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The Wonderous Allure of a Good Short Story
Who doesn’t love a good short story? We started out with them as kids and still enjoy them as adults. In this article, I will discuss the unique appeal of reading short stories over the more lengthy option of novels. Time is the most valuable currency in the world and most of us have little to spare. While it may take you days to finish reading a novel, you can read a short story in a matter of minutes or hours. In my mind, this is the biggest draw, but there is another. Short stories leave a tremendous amount of details to the readers’ imaginations. With short stories, we see…
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Writer Challenge: The Economy of Words
The economy of words… State your case clearly and concisely… Less is more… Why use four words when one will suffice… Keep it simple… Get to the point…. Lately, I have been hearing these words in one form or another on almost a daily basis. My wife, my editors, my family, and even my friends remind me that having an extensive vocabulary doesn’t mean you need to use it every time you speak or write. Don’t get me wrong; it’s sound advice. In fact, it is advice that I have given on many occasions. As with all things in life, moderation is key. If you can write a compelling 100,000…
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Why Do Your Short Stories End With Cliffhangers
I think of my short stories as more of an introduction to an idea than a complete story. Personally, I have a hard time telling a full story in such a short length of prose. Instead, I like to give my readers something to think about while providing myself with what I might one day turn into a novel or even a book series. short story a story with a fully developed theme but significantly shorter and less elaborate than a novel. I know that my approach diverges from the standard, but it works for me. Maybe one day, I will write a book of full-length, beginning-to-end short stories where…
