I'm an aspiring fantasy and sci-fi writer and I my goal is to write a novel that is to be the first in a series within the same setting. I'm getting to a point where I can feel "the world coming together" and images are floating around in my mind. I know what I want my book(s) to be about (as in overarching motives) but don't have characters yet. Would you suggest writing short stories first to get a feel for the setting and explore a couple ideas for characters? I'm asking because I myself have never been interested in reading short stories and I keep telling myself that if J. K. Rowling jumped into her first novel successfully without prior training, I can do it, too. For now I'm limited in the time I can devote to writing so a short story becomes more attractive than plunging into a novel headfirst because finishing it seems that much more achievable.
Answer
I'm tempted to tell you that writing some short stories is the "right" way to proceed, but the reality is there is not "right" or "wrong" on this issue. You need to find what works for you.
The most common path to getting the first full-length novel completed involves plowing right into it with little idea of what you are doing, who your characters are or why you are willing to waste vast spans of time filling pages with drivel. Then after a week or a month, with rage and self-hatred in abundance, to throw those first pages into a box and ignore them for a time. Then, when the itch eventually returns,open the box and get back to work.
At that point you have two options. Throw out what you've already done and now hate, or try to fix it. In either case, in a month or so, you will have a slightly larger pile of paper which you like a little bit more than the original, but you will have wandered down into a plot hole and gotten stuck about with what to do next. Back into the box goes all your hard work.
When the itch returns as it always does, you will decide that it is time to seek advice on how to survive this insanity. Writing books, magazines, groups and forums will become your new obsession. You will learn about plot design and character creation and how to attack writer's block. You will start to tool up for the long road ahead.
- Maybe you will outline your story down to the smallest detail.
- Maybe you will develop each of your characters to a point where they can act on their own with only occasional references back to your plot.
- Maybe you will combine those methods into something uniquely your own.
Somehow you will find for yourself a method for putting quality words down on paper and then assembling those pages into art.
Whether you write short stories or epics is not that important. That you keep writing is. Some people win the lottery with the first ticket they've ever purchased, but I wouldn't bet my future on either the lottery or the first time win. Better to learn how to push the pen across the page, even when it doesn't want to go there. Build your skills and your novel will come.
Find your voice. Learn your methods. Feed your muse.
Keep Writing!
In retrospect and realizing that I didn't actually answer your question during that rant, here are the advantages of short stories over longer works...
If writing quality remains constant between the two, short stories are easier and can be completed quicker than long stories. This allows you to experience the entire literary life cycle in a shorter time and to discover what post-writing procedures (editing, packaging, promoting and marketing), work for you.
Short stories can work with smaller sets of characters, allowing you to focus on the individuals without having to fill up the ranks.
Short stories can each be rendered with a different writing style and voice; allowing you to discover your preference and proficiency.
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