My favorite form of writing, and reading, is the short story or short essay. Unfortunately, novels are essentially what writers aspire to, and what readers refer to when they list off what they like to, or favorite, reads. But my early favorite stories were short: John Steinbeck’s The Red Pony, Saki’s The Open Window, Somerset Maugham’s Red, O. Henry’s The Gift of the Magi. Short stories are the amuse bouche of reading. I’ve always liked reading this way—in a powerful bite rather than an extended meal. My mother gave me a collection of classic adult short stories when I was thirteen, which I read in its entirety; I still have the volume on my bookcase shelf.
With the short story form, a writer generally must sustain momentum and use language exceedingly well. Unlike a novel where the writer has the luxury of space to unveil a plot and develop characters, in a short form, a writer needs to hit hard quickly, blow a character out through actions, and reveal her/his writer’s “voice” in a limited area. It’s like having to stand out in a skit, rather than a movie.
With the short story form, a writer generally must sustain momentum and use language exceedingly well. Unlike a novel where the writer has the luxury of space to unveil a plot and develop characters, in a short form, a writer needs to hit hard quickly, blow a character out through actions, and reveal her/his writer’s “voice” in a limited area. It’s like having to stand out in a skit, rather than a movie.
While pursuing my undergraduate degree, I returned again to reading short stories. I discovered today’s best writers in stories like Silver Water (Amy Bloom), In the Cemetery Where Al Jolson is Buried (Amy Hempel), Girl (Jamaica Kincaid), Brokeback Mountain (Annie Proulx), works by Sherman Alexie, Jhumpa Lahiri, Lydia Davis, George Saunders … (I could go on and on). People note they don’t have time to read, short stories are your answer! Try short collections of stories, I think you’ll find a writing niche that is perfect for reading on the go. I also hear that reading shorts extends the life of your Kindle/Nook/electronic reader!
This promotion may be somewhat self-serving (since I write short works), but I think I’m also serving the notion of reading itself. In our sound-byte world, the notion of a novel can be daunting—this way we all win!
To get you started, check out Powell’s list of Best Short Story Collections of This Century, pick one that strikes your fancy (or ask me for a recommendation, I’ve read a few on and off this list).
Or, check out this list of the 50 Best Short Stories of All Time.
*Where I could find free text, I have linked it to the title of the story.
This promotion may be somewhat self-serving (since I write short works), but I think I’m also serving the notion of reading itself. In our sound-byte world, the notion of a novel can be daunting—this way we all win!
To get you started, check out Powell’s list of Best Short Story Collections of This Century, pick one that strikes your fancy (or ask me for a recommendation, I’ve read a few on and off this list).
Or, check out this list of the 50 Best Short Stories of All Time.
*Where I could find free text, I have linked it to the title of the story.
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