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

Read and discuss classic short stories.
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Katarina Radovcic
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Re: Who reads short fiction? Is it easier or harder to write?

Post by Katarina Radovcic »

I like the concept of writing short fiction because you have a very limited space in which you develop your stories, just like in poetry where you have to sum a whole world in only a few verses. It is challenging and I've always admired the authors who are able to do it. My stories tend to go towards short fiction more than whole novels because I like the directness and the focus of it (not that I could compare to real authors).
Also, thanks for the list, now I have some new stories to read!
Edwin1233
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Post by Edwin1233 »

Short stories are much easier to write. I don't really enjoy much of it.
Martha Juliet B
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Post by Martha Juliet B »

The experts say that short fiction is much harder to write than long because it has to contain everything longer fiction does only in a shorter space. Far from an expert, though, short fiction is all I've ever known. Having never written more than 10,000 words, I think short is easier for me but likely, only because it's what I'm used to.
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Lakeside Reader
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Post by Lakeside Reader »

Hi. I'm presently reading a collection of short stories by Hemingway and am into the third story. The writing gives the reader a good journey into the character's minds, but the plots so far are the same - one character in a safari story accidentally kills another character; and one character in the second story pretending to bullfight accidentally kills another character. It will be fun to see how the remaining stories develop.
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Post by Regard003 »

I love short stories. But I think they are harder to write because the author has to put together a great story in just few words. Thanks for the list
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hayisa
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Post by hayisa »

I've always read short fiction because I love that I don't need to spend so much time on a single story. Because it requires less time and effort than a novel, I think it's easier to write.
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human reader
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Post by human reader »

Short fiction is probably the best way for a writer to start. It's less daunting to finish and is a good way for writers to build credibility with readers before launching into a mammoth epic.
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Marsha JJ
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Post by Marsha JJ »

This looks like a fantastic list. I really enjoy short story anthologies, especially compilations by prize-winning short story writers. I just read a compilation of the O.Henry prize-winners, and it was excellent.
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Post by Sop_hie »

I have had little experience with writing short stories, I have read some. I guess they are harder to write as you have to gather the idea of the story in a short amount of space and not making it a predictable ending as well.
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Mary Bircher
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Post by Mary Bircher »

I find short stories easier, but that's probably because my creativity comes only in short bursts :lol2:
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Post by shikharoy09 »

I would love to read short stories, like A Good Man Is Hard to Find" by Flannery O’Connor:
Good list though.
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Kaitlin Bryant
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Post by Kaitlin Bryant »

This is such an awesome list of short stories, I can't wait to explore some of them!
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Kaitlin Bryant
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Post by Kaitlin Bryant »

Mary Bircher wrote: 19 Feb 2023, 19:47 I find short stories easier, but that's probably because my creativity comes only in short bursts :lol2:
I am totally the same way! I'll get creative and write something out real fast but then it is gone! :lol:
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