Show Some Love for the Short Story

Short stories have always held a place in my heart. I sometimes think it's because my ADHD brain latched onto them because they were quicker to read and required less of a commitment. It might also have something to do with the fact that I wrote a short story in third grade about a mad ax man hiding in the woods behind the elementary school. He would chop up little kids and wrap them up in a butcher's paper and stack them in the corner of his shack deep in the woods. It freaked everybody out and warranted a parent-teacher conference with Miss Cummings. She was not happy. Though she didn't say anything, I kind of think she thought I was deranged. And not in a good way.

Anyway, sorry I got lost on that tangent. So, back to short stories. I find them fascinating, but they don't seem to get as much love as they once did. I used to love buying short story collections. There was a series of collections that all start with 100 in the titles.

100 Ghastly Little Ghost Stories

More and more authors talk about writing novels and novellas, but not short stories. No one talks about the flash fiction piece they wrote or a drabble they were crafting. For the uninitiated, a drabble is a story that is exactly 100 words. Yes, a complete story with a beginning, a middle, and an end. For those of you who just shuddered at the thought of writing something that short, hold on for a second. While I might have fallen in love with short stories because they were a light read when I was younger, I've fallen in love with them for another reason entirely. It's a challenge. Think about it for a minute. If you're able to craft an engaging story that is under 2,500 words, you should be commended. It's not easy. What if it were a story under 1,000 words? Or a drabble of only 100?

Sounds impossible, doesn't it? But it's not.

That's one reason why I think so many authors shy away from writing them. I would challenge those authors to pick up the pen and start writing a short story.

Why?

If you can use fewer words to craft an engaging tale, think about what it might mean for your novel writing. How many times have you heard from editors, "pare this down," "this is too wordy," "this doesn't need to be here?"

Most authors would agree that fewer words make writing cleaner, improve flow, and enhance readability. One way to keep your writing light and fast-paced is to hone your storytelling skills by writing short stories.

I bet it helps your writing. It's helped mine considerably. I write short stories all the time.

So, I implore you to give it a try and show some love for the short story.

Don't forget...to write ON!