Navigating the Short-Story-to-Novel Pipeline

Today, we’re going to take a look at how to navigate the short-story-to-novel pipeline.

Writing would be easier if the optimal length for a story was precisely the number of words it took to write it. But, as we all know, there is a bias toward length in publishing, with novels seeming to be an order of magnitude more popular than novellas and short stories.

Not that novellas are never published; the first four books of Martha Wells’ Murderbot Diaries are novellas and are in production with Netflix, for example. Or that you can’t make a living entirely off of short stories. Alice Munro is the most famous example, but others persist, like Kelly Link, George Saunders, Timons Esaias, Diane Cook, and Joy Williams, though nearly all but Munro have answered the call to publish a novel.

As much as I joke about novel  being a dirty word, most of my writers hope to write (at least) one. A few are even working on longer works while they use short stories to get some publishing credits behind their name and catch the attention of an agent. A common path! But how is it done?

Whether you’re attempting your first few short stories or you’ve been writing, submitting, and publishing stories for years, it’s never too early to think about where you want your writing to take you. If you want to publish your novel traditionally, unless you are extremely lucky, you’ll need publishing credits and an agent—tangible proof you’ve put pen to paper. But more than that, you’ll need to show the intangible qualities required to compete in the publishing industry—dedication, discipline, tenacity, and skills. Let’s get started.

You’ll need to write short stories if you’re going to submit them, of course. But you also want to be doing more than just thinking about your novel. Agents will be much more interested if you have a first draft of your novel as well as publishing credits (and maybe enough stories for a lil’ collection?) than if you’ve got a few stories and a really good idea. What I’m trying to say is that being a writer is hard (if it was easy, everyone would have a novel). It takes tremendous dedication, especially in the early years when the pay is minimal, and the fans are few. But let’s get back to the stories. As soon as you’re done a story . . .

You write to be read. And to be read, you need to be published. To be published, you have to submit, both literally and metaphorically. You have to send your story out to the public and see if they understand you—your words, your message, and your style. You must also submit to the public’s feedback, often in the form of rejection, though sometimes acceptance. Submitting stories takes discipline! You need to be able to track your submissions and keep writing, which is hardest in the beginning when the only person keeping you accountable is yourself.

The thing that constantly challenges a writer’s dedication and discipline is that stories are rejected more often than they’re accepted. Of course, there are things you can do to better your chances—share with a critique group, hire an editor, choose a magazine that fits your story, follow the submission guidelines—but your stories will be rejected. You must learn to receive rejection and resubmit. To an agent, your list of credits shows that you are tenacious, a necessary quality at every level of writing.

Writers often ask if it’s okay to be published in smaller magazines or if they should save their story for something bigger. When you first start submitting, it’s exciting to be published anywhere! But, as your skills increase, you need to push yourself toward magazines that distribute widely, pay, and nominate contributors for prizes. And don’t save your stories. You will grow out of them and regret it.

Every new story you write is a chance to integrate the feedback you’ve received about your writing. Before long, you’ll look at your first story with amazement at how much you were able to do with such little knowledge and experience. As you gain experience and your approach becomes more sophisticated, you’ll find that your stories start to fit in with the published pieces of more prestigious magazines, prizes, and contests. When you’re accepted by the upper crust of your genre, it means you’re demonstrating that you have the writing chops to compete. And maybe more importantly, your name will start crossing the desks of agents who are recruiting.

What’s the quote? Shoot for the moon, and if you miss, you’ll be amongst the stars? While the sentence isn’t strictly accurate, the sentiment is. Winning a big prize or writing contest, like a national or international competition, will definitely get your name in front of agents. But often, authors on the shortlist and longlist find their way, too. Though, it would be inaccurate to say these writers skip the line. A great example is Zilla Jones, who was shortlisted for the CBC Short Story Prize in 2024. She’s publishing a novel in 2025, a short story collection in 2026, but has an unrelenting list of publishing credits spanning the five years since her first submission in 2019. I’m doing an interview with her next week about transitioning from short stories to novels, so keep your eye on the blog.

No matter whether you’re paraded in front of a string of agents (not a thing), mired in query letters for the draft of your novel, or somewhere in between, the key is to be ready with the tangible goods and the intangible qualities that agents look for when investing in an author. Do you have publishing credits that show dedication, discipline, and tenacity? Have your skills been vetted by a few of the bigger publications or contests in your genre? Do you have a collection of stories ready to go? Is the first draft of your novel on the page?

Getting agented or stumbling into a publishing contract can happen at any time, of course, but if you commit to making steady progress, you’ll be ready.