The 2011 Indie Awards for Short Stories celebrated the best independently published short fiction collections of the year. Short stories are a form that traditional publishers have often struggled to sell, but they have always been central to the craft of writing. Many of the most powerful works of fiction are short, and the indie publishing revolution gave authors a viable route to share their collections with readers without needing a publisher’s permission.
The shortlist for 2011 included collections spanning literary fiction, horror, science fiction and hybrid work that defied easy categorisation. The variety was a testament to the flexibility of the short story form and the range of voices in indie publishing. Some collections were unified by theme, others by tone, and a few were eclectic mixtures that showcased the author’s range.
The judging process for short fiction differs from novel judging. Reviewers assessed each collection as a whole, looking at the consistency of quality, the variety of the stories and the way the collection worked as a unified reading experience. Individual stories were evaluated on their own merits, but the award recognised the collection, not single pieces.
The 2011 award underlined the importance of the short story form in independent publishing. At a time when many traditional publishers were reducing their commitment to short fiction, indie authors were keeping the form alive and finding readers who appreciated the particular pleasure of a well-crafted short story.