Short Fiction... Is It Worth It?

[Rochester]

I've been getting accepted to a lot of publications lately, specifically for short stories of the fiction variety.

My question is how important or good is it really to keep getting published if the only thing being published is random short stories in random publications?

At first it was so exciting, but now it isn't.

I like having my work out there, being read... but I feel like I've tackled this one beast and should move on to trying to kill bigger, badder beasts.

Should I move on to bigger projects... novels for instance, or should I keep farting around with short fiction?

Does it really help a writer to publish short fiction?

[Kate Thornton]

It really helped me. That's what I write.


.

[Ken]

... what sort of publications have you been published in? Reasonably well known ones with good circulations that pay okay? Without that info it's rather hard to answer your question and see where you're coming from, particularly in regards to your ennui.

[eva3taylor]

You don't quit until you are in The New Yorker.

[Clair Dickson]

My short stories-- all featuring the same character-- got me unsolicited attention from two different agents. As in, they approached me. Alas, my novel was not ready yet.

But ultimately, what you want from it should determine if you continue that route or go on to other things. Well, what you want from it and whether you can pull off writing novels or other things.

Write on!

[NicoleMD]

Easy!

If you want to write short stories, write short stories.
If you want to write novels, write novels.
If you want to do both, do both.

Nicole

[Rochester]

You don't quit until you are in The New Yorker.

I like it.

[Henri Bauholz]

In some ways short story writing is the epitome of fiction writing. Those who stay with the medium are few and far between, but often held in the highest regard. Examples include Edgar Allan Poe, Raymond Carver and Deborah Eisenberg.

[Rochester]

One of my favorite books is The Martian Chronicles by Bradbury, and I especially enjoy that it can be read as both a novel and a series of short stories.

In that regard, I am a huge fan of concept short story collections... which are not unlike concept albums.

[Kate Thornton]

In that regard, I am a huge fan of concept short story collections... which are not unlike concept albums.


Yes, for me that's it exactly!

.

[defyalllogic]

it depends what kind of publications you're getting accepted to. if you're getting accepted to free or low profile publications then it won't really grow you.

if you're regularly getting accepted to pro and high profile publications then it's worth it.

if you're always featured in the nobody journal of lametown online which only gets 100 hits a month... then maybe you just need to aim higher and then your whon't be so bored with your success.

[Jamesaritchie]

Just to nitpick, all short stories are of teh fictional variety.

But is it worth it how? If you aren't writing short stories because you love reading and writing short stories, you shouldn't be writing them at all.

For that matter, the same is true of novels.

As far as a career in writing is concerned, it does, as others have said, depend on where your stories are being published. "A lot of publications" might mean anything. Does it mean low pay or no pay magazines.? Fly by night e-zines? Or does it mean top flight magazines with names any reader would know?

[jaksen]

In some ways short story writing is the epitome of fiction writing. Those who stay with the medium are few and far between, but often held in the highest regard. Examples include Edgar Allan Poe, Raymond Carver and Deborah Eisenberg.

Why thanks! (Short story writer here) :D

Is it worth it? Without my short story income, I'd not be able to keep the second home I inherited on Cape Cod. It's not a mansion, but it suits my family fine and the money pays for upkeep and taxes.

Is it worth it in other ways? I did get an agent to look at my novel ms. on the basis of the fact I am a short story writer. She requested the full without a query. (But no deal was signed, so being a short story writer doesn't guarantee that.)

I'm now rewriting, revising and rethinking the whole novel, but I do believe having a 'catalogue' of published short stories does give me a little bit of an edge. At the very least, I have proven I can write.

So yeah, it's worth it.

[Truth and Fiction]

You could always strive to get published in bigger and better magazines. I don't know know if you are agented or not, but you can certainly get attention from agents or others in the industry if your work is appearing in top-tier journals and magazines.

While my ultimate goal is to publish a novel, sharpening my short story skills has definitely helped me. I recently won a collection contest, and now my first book -- a story collection -- is coming out next year. That never would have happened if I didn't keep working on stories.

With that said, do what you love. If you're itching to work on a novel, memoir, etc., then put down the stories and get to work on the next big thing.

[Lydia Sharp]

Everyone's definition of "worth it" is going to be different. I like writing short stories in between bigger projects, to keep things fresh. If I think they're good enough I get them published and build my resume'. I'm never going to make a living just writing short stories, though, and I'm okay with that. I write them because I want to. For me, yes it's worth it. For you, maybe not.

[Gooch]

Easy!

If you want to write short stories, write short stories.
If you want to write novels, write novels.
If you want to do both, do both.

Nicole

I'm going to go with Nicole on this one. If you're enjoying writing short stories? Do it. If you're not enjoying it anymore? Move on to something bigger.

In the end, it all boils down to writing what feels right to you!

[johnnysannie]

I write (and sell) both short stories and novels. I just signed a contract this week for my third novel. But I still like to write short stories and sell them. I am particular about the markets and I seldom write for anything less than semi-pro rates. On occasion, I do either because I like the publication or know an editor who nudges me for a story or because I can write a "fun" story in a short time. For me, writing short stories can be a break from writing novels.

[CounterGem]

Well, how many short stories should be included in an authors compilation? Or better yet, how many words total should the compilation be?

I have about 10 short stories, all of which are about 3000-3500 words each. Should I try and pitch a compilation? Or pitch each story individually? Or wait until I write a few more shorts to start pitching—and if so, how many?

[donatos]

Do it for the love of doing it. Short stories are very rewarding and many of my all time favorite writers didn't even write novels. But, at least in my case, I always thought writing stories was preliminary to writing novels. As others say, at least its good practice. But many such as Italo Calvino, Jorge Luis Borges, Flannery O'Conner, Isaac Bashevis Singer, Isaac Babel, Raymon Carver, etc., built great literary legacies on their mastery of the short story itself. As Borges said, he could write in five pages what someone else could write in five hundred (or something like that). Sadly, the market is not the same as it used to be, so I take it many writers will move away from the short form into the long for pure market reasons. But the short story is never a waste of time so long as it is viewed as its own genre or own form, not to be confused or tarnished by comparing it against the novel.

[izanobu]

Countergem- submit the stories to magazines for monies before you try to publish a collection. There are tons of markets that pay semi pro and pro rates out there depending on what kind of fiction you're writing. Once you've sold a bunch, then it might be easier to get a publisher interested in a story collection.

If you've only written 10 short stories in your life, you definitely will want to write more and submit more and get your craft and inventory up.

[yoghurtelf]

I think the question has been answered, and I had never really thought of trying to get short stories published, but now I'm seriously considering it as a way to start getting out there. I don't know why I didn't think of it before. guess I'm just weird. LOL

[CounterGem]

Thank you, izanobu.

[INTPwriter]

Clive Barker started out writing short fiction. I would say he's done quite well.

[Writer5]

Love your quote, INTPwriter!

[Battleboy]

I've been getting accepted to a lot of publications lately, specifically for short stories of the fiction variety.

My question is how important or good is it really to keep getting published if the only thing being published is random short stories in random publications?

At first it was so exciting, but now it isn't.

I like having my work out there, being read... but I feel like I've tackled this one beast and should move on to trying to kill bigger, badder beasts.

Should I move on to bigger projects... novels for instance, or should I keep farting around with short fiction?

Does it really help a writer to publish short fiction?

Can you please tell me what publications have published you? I have been focusing on screenplays, comics, articles, and blogs and would love to publish some short stories, but don't even know where to start.

If you do not feel like writing more short stories is a challenge, you should do something else. The only reason to write is to challenge and excite yourself.

[Battleboy]

Never published. Want money.

[Shringarey]

You don't quit until you are in The New Yorker.


Not quite right eva. You quit whenever you want UNTIL you are in the New Yorker. Then they Dont let you quit.

Despite that, if you do manage to quit, they make a movie of you (JD Sallinger - Finding Forrester)

[Shringarey]

An interesting update folks. I have been trying to get my daughter to read rather than watch TV (she is 13). Yesternight, she asked me for a fancy book, because she wants to write stories. Seeing me write has made her want to write too.

Can't just express how happy I am!!

[Stijn Hommes]

Great news! Now, keep an eye on things. She too will hit the wall when she hits the middle of the story. You want to be there to encourage her to keep going when she's struggling with that tough moment.

[RickN]

I found short stories to be worth it. Not monetarily, but for the learning experience. The writing-feedback cycle is so much shorter than with novels, I have found them invaluable for working on dialogue, grammar, and other non-novel-specific techniques. Writing the same story in 1st and 3rd person, for example, made it easier to get a better handle on the longer works.

[Shringarey]

For me short story writing is a way of forgetting my real life worries. I can dab myself in a mythical world, which I control. Its my release if you will.

[vampgirl278]

I think short stories are worth writing, if for no other reason than to improve your writing abilities. I am working on two novels, but have several ideas for short stories which I have started and a flash fiction piece that I am considering submitting (I just don't know where yet...) To me, short stories are a wonderful place to start... and maybe finish. Just think of all the famous authors who made themselves known through short stories... Poe, Lovecraft, and Bradbury, just to name a few...

[eyeblink]

Short stories - and novellas - are a medium and potentially an art form in themselves. No, you won't earn much money, let alone a living, from them, but you could say the same thing about poetry and I don't hear that argument very often. I also don't like the idea that they're a practice ground for novelists, as if novels are the real game and short fiction is just "playing". Nor are they necessarily a way to build your reputation so as to land a novel deal later on. (Size isn't everything, nor is monetary reward.)

The best way to learn to write novels is to write novels, not short stories. And yes, if you want to write full-time, write novels or scripts. But if you can write short stories and are good at it, then please continue to do so - we need all the good short fiction we can get.

I speak as someone who is a published short-fiction writer and an unpublished novelist.

[johnnysannie]

As someone with one novel out, two more due out in 2011, and another just contracted with a publisher, short fiction in nine anthologies, and a long list of published short fiction, I have to say that it does not have to be either or - short fiction or novels. I can and do write both. Although they differ in scope, any writing done is good practice and helps a writer hone their skills, improving their work.

A very few writers make a living through short fiction sales alone but for the rest of us, there is indeed money to be made writing short fiction. To do so, however, you have to think outside the box and find markets.

I received pro rates - a very nice check - for the story here but I would wager it's not a market that most writers are familiar with or would consider submitting their work to for consideration.

Story:

http://www.liguorian.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=347:ugly-as-homemade-sin&catid=31:fiction&Itemid=38