- I had been digging around and doing research and I realized obviously just writing a book and expecting it to get published is (duh) unrealistic.I was thinking that I should write short stories,articles and papers to build a portfolio.Not to mention enter contests and of course submit to magazines and thing to build notoriety,essentially ,making myself known to some degree before going on to finish a novel.I see it as evidence that I'm a competent writer. I also see it as a way to explore different genres and build a universe/universes.Your thoughts on this?
Portfolios are fine, but a short story portfolio won't help much in getting a novel submitted, unless you're the next Larry Niven or Ray Bradbury. Even then, it's the novel manuscript itself that will get your work sold. Publishers really only look at past submissions in a similar genre and market niche in pre-screening manuscripts. However, the greater value in your plan is the practice and experience you will gain. Short stories and novels are different challenges, but have enough in common that mastery in one will still benefit writing in the other.
Anything you write should be helpful to you. And it's always good to be able to put in a query letter that you have been published somewhere, even if it's a short story -- not that that is going to do it in and of itself, but it's great if you can put it in there. I had never written any short stories, but on another site, I've participated in a short story contest they have four times. I have found that it is very helpful and worthwhile.
