Sheila – I first discovered Orson Scott Card, one of my favorite SF writers, from his short stories in Omni Magazine. I also love writers who do both well.

This post was mentioned on Twitter by conniegreen: RT @DebraMarrs @ConnieGreen Thx for intro to writer @GeoffHoff Did u see his ‘What Is A Short Story’ on my blog? http://is.gd/690gY [super!]…

And Debra, so much helpful information and inspiration here! I’ll be back.
Jane

Loved your tuppence. I personally get a little uncomfortable when someone says, this one is harder than that one, but I do know what you mean. My short stories are very varied in length but I do like the economy required in their creation.

I haven’t written “flash” fiction, as you call it, for many years, but I remember it being a very satisfying exercise. Well, I take that back. I just this last week did the WritersDigest Prompt story, which is 400 words or less. It was great fun, and I had to really say what I meant in far fewer words and still make it communicate. (I tend to be verbose, have you noticed?)

Marisa,

The image of a tapestry is interesting to me. It reminds me of a hologram, a “laser photo”. If you shatter one, every shard will have the whole image on it, only with less detail as the shards get smaller. I love the holographic way to look at things, that every part exposes the whole, but have never thought of it specifically in terms of short stories.

One thing I love about reading (and writing) short stories is the sparseness yet richness of detail. Evoking a full experience with very few words. If you analyze The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, there isn’t much specific detail at all, yet you know everything, experience everything as he does.

I’ve always tended to think of a tapestry when thinking about short stories.

The whole picture of a tapestry divided into regions. Pick a region and find what that part of the picture depicts. It stands on it’s own, and when one pulls back and peers at the piece, that region becomes part of the whole.

Short stories are not just stories that are short. They tell so much–in a tighter space, yes–and add to the tapestry.

My short stories usually arrive at the end at the 2,500 word mark. That’s not planned, it seems to be a natural length for the ones I have written so far. I also write “flash” fiction of 1000 words or less, and that feels different to the other shorts again. Both feel so very different to novel writing (at least in my experience) but all three have improved my skills in the other.

Another great thing about short stories is that they force us to be tight writers. No flab, no waffle. And that, I have found, improves novel writing too.

Sheila – I first discovered Orson Scott Card, one of my favorite SF writers, from his short stories in Omni Magazine. I also love writers who do both well.