Hello. I'm Delia, and I like short stories.
Always have, really. I buy anthologies, I subscribe to webzines, I read them on blogs. I enjoy them. It's wonderful to sneak a little piece of fiction into my day.
I always have a book or three waiting for me. But there have been times when I've had the opportunity to read for a few minutes, but didn't because I knew I wouldn't be able to get back to it for a while. I suppose it's a facet of my reading personality. Once I start a book, particularly if I'm enjoying it, I don't like to put it down.
Short stories offer me a way around that. I'm still reading, still enjoying someone else's creativity/characters/world, but there's no long-term obligation, as it were. I don't have to worry about whether I can get back to it, because there's nothing to get back to. Also, there's something about a well-written shortie. Anyone who can weave an interesting and engaging plot and character arc in such a small space has my undying admiration. And envy, frankly. I'm big enough to admit it.
So this week, I'm reading Mishell Baker's blog. Mishell is an author I found while trolling for short stories. I read one of hers, Throwing Stones, and loved it, so naturally I began cyber-stalking her. What? Don't look at me like that, you do it, too. Yes you do! Anyway. Roughly two weeks ago, she had another story published. Great again.
Which is why this blog post of hers caught me off guard. In a nutshell, she said she disliked short form. She didn't like reading them because they didn't give her enough time to become vested in the characters. She didn't like writing them because, well, it's hard. She writes epic, fantastical sci-fi. This does not lend itself to short form. Truly.
Then, a few days ago, along comes Stephen King in an interview with the Atlantic Monthly and tells the whole world that, though he loves short fiction, he thinks the only people reading it anymore are new writers looking for possible markets for their own shorties.
Sad. It makes me sad.
So, I'm coming to you, dear people. Tell me what you think. Do you like short stories? Do you read them? Why or why not? Please tell me I'm not the only one.
I have rather mixed feelings about short stories. I like to read them sometimes, but often I'm left feeling sad that it ended. They're sort of a double edged sword, or triple maybe. Very rarely are they so well balanced that I feel satisfied at the end of the story and it's not very long. All too often I'm glad it was short because it wasn't that great, or I'm sad it's over because I loved it.
ReplyDeleteI am for all types of writing. I think it takes great skill to do justice to a story in short form. I think you have that type of skill.
ReplyDeleteWhen I hit a snag early on in my novel-writing, the Captain suggested I make it a short story. I am now on page 292, so that's not going to happen. At this point, I'll have to power up a chainsaw to hack my way down to a respectable word count.
I envy brevity.
I like to encourage all kinds of writing. I personally don't enjoy reading short stories that much. I enjoy them if I like the author, for some reason. I've read Dee's and liked them. If Crusie wrote one, I'm sure I'd love it.
ReplyDeleteFor the most part, however, either I don't get enough of a character to care or I get so much that the short story isn't enough.
I've never been a huge fan of short stories, it's like trying to ration yourself to one square of chocolate when you just wanna eat the whole block, you're just being given a taste.
ReplyDeleteBut, I have really enjoyed reading all of your short stories so maybe it's just a matter of it being the right author.
I love anthologies and essays and short stories. I liked Stephen King's Nightmares and Dreamscapes and adore Ursula LeGuin's Dancing at the Edge of the World. When I teach the intro to academic writing course, I always have students read Kate Chopin's Story of an Hour and LeGuin's The Ones Who Walked Away from Omelas... short stories let us discuss themes that normally we could only reach through novels.
ReplyDeleteRead what Kris said, that's me too. I love your writing, short or long, but I don't go in search of short stories. Now, my mother... she LIVES for them. Han and Dan both like them too, prefer them even.
ReplyDeleteJulie
Hell to the yea! I'm a poet and short story writer who finally wrapped my brain around novel length word count, so maybe I'm prejudiced? The medium has to serve the story, whether it be song, image, poem, play, short story, script, comic or novel. To limit myself according to story form would mean missing out on too many great stories... Form serves story, not the other way around. Not all stories are best told in novel form. And its all about story, baby!
ReplyDelete@Dana, You're not the first person I've heard say this. Ironically, the other person writes short stories. Go figure.
ReplyDelete@Megan, That's the whole challenge of it! Maybe it's just my masochistic side showing through. But thank you for thinking I have any skill of any sort.
@Judy, To be sure, it depends on the author. There are some real stinkers out there (some of mine included, though I try to keep those to myself). And, let me tell you, if La Crusie ever put out a short story anthology, I would rise from my bed at the ass-crack of dawn to hunt it down.
@Kris, I've done that. With the chocolate, I mean. It was a gloomy time.
@BFB, Nightmares and Dreamscapes is one of my all-time favorites. Though I have yet to read Ursula LeGuin's *holds knuckles out to be whacked*. Seriously, I don't know what's wrong with me. But thank you for introducing your students to short form. Hopefully it will bring in some new short story lovers. Hook 'em while they're young!
@Julie, Yay! We've got half your family!
@inkgrrl, I stand in envy of your poetry skillz. I can't do it. Well, I can, but it's a giant corny shitstorm whenever I do. Vogons write better poetry. I agree with you 100% that the form must serve the story. (Also, I'd really like to read some of your stuff.)
Next up, Novelettes! (Just kidding.)
ok, so for some reason you are not popping up in my dashboard. i must fix that.
ReplyDeletejust read your last post and this. you have no idea how great your writing is, at least to someone who hates reading such as myself!!! cuz i can't break away from it for even a second!! great story. really sweet.
and as for this one, you damn right i want a short story!!!!! lol!! :)
and don't make me get on you about pictures. you were doing so well.
Even if King is right--and he may be--I'm not sure it's a reason to be sad. Because I think any writer who takes a crack at the short form with discover how hard it is, and therefore will discover its beauties, and challenges, and will learn to be a better writer. At least that was my experience, as a writer.
ReplyDeleteAs a reader, I don't think all genres do well with it--romance and mystery. But it's a perfect form for sci fi, horror, and literature. I don't read the often enough, but when I do ... oooooh SOOOO GOOD!!! It takes SUCH skill!! My God what some writers can do in that short space.
My favorite short story writer is a sci-fi writer Avram Davidson. Not well known, but writer's writer--all the greats pay tribute to him. His stories are so frikking weird, but so perfect.
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/449308.The_Avram_Davidson_Treasury
Gosh Delia you got me all het up under the collar, I'm gonna have to read some short stories this weekend!
@Magoo, If you can find a public domain photo to go with this topic, I'll happily post it. ;)
ReplyDelete@Mabel, I agree with the appreciation aspect, but I still think it's sad. The decline in people reading shorts means that fewer get published, which means fewer for me to choose from. I agree about the genre thing, too. In fact, I can't recall ever having seen a romance short. I've seen mystery, but by and large, I don't think they work. Occasionally, though, you get someone good. It's such a thrill when that happens. I'll have to look up Avram Davidson. I love me some frikking weird. Sorry to het you up. :)