Although he did write one novel, "The Lieutenant" (1967), Dubus considered himself primarily a writer of short stories and novellas. Throughout his career, he published most of his work in small, distinguished literary journals such as "Ploughshares" and "Sewanee Review," though he also placed stories in magazines such as "The New Yorker" and "Playboy". Dubus remained loyal to a small publishing firm run by David R. Godine that published his first works. When larger book publishers approached him with more lucrative deals, Dubus stayed with Godine, switching only to Alfred A. Knopf towards the end of his career to assist with medical bills.