The short story is often seen as an apprentice form. Almost all established writers began with the short story in order to master and practice the craft of storytelling, find their writing voice, or develop a writing style. Unlike the novel which takes months or years to complete, the short story can be completed within a day or a week, or maybe a month. But there are some short stories that takes years to complete.
What most beginning writers or people interested in writing short stories fail to note is that, this form, as simple as it looks, is a bit difficult than the novel. Most writers begin writing short stories because they have read lots of novels, but they have not read enough short stories in order to study its form. Yes, the short story and the novel do share the same elements that make up fiction: characters, plot, setting, theme, and style, etc. But there is a wide difference between the short story and the novel. The Irish writer, Frank O’Connor, notes three things that differentiates the short story from the novel: form, time, and length.
In an interview granted on The Paris Review, Ali smith, explains the concept of time in a short story as it differs from the novel: “Both the novel and the [short] story are about time. But the novel is about continuance, and the [short] story is always about how fast it’s going to be over, which means that the [short] story has a special relationship with mortality. That is why we’re so attracted to them, and also why people find them very, very difficult, because built into the form is the fact that they’re over so soon, that soon they are going to end, like we know lives are going to end. Novels don’t do that—they can’t do that. They might be dealing with death, but one way or another, they’re about sequence.”
For Ali Smith, pacing is more required in the short form than the long form. How fast your story moves from conflict to resolution really matters a lot. In subsequent classes, we shall discuss properly on the art of the short story. But For the purpose of this short course, we are looking into the length of the short of story. I do believe that when writers understand the length of a short story, they tend to control their writing when revising. They possess their stories, and ask themselves what is necessary in the work, and what is not; what needs to go and what needs to stay. These are questions most writers who embark on the short form fail to ask themselves when they revise their short stories. They tend to keep all the things from their first draft.
So, what is the length for short stories, and why is it important?
Length is very important in writing short stories, and also in publishing short stories in literary magazines, especially those in prints. The short story runs from 1,000-10,000 words. I know you are excited! This means you can write a 10,000 word story and publish it, right? This is partly true. You can publish a short story of 10, 000 words, but it is very difficult for it to get an acceptance from a literary magazine. It might be a bit worst for a beginning writer.
In our contemporary world, the short story runs from 1,000 to 6,000. Most magazines tend to accept stories from, 1,000-2,000, or 2, 500-4,000 words, or 3,000 to 6,000 words. Stories that run from 6, 000 to 10,000 words are often called novelettes. While stories from 10,000 to 25, 000 words are called novellas. Apart from craft and theme, which makes your story stand out, your story length determines the acceptance from an editor, or if it should be included in its print journal. It is difficult for a literary magazine to accepts works, especially from beginning writers, if the story is above 6, 000. Printing space matters. Sometimes, an editor would read a beautiful short story, but might find it hard placing in the journal because of space. This mostly happens if the magazine does not publish works online.
So, how can I do this? How do I revise my stories?
“Less is more.” This is the mantra for the short story form. Because of its name, readers are impatient when they read the short story, especially when they read it online. They want everything to end quickly as the name promised. It is unlike the novel where the reader has patience for reading.
An excellent short story is the kind that can do what a novel does within a short time. You know, the kind of stories that feels complete with well-formed characters and plot, or what one of my favorite writer, Joyce Carol Oates, will refer to as the, “intensification of meaning by way of events. [Where] its plots may be wholly interior, seemingly static, [and] a matter of progression of a character’s thought.”
When revising the short story, give yourself a target word count. This helps you to be ruthless in your editing. Ask yourself questions: is this scene necessary? What is this paragraph doing here? Should I leave this flashback or should I use a narrative summary? How is the pacing of the story going? What paragraph slows it down? Is this information about my characters necessary in understanding their personalities?
The short story always moves forward with its action. But most writers like Alice Munroe write stories that move backward in time. When revising, try removing things that do not move the action of the story forward, or help the reader understand the characters’ personality, or build your story world.
But don’t force yourself to make all you stories reach your target word count. There are short stories that are just so long because that is just their nature. And if it is good enough, it will find its own home. But remember, less is more in the short story; concise and brevity should be your watch word.
With love,
Chibuike Ogbonnaya
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