Who reads short fiction? Is it easier or harder to write?

[Hadiqa]

I dont really mind short fiction since I started reading short fiction and then to novels and longer work

[Valrose]

I am new to the onlinebookclub and was so excited to see this question and the extensive listing of great reads, as I am addicted to both short fiction and non-fiction. Lately, I have been drawn to stories that focus on science, nature, and the spirit. Works by Pico Iyer, Brian Doyle, Edward Abbey, Annie Dillard etc. My greatest inspiration comes from The Best American series.

[mixedchocolite]

I love reading short stories, especially those with a twist. I now have my new list of short stories

[Anacoana]

Short fiction is very very hard for me to write. Sometimes they come out good, but they usually wind up being twenty or so pages long so I'm not sure how short you would classify that to be. It's a matter of picking exactly the right words and differentiating between what must be known and what you want to be known.

[Gustavsson]

Short fiction is easier to write in that it generally only takes a day or so for me to whip up a first draft, but harder because you have to keep the tension more than in novels and because you need to keep it short, there's no room for philosophical rambles, tangents, overdeveloping characters, dialogue for its own sake, backstory or anything extraneous. And it's hard to create a complete, balanced story arc with so little room to work with.

[+Eevee+]

Amazing list! I love short fiction and I think it's a lot easier to write.

[Lisalovecraft]

I love short fiction. I have read a few of the titles on that list and would definitely like to read more. I have written short fiction but not a full length novel so can't comment on which is easier. I would say that full length books are generally more complex where as short stories would focus on a single idea, and would be easier to write in that regard.

[Gustavsson]

Recently I love flash fiction, stories of about 1000 words. You can find some really good flash fiction at Daily Science Fiction, the website, and that was what got me hooked.
Flash fiction has a special sort of zing because of its length. If it has a message, the point gets across quickly and clearly. If it's just a fun story with maybe a minor twist, that is communicated quickly too. There's little character development but they're very easy to read.
I still haven't been able to write my own flash fiction though. It's tricky! I haven't gotten below 2500 words yet.

[debbiebee]

I have quite recently discovered short fiction by one of my favourite writers, Ruth Rendell. I've had some problems with concentration due to personal issues, and shorts are ideal. I recommend her collections Bloodlines and The Fever Tree

[puffbear]

This is fantastic! Thank you so much for taking the time to post all of these wonderful short stories! I love it!

[Rachaelamb1]

I have not read much short fiction. Thinking this is a good list to get started. I always assumed that writing a short story would be easier but you brought up some good points about the challenges of that.

[sjauhar]

I love reading short stories but I've never tried to write any as it would seem hard to have to condense a story and still make it work. The shortest story I ever wrote is more of a fairy tale for children, which wasn't too hard. I've never tried to do one for adults though I do love reading them!

[gatorgirl_823]

Short fiction is fun to read - the perfect length for a lunchtime read, right before bed, etc. It's also great because - since it is short - it is typically full of action, straight to the point, and often has a twist ending. Challenging to write though, because of the same reasons (so much to tell in a short space).

[DATo]

Very nice list of short stories !!! Thanks for posting.

To answer your question: I think a full blown novel offers more real estate for an author to include devices such as metaphor and foreshadowing and on the whole there is greater room for fleshing out character traits, subplots and settings. A short story relies on getting quickly to the meat and potatoes of the plot with far less embellishment. I think you could compare it to art in the sense that a novel is a finely detailed painting whereas a short story is a painting done with fewer and broader strokes.

[thatgoodKnight]

I once wrote a soliloquy that
1. Was short fiction
2. Won a soliloquy contest
3. Caused DATo to observe "Now you can hide your own Easter eggs."
With bonafides like that, why would I write anything else? (Why are 1-3 above bonafides? Read my
collection of soliloquies "Talking To Oneself Isn't Necessarily the Domain of a Manic Stuck in A Nursing Home
With Only a Bed Pan to Talk To." and find out why.