I have never been a fan of short stories. There, I said it. I'm someone who likes to get lost in the complexities of a vast world and colourful characters, as created in a novel. I often find short stories are "thin". That's due to their form - they need to be concise. For someone who is always ambitious for more, short stories just don't cut it. However, I have become a hypocrite in that I am trying my hand at writing short stories.
You can read about how to write a short story here. This entry, however, regards my (Dylan Day's) thoughts to writing short stories.
(You can read the above stories, here)
As I await responses from literary agents for The Falling Sun, I have turned to writing short stories. I use these to explore the worlds of my previous works. They expand their universes, build character backstory, and I find it easier then to jump into the narrative. These current focuses are The Falling Sun and The Forest of Nimrinor. This cultivates a brand, engaging audiences through familiarity yet difference.
I am one of these writers, like J.R.R Tolkien or Thomas Hardy, who desire for all their characters to be in the same world. I believe that stories are about world-building. Creating your own reality.
As for my twist on short stories, I want them to be action-packed. My writing does incorporate symbolism and metaphor, but it does it in a way that is accessible to all readers. I want readers to be entertained, excited, frightened, and not confused. But I also want character exploration and slower-paced chapters when necessary, unlike that of commercial fiction.
My issue with short stories (or at least those that I have read, and especially those in writing competitions) is that they are often all the same. A writer describes some old person who never moves from their chair. Or it's about the tree on the corner block which sees time pass. Or a eulogy for someone who passed away. They are static stories. More like photographs.
Here is what I think a short story should be:
Like the main plot of a novel but condensed - start at the end
A snippet of a character's internal monologue - delve into the mind of the character
Dynamic (not a "photograph")
A microcosm of a wider world, a wider story
And that's pretty much it.
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