Writing short stories isn't like writing long fiction. It’s a different beast entirely. But I have a particular philosophy about writing short stories that many authors don’t ascribe to, and I’m wondering what you think about it.
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Photo by 愚木混株
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I’ve published books and I’ve published short stories and short story collections. There’s a lot to be said about the differing strategies between them. But this post isn’t about the differences between novel writing and short story writing. Perhaps that is a post for another time.
Instead, I wanted to share a peculiar philosophy I have about short story writing.
Short stories share much in common with long fiction. They have a beginning, middle, and end. They have a story arc and character development. They have a climax and denouement. Short stories just have to be more focused. With fewer words to work with, the writer has to be more concise and constrained. Instead of building multiple plot arcs, they are limited to just one or two. Typically there is only one point of view character. Every word has to do work.
The thing is, a good novel will tidy things up by the end. All those plot arcs come together to a (hopefully) satisfying conclusion. Some books, as part of a series, might have a cliffhanger to draw you into the next book of the series, but you can’t do that will all of the story arcs or it will leave the reader unsatisfied.
A good short story, though, will focus on one plot arc, and at the end, the reader comes to a satisfying conclusion.
But here’s my
peculiarity:
It’s okay, and even preferable, to create some mysteries along the way, which might never be answered. Also, if the story is well-written, it leaves the reader wanting more.
For instance, in my fantasy short story, Into the Ruined Lands, two girls buck their patriarchal society and risk the ire of their fathers to venture into the neighboring volcanic wasteland. From the story blurb:
Two teen girls, Talay and her cousin Shaali, defy their cultural norms and run away to the volcanic Ruined Lands in search of a flowering plant called sulfur wort, a necessary ingredient for a healing potion to be mixed by the mysterious Old Mother Aya in order to save the life of Shaali's younger sister. But the Ruined lands pose dangers that challenge hardened warriors. Are they up to such a quest? And are they willing to face the punishment for defying their patriarchal society?
There they face a hostile land, filled with dangerous orcs who wish to defile them or eat them. Old Mother Aya also uses her magic from afar to help them in their quest.
But here’s the rub: I never explain the true nature of Old Mother Aya or her past. I don’t describe why the girls’ society is patriarchal or misogynistic. I don’t detail how the healing potion is made, or how the old woman casts her magic. I don’t go into the history of the Ruined Land or much into why society fears it.
And most importantly, I leave it open as to what becomes of the girls in the end. Yes, the story has a conclusion, but then what? At the end, one of the girls follows Old Mother Aya, wishing to learn her ways. But I don’t describe what those ways are, or what eventually comes of it. All I do is hint at what’s to come.
A good short story should leave the reader wanting more. A strong character, and effective worldbuilding, means that there can always be more to the story. I take it as a matter of pride when one of my readers says, “What happens next? This could be the start to a great book!”
What do you
think?
