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You know what I’m talking about, the very reason why I haven’t made a post in ages!
I think I need to calm my mind and only focus on one thing, although it’s very difficult for me since I have so many other things to think about.
I’ve been writing short stories lately, and I’ve found that they are difficult – at least to me – to write. Not because writing is by any means hard, but because I have only a limited number of pages to write! I like expanding my characters, my places, my world. Short stories are so … short … that by the time your character is starting to grow, you have reached the end!
I know people can summarize short stories quite well, and I’ve gotten the hang of it now too, but still … it all feels too brief to me, like a single passing moment, and in that passing moment I must understand this character and feel for him/her.
Perhaps I just don’t like short stories and never will. I tried reading one of those “Chicken Soup for the Soul” books once, but I really didn’t like all the character switching. I like my stories to be developed and long.
What about you guys? Short stories … or lengthy novels?
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I used to hate short stories. My rationale was similar, not enough room to expand, not enough characters, not enough space for anything. Even more so I used to hate with passion flash fiction. Until I tried writing poetry. Then it hit me squarely on the head: there is a beautiful economy inside a short story and a poem, the need to present as much as possible in as little words as possible.
Soon I realised something else: Being economical meant that I leave room for the reader’s imagination to kick in. The number one rule for both short stories and novel writing is that less is usually better. We need to give to the readers room to grow, let them work and use their imagination. Writing in an economical way helps dramatically because you restrict yourself to only the most crucial stuff.
I do enjoy some poetry. I also like it when readers have to guess and fiddle with the ideas in their heads before I reveal everything (or almost everything) at the end of a story. So I suppose – in their own way, that is different from novels – short stories are entertaining and provides the readers with wondering.
Perhaps I should try again with these stories – with a lighter mind this time.
I’m more a novel person. I’ve written a few short stories, but by far, I enjoy the novel much more–to read and write.
With regards to fiction, I must more enjoy novels (because I like to dive into the characters’ experiences and I feel cheated when those experiences are not lengthy), but with creative non-fiction, I like the essay format because essays have a much stronger voice and message.
Cheers!