  Short Stories
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Hello readers! I am Jay's debut novel is out now! and I'll be your Short Stories editor this week.
Like many readers, I love short stories. I spend a lot of time reading them here on the site, but I also pick up collections of short stories as well. Most recently I picked up Wireless by Charles Stross, a science fiction author I've read before, but I'm only familiar with his novels.
In his introduction, Stross talks about the medium of short fiction as a whole, giving the history of the short fiction magazine at a clip, and then he goes on to talk about the differences, to a professional writer, between novels and short stories.
The market for short stories not being what it was in the heyday of the fiction magazines, it's hardly a fiscal practicality to write short fiction if you're being paid for it, says he, but it is a good way to explore new ideas quickly, and to get fast feedback. A quicker route to gratification than, say, a novel, which could take years between submission, editing, typesetting, marketing and reader reviews.
I know a fair number of writers on this site who write short fiction for publication (and potential publication...  ) and I know a number of people who post to this site specifically because they don't want to seek out any further publication than being available right here on this very website.
What both of these types of writers have in common is that they generally are both in search of some sort of feedback. The writing bug has got these folks, but good. It's about having an idea and wanting to share it with other people, and to hear from those people, hopefully, if you've made an impression on them.
An argument could be made that the short story may experience a resurgence as the internet continues to be a viable platform for publication, though the success rate of e-publishers is probably best described as scattershot.
I don't think that I'm an isolated case with regards to this, but when I sit down at my computer and want to read something, it's probably going to be a short story of some stripe.
I love reading stories in this community in particular because as a reader I am able to connect with the author. Sure, it may be hit and miss, but I find the ability to give feedback to the author-- to say, "Message Received!" as Mr. Stross mentions in his introduction-- is as exhilarating for me as a reader of someone's work, as it must be to receive such feedback.
The items I've listed below in my editorial all have one thing in common-- I haven't written a review of any of them yet, even though I liked them all!  My goal this week is to give meaningful feedback to these authors-- to say "Message Received!" and make my suggestions-- taking advantage of the unique setup we have here for giving and receiving feedback. The first way to learn how to write short stories is to read other short stories. It's just one way to practice-- the other being to simply write! 
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The medium of the short story is, in my view, not nearly as atrophied as Stross would have mentioned-- it may be a "dead" market, but I think it is a living thing that has certainly remained a viable means of testing an idea and putting it out in front of people. It may be harder to earn a living at it and I'm certainly not quitting my day job, but I feel confident that there will be a function and purpose for short stories as literature. It may not be decided just what its purpose will be just yet.
See you next month!
Jay's debut novel is out now! |
Some items of interest I've found in my travels here on the site-- give them a once-over with me, hmm?
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Let me know what you're interested in seeing next month! Questions, comments, item suggestions... you name it.
A question for you....
What is your favorite writing exercise?
Take care and Write on!
~j |
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Short Stories: September 22, 2010 Issue [#3981]
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