Only Shorts

Clair Dickson · Dec 14, 2009

Maybe this belongs in the dejection subforum, but does anyone else struggle with only writing (or only being successful at) short stories?

I've got a hefty collection of published short stories. I've gotten agent interest solely from my short story writing.

And yet... I *only* have short stories. Few people besides short story writers seem to care. I've only collected rejections with the novel attempts.

I have more published words in my short stories than most novels, but so what? I can't crack most of the paying markets, which tends to make me think that I'm not even very good at writing shorts.

Any one want to join me in commiserating or have some words to offer to help buoy my spirits?

WalpurgisQuill · Dec 14, 2009

All you have merely to do is extend your short stories. Build them up from your idea and you could end up with an novel.

emilycross · Dec 14, 2009

Think of Raymond Carver!

Think of Ray Bradbury!

They are both short story writers, and are world renouned and studied.

Short story writing is an artform in itself, don't doubt your skill or talent!

Re Novel: que sera, sera. For every word you write, you're a step closer to publication.

Robert E. Keller · Dec 14, 2009

I think every writer struggles with doubt from time to time. If it's not cracking the paying markets, then it's cracking the professional markets. And even the writers who do crack the professional markets want to do more of it. Plus, there's always the ultimate goal of wanting to be a best-selling author. It's hard to be content in the field of fiction writing.

I think the goal is self improvement. I always try to make each story or novel "better" than the one before it. I have fun trying to sharpen my skills through practice and study, and I let the submissions result in what they may. I think if you focus on that, it will take your mind off what you have or have not accomplished and lead to greater productivity and better writing--which in turn could lead to better sales.

kuwisdelu · Dec 14, 2009

To hell with anyone who doesn't care about short stories.

Who cares about them?

The question is do you care about writing novels, or do you just want to write short stories?

There's nothing whatsoever wrong with the latter, even if they're not as popular right now. Jorge Luis Borges didn't become Jorge Luis Borges by writing all the novels he thought up

Clair Dickson · Dec 14, 2009

Thanks all... I think it would help if I felt I had a snowball's chance of making into a paying or pro publication with the shorts. I don't think I do. Not in my genre and I'm having a damn hard time finding cross/ open genre pubs that take my stuff.

And I know I am, at this point in my life, a one trick pony when it comes to stories. I am a mystery writer. I'm SO never getting into the big mystery pubs. I've more or less accepted that, particularly since I don't even like most the stories they do accept.

I do like the novels that I've written. Like many writers, I'd love to see success in the novel form. I wrote the novel I want to read and it's been sliced and diced and ripped to shreds by readers and agents who tend to hate everything I love about it (low amounts of personal angsting, jumps into the action/ meat of the story then backtracks slightly to fill in what you need to know, female lead who isn't ashamed of being smart, sexy, or capable.)

It's really frustrating sometimes. This fall in particular. Too many disappointments. Thanks for the kind words.

Robert E. Keller · Dec 14, 2009

I don't know what the market is like for mystery short fiction, but don't give up on the novel side of things. Keep writing books, honing your skills, and sending off to agents or editors. One trick that can come in handy is to strike a balance between, for example, what an agent is looking for and how you want the book to be written. Give them what they want, while writing in a way that pleases you. There are ways to make it happen. At least, keep writing what you love to write and keep submitting, because you never know how someone is going to feel about your work. All it takes is the right person to love your style and you've got your foot in the door.

Alchemenos Prausti · Dec 14, 2009

Ha! If you want to feel better, keep in mind that you're farther along than many. I'm trying to get to the place where you currently stand: attracting an agent's attention with short stories. No luck making a sale so far, much less attracting an agent.

RevisionIsTheKey · Dec 14, 2009

A few random thoughts:
1. Short stories are not that popular these days. It is what it is; we have to accept it. (While continuing to write good stories and submitting them) Writers are kind of funny in that we don't always understand that if there is a very small market for what we write, we either have to write what IS selling or accept that we will be sitting with a lot of stuff no one will read. (Imagine a TV producer saying, "Well, I don't care if Westerns are not what people want to watch at 8 p.m. I'm still going to produce them!")

2. Many non-fans would change their minds if they read some current short stories. I have to admit, I was, until about five months ago, not at all interested in the short story. Then I took a writing class where all practice on technique had to be done in short story form. And we had to (arrgghh) read lots of published short stories. Well, you can guess what happened. I fell in love with the short story form and I loved writing my stories.

3. Two of the stories have a common thread - not a huge thread, but one I can build on to develop a novel. Go through all your things and see if you can find several that could be chapters in a book (with rewriting, of course). You may end up getting enthused about creating longer pieces. I never thought I could even dream of writing a novel, but now, with about 8,500 words written, I'm thinking, maybe I could!

Clair Dickson · Dec 15, 2009

Thanks--
Writing the novel doesn't seem to be the problem, per se. I can string 70,000+ words together with at least a coherent plot (or so say the beta readers.)

I've gotten personalized rejections on the novel, and one of the things that came back was that what I can pull off in the shorts, doesn't work in the novel form. (I'd mention some of the specifics said, but my slant ends up making me sound like I'm bitching and making excuses, so I'll just leave it at this.)

augusto · Dec 15, 2009

Maybe think Sherwood Anderson's Winesburg, Ohio. and string together short stories with a common thread.

RevisionIsTheKey · Dec 15, 2009

August said:
Maybe think Sherwood Anderson's Winesburg, Ohio. and string together short stories with a common thread.

Which brings up another question: Can anyone name current published novels that have done this? Might be good to take a look at some of them. I swear I have read reviews of books that said the chapters had a stand alone quality, even though the story held together as a novel. Darned if I can think of any names now, though. :idea:

Jamesaritchie · Dec 15, 2009

Clair Dickson said:
I do like the novels that I've written. Like many writers, I'd love to see success in the novel form. I wrote the novel I want to read and it's been sliced and diced and ripped to shreds by readers and agents who tend to hate everything I love about it (low amounts of personal angsting, jumps into the action/ meat of the story then backtracks slightly to fill in what you need to know, female lead who isn't ashamed of being smart, sexy, or capable.)

.

The first thing I'd say is stop listening to readers and agents. Neither group knows a damned thing about writing.

SirOtter · Dec 15, 2009

WalpurgisQuill said:
All you have merely to do is extend your short stories. Build them up from your idea and you could end up with an novel.

That worked pretty well for Raymond Chandler.

BTW, Clair, your blog keeps crashing my browser whenever I try to go to it.

Clair Dickson · Dec 16, 2009

SirOtter said:
BTW, Clair, your blog keeps crashing my browser whenever I try to go to it.

Huh. It's hosted by blogspot and I'm not seeing any problems from my computers. Don't know what's wrong and it's hosted by blogspot, so it's not like it's even my server or anything. There's not even anything fancy on it. =(

I wish I knew why it was giving you grief.

If you just want the stories (since I haven't posted much lately) try www.bofexler.wordpress.com. That's where I have links to the shorts.

Lost World · Dec 16, 2009

RevisionIsTheKey said:
Which brings up another question: Can anyone name current published novels that have done this? Might be good to take a look at some of them. I swear I have read reviews of books that said the chapters had a stand alone quality, even though the story held together as a novel. Darned if I can think of any names now, though.

Yes, serials could definitely be an option.

But really, it would be best to just keep plugging on novels. I used to think I couldn't write short stories; I didn't like the pacing of shorts or the fact that I had to leave out so much background detail in order to keep it short. But I had to switch to shorts in order to get my first publishing credit, as no one was interested in a novel by a nobody.

You can adjust and change your writing style if you want to and have to.

SirOtter · Dec 16, 2009

Must've been a temporary glitch. I can get in now. 'Mildly disgruntled streets...' LOL I'll look at some stories when I get a chance.

JoshW · Dec 29, 2009

RevisionIsTheKey said:
Which brings up another question: Can anyone name current published novels that have done this? Might be good to take a look at some of them. I swear I have read reviews of books that said the chapters had a stand alone quality, even though the story held together as a novel. Darned if I can think of any names now, though.

I know Fight Club started as a short story. The "Rules of Fight Club" chapter was a standalone story. But then it grew into a novel. And Brad Pitt and Edward Norton starred in the movie. So it DOES work out pretty well for some people!

eyeblink · Dec 30, 2009

I hear you. I've been published professionally as a short-fiction writer, had a collection out (generally well received) and I edited an anthology which won a British Fantasy Award. But as I haven't had a novel published I sometimes get the impression I might as well be invisible.

I've even heard people who ought to know better say "writer" as if it were synonymous with "novelist".

And you'll always get - "Are you working on a novel?"
"Short stories are all well and good, but you won't make a living from them" (and how many novelists make their living from novel writing?)

As the novels I'm working on are YAs, I expect I'll be getting it all over again:
"Do you mean I have to go into the children's section to buy your book?" (yes, and...?)
"When are you going to write a proper novel?"
"Are you writing children's [sic] books because it's easier than writing adult books?" (tell either of those to any children's/YA novelist and see how they react)
"Are you the next J.K. Rowling/Stephenie Meyer?" (short and polite answer: no - with no disrespect intended to either woman)
"I can't believe you're writing for teenagers. Won't you have to tone things down?" (try reading some contemporary YA before you say that)

Shadow_Ferret · Dec 30, 2009

Clair Dickson said:
I've got a hefty collection of published short stories. I've gotten agent interest solely from my short story writing.

You know what? You're successful.

That's what's important. To hell with everyone else's opinion.

gambit924 · Dec 30, 2009

If writing a short story is hard, writing a novel is no easier. I thought I had a novel, turns out it was only a massive short story (Well not actually on the heavy side either). Trying to write anything over the 25,000 benchmark is very difficult because it seems like there is a lot of wasted space, and you feel like you should be filling it with some action, but you can't. Writing short stories is a good beginning for any writer. If you think you are beyond that place perhaps you should try and add some wasted space into one of you short stories and see if it fleshes out alright.

Clair Dickson · Dec 31, 2009

Shadow_Ferret said:
You know what? You're successful.

That's what's important. To hell with everyone else's opinion.

Thanks, Ferret.

EFCollins · Dec 31, 2009

Writing short stories and novels are about as different as can be. I can put down three shorts in a few hours. Novels, however, are not many short stories strung together by connective prose. Everything ties together there is only one main event and several smaller ones building toward the big one, not a bunch of small main events. Being able to write short stories does not mean you can write a novel.

However, learning to write effective short stories can help our novel writing. But as for one relating to another, no. Writing short stories can help you write better in novel length work because there is less "space filling" and more real prose. But you do have to learn how to write a novel, just as you learned to write short stories. I write great short stories yes I can admit it, but my novels, well... they suck. I'm "honing my craft" or whatever. Basically, you have to learn how to write a novel by practicing. Write a couple of really bad novels... once you get the hang of it, good work will come.

Only Shorts

A dark core to every cloud

is away with the fairies

Likes heroic fantasy and hot coffee

Revolutionize the World

A dark core to every cloud

Likes heroic fantasy and hot coffee

Sigh...

A dark core to every cloud

Sigh...

Il Cavaliere Marino

A dark core to every cloud

He'll NEVER fit in!

Il Cavaliere Marino

Barbara says hi

Court Jester

A dark core to every cloud

World Class Rambler