Why don’t more aspiring novelists write short stories? It’s a question I’ve often asked. When I was a newbie, that seemed like the natural place to start. However, there was hardly a consensus. Most of my then critique group, as well as several significant published authors, suggested otherwise. If you’re going to write novels, they said, then write novels. Besides, the market for short stories was waning and there was no money to be had.
While there’s some truth to the money and market issues, it is a fallacy to assume that the craft of short fiction cannot help an author. The underlying prejudice held by some is that short stories are minor league. Real authors write novels. Forget that some of our greatest living writers (like Stephen King, Joyce Carol Oates, Neil Gaiman, and Ray Bradbury) have contributed extensively to short fiction. Nevertheless, the more I read the works of new or unpublished novelists, the more I feel they could benefit from a season of writing short stories.
Let me offer ten reasons why, if you are a new or struggling novelist, you should consider writing short stories.
Mastering “small” stories prepares you to master “bigger” ones — Many beginning novelists do not anticipate the girth of information (timelines, characters, backstory, subplots, etc.) that must be managed when writing a book. In a recent interview, editor Victoria Mixon said, “Books are big. Books are enormous. Seventy thousand words is a whole LOT of words. And it all has to be revised and reworked over and over again. Are you prepared for that kind of workload? …an aspiring writer needs to understand the magnitude of what they’re attempting.” Still, it’s surprising how many new writers choose to make Mount Everest their first climb.
Short stories help you practice word economy — Having more space to say what you want is not necessarily a good thing. Especially for people who love words. Which is why un-edited, first-time novelists often produce bloated manuscripts. Short stories force an author to prune her prose and get to the point.
Short stories are easier to FINISH than novels — Duh! But for the new writer, finishing something can be important. I know many writers who have been working on a novel for 3, 4, even 5 years. It goes without saying, but the inability to finish something is frustrating. Facing a two or three-year slog to write a novel can be over-whelming for a beginning writer. A short story, however, can provide a quicker sense of accomplishment, one that a novel cannot.
Short stories provide a workable context for developing your style — There is much discussion about an author’s voice, the nuance and uniqueness of our individual styles. Well, does voice just happen? Does it come natural? Or does it need honed, developed? Short stories can be a context for crafting your voice, forging your style, identifying your unique stylistic traits. One reason is…
Short stories provide a workable context for experimentation — Short fiction is not limited to the constraints of the general market. Because of that, the short story writer can employ techniques that novelists often have to avoid. One of the first short stories I ever wrote was written in present tense. I chose that style specifically as a means of experiment. Experimenting with different techniques on a small scale is much more tenable (and commercially acceptable) than on a large scale. Furthermore, such experimentation can kindle your imagination, provide ideas and fodder for bigger projects.
The short story market is far more “accessible” than the novel market — More and more professional markets refuse to accept unsolicited submissions from novelists without an agent. Frankly, this closes the door on many new writers. On the other hand, most short story markets are wide open. There are more points of entry. Not only do they give new writers a place to submit work and begin a career…
The short story market is broader than the novel market — Mainstream publishers want stories that fit within a certain mold, preferably ones with a built-in audience. Short stories markets, on the other hand, are free to cover lots more ground. Whether its westerns, zombie westerns, apocalyptic zombie westerns, or alternate history apocalyptic zombie westerns (whew!), you can find a mag for it.
Short stories build your publication canon — Sure, having short stories on your resume is no guarantee that your novel will sell. However, it reveals a history of success. An employer is more likely to hire someone who has a good track record, than one who doesn’t. Published short stories shows a “potential employer” that an author has a track record.
A chance to get professional feedback — Form rejections are common in the publishing industry. This holds true for the short story market. Nevertheless, an author has far more chance to get feedback from a short story publisher than a big publishing house. I recently received this rejection letter from a semi-pro short story magazine I’d submitted to:
I read your story and while I appreciate what I believe is the story’s theme of spiritual breakthrough, the piece was, to be candid, over my head. There was too much complexity for my taste; and I really couldn’t follow what was going on as the scene and character clues were just too cryptic for me. I understand the writing style you employ and appreciate minimalism when creating atmosphere, but it was just a bit too elusive for me. So I’ll decline…
This is about the fifth rejection I’ve received on that story, but the first one that provided feedback. Despite being disappointed, this feedback is really helpful. Aspiring authors should always listen carefully when they receive professional feedback, even if they disagree with it. Submitting short stories not only gets professional eyes on your stuff, it provides a better chance of getting feedback.
Short stories can provide a good break for novelists — Routine can become a rut for a writer. And in this industry, staying fresh is important. Not only does writing a short story provide me a break from my epic romance, it allows me to write something totally unrelated… like an alternate history apocalyptic zombie western. Now that’ll break up the creative constipation!
In the long run, any writing is good exercise. Sure, writing short stories won’t make you rich. But they can make you a better writer. Ultimately, the best way to prove you can write a novel is to write a novel. However, writing some good short stories may be a great way to get there.
* * *
Question: Do you believe the adage, If you’re going to write novels, then write novels? Can you think of some other ways writing short stories might benefit an aspiring novelist? Do have some examples of how short story writing has personally helped you become a better novelist?
Short stories also build your audience. Someone who’s read your short stories and like them is more likely to pick up your novel. Granted, the audience for short stories is smaller, but it’s also influential: fiction magazines are read by reviewers, publishers, editors, and a lot of people who are just well read and who tell their friends what they read.
Wow, how’d I miss that? Terrific point, Donald! Let’s make that “11 Ways Writing Short Stories Can Benefit Aspiring Novelists.” By the way, your story, “The Office of Second Chances,” was one of my favorites in the second Midnight Diner.
Thanks, Mike. OSC was a fun story, and I’m glad it made the Diner.
Great article, Mike, as always.
Short stories do help you not only build a following, but try out different genre’s so that you can determine which genre you actually write for.
I agree on all the ‘writing’ reasons for short stories. I don’t anything about the marketing and publication side of the house, so I won’t comment there. But, as I have said many times, I like short stories for a number of reasons. Many of my ideas are only short story length, so to speak — I can get in and get out and say what I want to say. I like to use short stories to attempt to write in different styles — once I wrote a story using only dialog and I thought it came out really well. Especially with regard to word usage and economy, I do like the practice that comes in short stories with being precise and getting the most out of each sentence.
Hum, lots I could say, but a good topic. I’ve heard so many different things in this regard as well. But based on my own experience, I believe having written short stories has greatly helped my writing in novels. I’d even add writing poetry has helped in my writing of novels. So much so that I find I usually cause my novels to get bigger when I edit them, not smaller, because I have to add in more than I end up taking out.
I would add two points, one pro and one con. Another reason even those who have published a novel have for writing story stories is they help fill in the gaps between novels to keep your name before the public. I think that’s why many well-known authors do tend to write short stories. It becomes more of a marketing tool than a way to earn a lot of extra dollars, though popular novel authors can usually get into the better paying zines due to the built in audience they command.
On the other side of the coin, while there are skill sets that are common to both writing short stories and novels, they also demand different skill sets. Because one can do one well, doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be able to do the other with equal ease and success as well. And there are some people who simply find it hard to make the jump from writing one form to the other. So someone who takes to writing novels like a duck to water, may feel constrained in attempting a short story, and find they simply don’t like doing it, or have a hard time pulling it off convincingly (the stories keep turning into novellas, then into novels).
Oh, I’ll add one more that comes from experience as well. Time. I’m working on about four novels right now in various stages, so I’ve written very few short stories this year. If you are a professional author, putting out 3 to 4 novels a year, you won’t have a lot of time to write short stories.
But I do like writing shorts, and have been doing several of late because I want to expand my braided novella into a braided novel (first book, Infinite Realities).
And I would agree, the beginner can find short stories an excellent training ground for learning how to write well. And the art form has its own inherent value as well. You made several good points that I agree with on that front. Thanks.
Great points, R.L. I especially like your idea that short stories keep an author’s name out there, in between novels. But 3 or 4 novels a year?! My agent encouraged me to aim for 1 a year… and this still seems like a stretch for me. Thanks for your comments!
Not that I’ve churned out four novels a year, mind you, but then again I’m working a full time job on the side. 😉 I think those are numbers I’ve heard from some professional writers like Dean Wesley Smith. That’s what they do for a living and have 6 to 8 hours a day to work on it.
But due to novels being worked on at four right now for me is more due to previous years novels written that I still haven’t sent out yet, and finishing two novel rough drafts last Nov. for National Novel Writing Month, one of those four actually coming out this year by Dec. 1st.
Rick! Still the work-horse, as ever, I see. 😛
I completely agree! For several months before I got sucked into the blogging vortex, I was practicing writing fiction, and I only practiced on short stories. Reading the B.A.S.S. series is a particular treat, each year. And my favorite author on the planet almost exclusively writes short stories…A.M…
As always, good thoughts. In some ways, every chapter or scene in a novel is a short story. Writing short stories, flash fiction in particular, is a great training ground for developing scenes that capture a reader’s attention.
“Do you believe the adage, If you’re going to write novels, then write novels?”
Nope, not at all. Interestingly, when I was working towards my minor in Creative Writing, I was required to take poetry and short fiction. The “long” fiction classes were electives.
I chuckle in hindsight, but I started with poetry, knowing I eventually wanted to write a novel. Now I know writing poetry and writing a novel require entirely different skills. But, once the initial draft of the novel is done, the poetry skills very much come into play. The downside is, I’m extremely picky with my word choices, down to “a” and “the”, but as novelists (or aspiring novelists) at some point, in my opinion, even a 100,000 manuscript has to be looked at 1 word at a time with the following question in mind: “does this word help or hinder the story”.? It’s excrutiating and frustrating, yes…but…it’s part of it. That being said, it’s much easier to practice this minute fine tuning on 2,000 words,than 100,000. Also, if you’ve written short fiction, I think it allows you to mentally break up a larger manuscript into workable sections, so you aren’t as overwhelmed when you are doing this type of revising.
I’ve been feeling discouraged lately about my writing, so I’ve been pulling out old short stories, revising them and sending them out. Right now I’m waiting to hear back on three. The benefit of a short story then is, it requires less work and the rewards (though smaller) are more constant. My writing self-esteem needs a bit of a boost right now, so I figured short stories might be the way to get that.
Hey, Jessica! I’ve been blessed by your comments and can tell that you take your writing seriously. Like you, “I’m extremely picky with my word choices,” sometimes to the point of tedium. Not always sure if that’s good or bad. Either way, it can be wearying. It’s such a long hard road, this writing thing, and sometimes just putting one foot in front of the other is the best advice. Anyway, hang in there with your writing. Okay?
Mike, you and your commenters make great points. Here’s my deal: I hate short stories. Always have. Of course I’ve written some in school. Got some A’s in them. But, no. Don’t enjoy reading or writing them. So for this novelist: no thanks. I’d rather write a saga. And read one.
I think that this is a common feeling amongst novelists but, as a person who never reads short stories for pleasure, I assure you it’s well worth your time to try your hand at one every now and then if you feel like you need to work on a specific part of your skill as a writer. Where errors can hide away in 70k-110k word monoliths, any errors in your craft/voice/plot will be glaring in a work of only 5k, and easily worked on for practice.
Mike –
All I can add is to basically repeated everyone’s experiences: I spent seven years rewriting the first half of a novel I couldn’t finish. Just didn’t know how to write: “The End”. That, and I knew nothing about word economy.
Short stories taught me that. And, continuing to write them kept me sharp. Stories published 3-4 years ago seem awfully bloated and wordy, now. At one time, writing a only 10,000 word story was torture. Now, I’m down around 3,000 – 5,000 words.
Now…a NOVELLA was a learning experience altogether. It’s not a short story, but not a novel. Completely different, but I found I really liked the novella format.
It seems reasonable to me to cut your teeth on selling short stories and then take what you learn to the next level.
A novel isn’t just one story, it is a collection of smaller scenes that make up one cohesive larger story. Witness the anger of fans when the film adaptation of Lord of the Rings left out the story of Tom Bombadil. Fans of the book howled when Tom’s story didn’t even make it into the Special Edition of the films.
Some of the skills and cadence will be different between short stories and novels, however, many novel chapters could stand on their own as short stories. I remember reading the pivotal emotional scene from Spider Robinson’s ‘Mindkiller’ first in Omni as a short story entitled ‘God Is An Iron.’ I first read Orson Scott Card’s ‘Ender’s Game’ as a novella well before I read it as a novel. It’s harder to write short, I think, than to write long. If you master the shorter form, writing the longer form should more easily fall into place.
Great comments, Johne! I am one of those who always mentions the absence of Tom Bombadil in the film trilogy as a crime. Totally agree with you about approaching short stories as scenes. In fact, I have incorporated several short pieces into my novels. And you’re right: “It’s harder to write short… than to write long.” Thanks Johne!
So good to hear Ender’s Game brought up. I like Orson Scott Card a lot but somehow he never captured the same raw WOW of that brief novel.
Wise words, as always, Mike. And, as you know, I whole heartily agree. 🙂
I think we do ourselves a disservice if we DON’T work through at least one short story a year. As writers we need to always be challenging ourselves to do better and better, and this is the only way that I know of to do this. If not short stories, then poems at least. Word economy is always a wonderful lesson to learn.
And Orson Scott Card is an amazing guy. And he’s a huge proponent of the short story. His Boot Camp where he works with a select few writers every year on their craft centers around the theory that short work is the best Boot Camp there is for a writer.
Short stories function differently from novels. Certain technical aspects transfer over, but actual story components work differently. That’s the reason I’ve always heard for “Don’t write short stories to train for writing novels.”
I get that writing a short story can help a writer learn word economy, but what if the writer already has it? Though most writers seem to write big and need to cut, some of us write little and need to expand. *raises hand* Writing short stories doesn’t exactly help that too-abrupt aspect to my writing.
Since our interview, I’ve taken to heart your advice to work on short stories to prove to myself I’m ready for a novel. Now I’m seeing areas of polishing experience that I never did with my novels because they are just too massive. I have a novel I’m evaluating w/notes before I start editing, and the writing is so poor that I feel overwhelmed that after I straighten out the mess, I’ll have to touch up most of it. It would have been much better to develop my craft on short stories before dumping that many words into one project. I’m editing it because I want to finish what I started and see promise, but at the same time I’m shooting for submitting two short stories a month.
To add to your and Donald’s eleventh reason, authors who start their platform before their novel is ready to sell would really help their cause having short stories to show people their writing. I’ve had a website for over a year, and with no short stories published, I feel handicapped at gathering a following because they don’t know if I’m any good at writing. Get your stuff out there and let the gatekeepers of ezines show you when you’re ready for a novel.
Thanks so much for the info, I chose to start with two short stories. Thank goodness, because as you stated, writing is easy but editing is a cruel bitch mother. Thanks for the info again, very helpful.
I’m an aspiring writer, but so far I’ve only written sort satirical pieces for my website (mostly in first person). I want to eventually write at least one novel, but I was wondering if I should try some short fiction first as an intermediary step. This post had some great thoughts on the subject and has convinced me to try short stories first before tackling a novel.