On a recent outing to The Strand bookstore in Manhattan, I purchased four collections of short stories. Writing short stories has its own distinct challenges that differ from writing novels, and a shorter word count does not make it easier. The pacing of a short story is a particularly tricky skill. Many short stories take place in only a few moments of time, such as “A & P” by John Updike, or “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson. The timing of the present moment in each of these stories is a matter of minutes. Other stories may take days, such as “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell, or “The Yellow Wallpaper,” by Charlotte Perkins Gillman. In both styles, the author must get to the action immediately and pull the thread of suspense to the very end. I enjoy reading and teaching short stories, and now I’m trying to write them. I can’t say I’m enjoying it just yet, but I’m hoping that with the inspiration of a few new collections, I’ll be composing merrily away shortly.
