I'm in a short story course and took a creative writing course last semester, so I had the opportunity to learn more about what goes into a short story. It's interesting because, well, so much can go into a short story, and some much can be different compared to a novel.

You can consume short stories faster!

If you are someone, like me, who takes a while to read books, then short stories can be your cup of tea. Short stories have a wide range of length, but if it goes past 60 or 70 pages, that may start becoming more of a novella. Most of them are at least five pages, but are packed with great content. You will appreciate the craft of the author when they factor in economy of words, subtext, voice, and themes. Some of them requires a sitting or two of reading, but much less than a novel.

They come in a variety of different flavors!

Honestly, I consider some short stories their own genre. Not all of them fit into categories or genre we're acquainted with. All of them can, but it wouldn't do the story that much justice by compartmentalizing it.

They can be niche, they can be deceptively complex despite a basic premise, and they can be something completely different than you thought. They can be wild and simple, yet have much depth and critiques about life, the human condition and other things in the world.

You can find some great short stories online: classic, contemporary and in-between. Or, you can read anthologies of short stories, like Norton or Scribner anthologies. Those are the ones I studied in class, and the works in there are phenomenal.

You can't summarize a short story.

You can't just give a synopsis of a short story and assume that's the plot. That paints the story as simple. In the many short stories I've read, if you tried summarizing it, there will be so many things left out. And trying to explain those elements is like giving the story away! It's best to just experience it for yourself!

I hope you all try some short stories soon! Thank you!