Creating a Short Story Collection (When You Don’t Know Where to Start)

Former Wigleaf Top 50 editor Shome Dasgupta on the art of building a collection

shome dasgupta and The Forever Workshop

Apr 22, 2026

∙ Paid

Hiya, welcome to The Forever Workshop.

First time? Read this first »

Back again? Here’s what we’ve got for you today:

A workshop for:

Short fiction writers looking for insights, guidance and practical tips on putting together a collection of their work.

Your instructor:

Shome Dasgupta — author of 13 books and former Wigleaf Top 50 series editor

Takeaways:

Explore four approaches to building a collection — and how each suits your work
Navigate the logistics: word count, story order, and landing on the perfect title
Understand the publishing process, from finding the right home to handling setbacks
Learn from Shome’s transformative experiences with four very different collections

By the end of this workshop you’ll have a clearer idea of what to expect from creating a short story collection, with prompts and exercises to help you shape your own.

Four Ways to Put Together a Short Fiction Collection

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A guest post by

shome dasgupta

Shome Dasgupta is the author of The Seagull And The Urn (HarperCollins India), and most recently, Cajun South Brown Folk (Belle Point Press). He lives in Lafayette, LA, and he is represented by Teffanie Thompson of Falkin Literary.