark horror?"I would much rather have someone write me a one-liner and say "Hi, I'm thinking about doing something on this- thoughts?" than spend weeks writing a perfect essay that is not a good fit for what I am building.It's an anthology- NOT a stand alone book.  When I did Rope, Bondage and Power, almost a third of the entries had a "what is rope bondage, what is power" part of their submission.  Once in a book is cool.  If I had let that stay, I would have had a lot of bored readers.  So I covered that question overarch in my intro, and let a few essays touch on specific sub-sections of those two points- and EVERYONE else got on with sharing interesting stuff... instead of the whole book being a replay every 10 pages of the base issues.The author at home for an anthology is working from mouse medicine.  He is down in the grass, and can only see the next few blades of grass.  An editor is working in eagle medicine, flying above taking in the vantage point of all that is going on.  Hm, that metaphor sort of falls apart when comparing mice and eagles and their eating habits, but perhaps the idea will convey.  That as an author in an anthology, I have forgotten in the past that there are 20 other authors, doing their own thing, and having two stories in the book both about how cool bears are gets kind of droll for the readership.A stage show, as a note, is a form of anthology too.  If everyone in the show is doing aerial rope bondage, or all are single performers with guitars, or all are techno bands who use the same base beat- it can get kind of dull (unless the event is billed as an all aerial rope, or all single guitar players or all techno beat music show).  Or an educational conference- variety folks, big picture, eagle medicine... be a good editor for your conference too!  Having six classes out of 14 be rope bondage for a general BDSM conference might make the bondage folks happy- but does not necessarily reflect the diversity of educator or needs of students in your community.So there ya go, a few ideas and thoughts :)