a lengthy short story 7 little words

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A lengthy short story 7 little words

• February 19, 2023

On this page you may find the A lengthy short story 7 little words answers and solutions. This crossword clue was last seen on February 20 2023 in the 7 Little Words Bonus 2 Daily Puzzle. If you are stuck and want to know the solutions look no further as I have finished solving all the clues for today.

Did you already solve A lengthy short story? You can go back and check all the other puzzles at 7 Little Words (Bonus 2) February 20 2023 Answers .

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A lengthy short story 7 Little Words Cheats

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Summaries, Analysis & Lists

Long Stories to Read Online

These long stories could also be classified as novelettes, novellas, or long short stories depending on your preference. Regardless of what they’re called, they are all longer than a regular short story, being at least 7,500 words. I’ve provided an approximate word count for some of the selections. Some of these long stories are available to read free online, and are linked to below.

Long Stories to Read

The Gay Old Dog | Edna Ferber (8,300 words)

Jo Hertz is a plump, lonely bachelor of fifty. The narrator tells us Jo’s story from the age of twenty-seven when his mother died and she got him to promise to put his life on hold until his three sisters were cared for. ( Summary )

This is the first story in the preview of  100 Years of the Best American Short Stories .

“The Love of a Good Woman” by Alice Munro

A museum in Walley has a box of optometrist’s instruments that were owned by D. M. Willens, who drowned in the Peregrine River decades ago. It was found by an anonymous donor. Three boys who were out exploring on a spring morning first spotted the car and the body submerged in the river. In another thread, Enid is providing homecare for Mrs. Quinn, a young woman dying of kidney failure.

This longer story can be read in the preview of  Family Furnishings: Selected Stories .  (13% into Kindle preview)

The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate | Ted Chiang

Fuwaad, a fabric merchant, appears before the Caliph to recount a remarkable story. While looking for a gift, he entered a large shop with a new owner. It had a marvelous assortment of offerings, all made by the owner or under his direction. Fuwaad is led into the back where he’s shown a small hoop that manipulates time. He also has a larger gateway that people can walk through. The owner tells Fuwaad the stories of a few who did just that.

Most of “The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate” can be read in the Amazon preview of  Exhalation: Stories .

Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville (14,400 words)

An elderly, Manhattan lawyer tells the story of Bartleby, the strangest law-copyist he has ever heard of. After being hired, Bartleby did good work for a short time. One day, though, he was asked to look over a document, and simply replied “I would prefer not to.” This marked the beginning of a trend for Bartleby.

This is the sixth story in the preview of  Classic Short Stories .

Boule de Suif | Guy de Maupassant   (14,450 words)

The Prussian army advances while the French army retreats. Ten passengers are given clearance to board a carriage and leave the city, with the possibility of crossing into England. Among the passengers is Boule de Suif, a prostitute who has to make a moral decision that will affect the whole group.

This is the second story in the preview of  Classic Short Stories .

The Snows of Kilimanjaro | Ernest Hemingway (9,200 words)

On the African savannah, a man’s leg is rotting with gangrene. His wife tries to comfort and encourage him. As he waits for death, he thinks about his life.

This is the third story in the preview of  The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway .  (62% into the preview)

Second Variety | Philip K. Dick

During a nuclear war between the Soviets and the United Nations, the U.N. authorities are forced to relocate to a moon base, leaving the troops behind. U.N. developers build “claws”, a basic robot with churning blades that seeks out warm bodies. U.N. troops are protected by a special radiation-emitting wrist device. After the robots turn the tide of the conflict, the Soviets want to talk to a high ranking officer to discuss a new threat.

This is the first story in the preview of  Space Science Fiction Super Pack

“Hester Lilly” by Elizabeth Taylor

Hester Lilly, a young woman and orphan, has come to stay with her older cousin Robert and his wife, Muriel, who didn’t want her to come. Robert and Hester have been writing to each other frequently for a while. Muriel is relieved when she sees that Hester is poorly dressed and seems unthreatening. Hester is going to do some dictation work for Robert.

This story can be read in the preview of Complete Short Stories .  (11% in)

Long Stories to Read, Cont’d

Friend of My Youth | Alice Munro (8,900 words)

The narrator recounts the life of Flora Grieves. She lived on a farm with her sister, Ellie, and her brother-in-law, Robert. She tells us how the house and work was divided, how Ellie and Robert came to be married, and how Flora responded to the many changes in her life.

This story can be read in the preview of  Friend of My Youth .  (10% in)

“Think Like a Dinosaur” by James Patrick Kelly

Kamala is on the Tuulen station, which is run by the Hanen, a cold-blooded dinosaur race. Tuulen station is home to a teleportation device, a migrator, that can send people to other planets. A perfect copy arrives at the destination, and the equation is “balanced” by killing the original person. A complication arises during Kamala’s migration.

The beginning of this story can be read in the preview of A Fistful of Dinosaurs.

“Rachel in Love” by Pat Murphy

Rachel, a small chimpanzee, watches a Tarzan movie on television. She knows her father, Dr. Aaron Jacobs, wouldn’t approve, but he’s still sleeping. When she gets hungry, she goes to wake him up. He has died of a heart attack. Rachel doesn’t know what to do. He is the only person she has ever known.

A lot of this story can be read in the preview of the anthology Future on Fire .  (38% into preview)

“Pastoralia” by George Saunders

The narrator isn’t feeling his best. He’s in his work area, sitting on his haunches, waiting in case someone looks in. No one has looked in for almost two weeks. His coworker, Janet, has been talking English more and more, which is against policy. There’s a fresh goat provided for them in the Big Slot each morning along with matches. Others have it harder. He skins it with a flint and Janet makes a fire to cook it. Back when they got more visitors they would throw themselves into their roles more, grunting and tossing dirt. One morning, there’s no goat in the Big Slot.

Some of this story can be read in the preview of Pastoralia . (20% in)

Good Country People | Flannery O’Connor (8,800 words)

Mrs. Hopewell is a widow who runs her farm. Her daughter, Joy, has an artificial leg from a hunting accident as a child. Mrs. Hopewell is a Christian; Joy is an atheist with a Ph.D. Mrs. Hopewell likes “good country people”, like her hired tenants, the Freemans. She and Mrs. Freeman like exchanging platitudes. Joy is introverted and believes she has life figured out. One day, a traveling Bible salesman calls on Mrs. Hopewell. ( Summary & Analysis )

“Everything’s Eventual” by Stephen King

Dinky Earnshaw, a nineteen-year-old dropout, has a good job. It doesn’t pay a lot, but it comes with a house, a car, and weekly delivery of what he wants. He’s not allowed to contact any of his old friends. He’s also not allowed to save any money—whatever is left at the end of the week has to be discarded. Dinky has only met his boss, Mr. Sharpton, once. He doesn’t see who drops off his pay or the cleaners. Mr. Sharpton recruited Dinky for a special ability he possesses.

A Circle in the Fire | Flannery O’Connor (7,600 words)

Mrs. Cope owns a large farm. She is protective of her property and feels she is good at handling whatever comes up. One day, three boys visit her; the father of one of the boys used to work for Mrs. Cope. That boy, Powell, remembers the farm and has been telling his friends about it. They want to enjoy farm life for a while.

Royal Jelly | Roald Dahl (8,000 words)

A new mother is worried because her baby has been losing weight since birth. Her husband, a bee expert, adds royal jelly to their baby’s formula.

Parker’s Back | Flannery O’Connor (8,200 words)

Parker is dissatisfied with his life. He’s not sure why he’s still with his wife—a deeply religious woman—and she’s pregnant. His main focus has been to get tattoos; there’s no room left on the front of his body. While driving a tractor, he has an experience that proves to be a turning point for him.

“Parker’s Back”

Revelation | Flannery O’Connor (8,700 words)

Mrs. Turpin and her husband are in a doctor’s waiting room.  Mrs. Turpin is racist and judgmental, and she attracts the attention of a young woman, who looks at her intently. ( Summary )

A Bottle of Perrier | Edith Wharton (8,950 words)

Medford, from the American School of Archaeology at Athens, goes to visit his friend, Henry, an amateur archaeologist living in the desert. When he arrives, Henry isn’t home. The servant, Gosling, says he was invited to some unexplored ruins. Medford waits for his friend’s return.

“A Bottle of Perrier”

Parson’s Pleasure | Roald Dahl (9,300 words)

An antiques dealer works a con to buy valuable items from unsuspecting country dwellers. On one trip, he makes the find of his life and tries to get it for next to nothing.

The Country of the Blind | H. G. Wells (9,600 words)

Nunez, a mountain climber and adventurer, falls during a climb and ends up finding a village in a nearby valley. The inhabitants have been blind for generations. Nunez has found the legendary Country of the Blind, and, as a sighted man, believes he will rule this people.

“The Country of the Blind”

The Legend of St. Julian the Hospitaller | Gustave Flaubert (9,800 words)

After Julian’s birth, his parents are given two prophecies – that he will become a saint, and that he will attain glory in a royal family. As a young man he is given a third prophecy, that he will kill his parents.

“The Legend of St. Julian the Hospitaller”

William and Mary | Roald Dahl  (10,000 words)

Mary Pearl receives a letter from her lawyer following her husband’s death. Her husband had been approached by a doctor with an unusual plan for extending his life. He went ahead with it, even though Mary was against the idea.

Read “William and Mary”

The Great Good Place | Henry James (10,300 words)

George Dane is a successful writer with much responsibility and work to do. Soon after he feels like he’s experiencing a rebirth into a great good place, somewhere charming and peaceful.

The Bruce-Partington Plans | Arthur Conan Doyle (10,900 words)

Holmes is bemoaning the caliber of crime in London when he receives a telegram informing him of an urgent visit from his brother Mycroft. A young man was found dead on the train tracks. He had on him the plans for a top secret government submarine; the most important pages were missing.

Read “The Bruce-Partington Plans”

A Simple Heart (A Simple Soul) | Gustave Flaubert (12,100 words)

After an early romantic disappointment, Felicite is hired as a housekeeper by Madame Aubain. Her work is exemplary and she loves the Aubain children very much. When the daughter takes catechism lessons and her first communion, Felicite becomes involved in religion.

The Fall of Edward Barnard | W. Somerset Maugham (12,250 words)

Bateman returns from a trip to Tahiti and goes to see Isabel with news of his friend Edward. After becoming engrossed in native life and culture, Edward has decided not to come back even though he was engaged to Isabel.

Read “The Fall of Edward Barnard”

Amy Foster | Joseph Conrad (12,600 words)

A country doctor tells the narrator the story of a passive and dull woman, Amy Foster. She fell in love with a man from Europe who was shipwrecked off the coast of her town. The doctor tells the history of this man, including the isolation he endured due to the language barrier and how he was viewed as dangerous and insane.

“Amy Foster”

Disorder and Early Sorrow | Thomas Mann (13,100 words)

Professor Cornelius’s oldest children plan and throw a party for their friends. Economic times are difficult, but everyone tries to keep up good appearances. The professor is concerned about things that have changed such as his children, his profession, and art and the theater.

“Disorder and Early Sorrow”

Young Archimedes | Aldous Huxley (13,500 words)

A young English couple rent a house in Italy because it has a great view, and a local peasant boy, Guido, makes an excellent playmate for their own son. Guido is a gifted child, with an affinity for music, and a natural understanding of mathematics. The landlady wants to adopt Guido to mold him and make money from his talents.

Sonny’s Blues | James Baldwin (13,750 words)

The narrator is a teacher in Harlem; he has managed to keep away from the bad influences around him. His brother, Sonny, is a jazz musician with a heroin problem. They haven’t stayed close over the years.

“Sonny’s Blues”

Sandkings | George R. R. Martin  (15,000 words)

Simon Kress lives alone outside the city. He likes unusual and exotic pets. After his last trip his animals died. He finds a new shop, Wo and Shade Importers, where he is shown sandkings, an insect-sized life-form with a hivemind that fights wars with other colonies.

Read “Sandkings”

I’ll keep adding long stories to read online as I find more.

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March 8, 2015 By Jodie Renner 68 Comments

How to Write a Prize-Worthy Short Story: A Step-by-Step Guide

by Editor Jodie Renner

Writing short stories is a great way to test the waters of fiction without making a huge commitment, or to experiment with different genres, characters, settings, and voices.

Even if you’ve published a novel or two, it’s a good idea to try to release a few high-quality, well-edited short stories between books to help with discoverability and growing a fan base.

Also, today’s busy readers (especially the young ones) have more distractions and temptations for their time, therefore shorter attention spans, and they’re reading on smaller devices, so a short story is a nice escapism-byte for increasing numbers of people.

As our multi-talented host Anne R. Allen said in an excellent article in Writer’s Digest magazine, “Bite-sized fiction has moved mainstream, and today’s readers are more eager than ever to ‘read short’.” For a brief mention of each of Anne’s “nine factors working in favor of a short story renaissance”, see her article, Short is the New Long  and there’s more in her post,  Why You Should be Writing Short Fiction .

31 STEPS TO A WINNING SHORT STORY

Here are 31 concrete tips for writing a compelling short story that is worthy of publishing or submitting to contests, magazines, and anthologies. Of course, these are only guidelines—like any good cook with a recipe, you’ll tweak them to suit your own vision, goal, genre, and story idea.

When referring to the main character, I’ll be alternating between using “he” and “she”, so just fill in the gender of your own protagonist.

PLANNING STAGE:

1. keep the story tight..

Most short stories are between 2,000 and 7,000 words long, with the most popular length between 2,500 and 4,000 words. Unlike a novel or even a novella, a short story is about just a small slice of life, with one story thread and one theme. Don’t get too ambitious. It’s best to limit it to one main character plus a few supporting characters, one main conflict, one geographical location, and a brief time frame, like a few weeks maximum—better yet, a few days, or even hours.

2. Create a main character who is complex and charismatic, one readers will care about.

Your protagonist should be multi-dimensional and at least somewhat sympathetic, so readers can relate to him and start bonding with him right away. He should be fascinating, with plenty of personality. But give him a human side, with some inner conflict and vulnerability, so readers identify with him and start worrying about him immediately. If readers don’t care about your character, they also won’t care about what happens to him.

3. Give your protagonist a burning desire.

What does he or she want more than anything? This is the basis for your story goal, the driving force of your story.

4. Decide what your character is most afraid of.

What does your heroine regret most? What is she feeling guilty about? Give her some baggage and secrets.

5. Devise a critical story problem or conflict.

Create a main conflict or challenge for your protagonist. Put her in hot water right away, on the first page, so the readers start worrying about her early on. No conflict = no story. The conflict can be internal, external, or interpersonal, or all three. It can be against one’s own demons, other people, circumstances, or nature.

6. Develop a unique “voice” for this story.

First, get to know your character really well by journaling in his voice. Pretend you are the character, writing in his secret diary, expressing his hopes and fears and venting his frustrations. Just let the ideas flow, in his point of view, using his words and expressions.

Then take it a step further and carry that voice you’ve developed throughout the whole story, even to the narration and description, which are really the viewpoint character’s thoughts, perceptions, observations, and reactions. This technique ensures that your whole story has a unique, compelling voice. (In a novel, the voice will of course change in any chapters that are in other characters’ viewpoints.)

7. Create a worthy antagonist.

Devise an opposition character who is strong, clever, determined, and resourceful – a force to be reckoned with. And for added interest, make him or her multi-faceted, with a few positive qualities, too.

8. Add in a few interesting, even quirky supporting characters.

Give each of your characters a distinct personality, with their own agenda, hopes, accomplishments, fears, insecurities, and secrets, and add some individual quirks to bring each of them to life. Supporting and minor characters should be quite different from your protagonist, for contrast. Start a diary for each important character to develop their voice and personality, and ensure none of them are closely modeled after you, the author, or your friends.

But don’t fully develop any very minor or “walk-on” characters, or readers will expect them to play a more important role. In fact, it’s best not to name minor characters like cab drivers and servers, unless they play a bigger role.

9. To enter and win contests, make your character and story unique and memorable.

Try to jolt or awe the readers somehow, with a unique, enigmatic, even quirky or weird character; an unusual premise or situation; and an unexpected, even shocking revelation and plot twist.

10. Experiment – take a chance.

Short stories can be edgier, darker, or more intense because they’re brief, and readers can tolerate something a little more extreme for a limited time.

WRITING STAGE:

11. start with a compelling scene..

Short stories need to grab and emotionally engage the readers right from the first paragraph. Don’t open with a description of the scenery or other setting. Also, don’t start with background information (backstory) on the character or an explanation of their world or situation.

12. Start right out in the head of your main character.

It’s best to use his name right in the first sentence to establish him as the point-of-view character, the one readers are supposed to identify with and root for. And let readers know really soon his rough age, situation, and role in the story world.

13. Put your character in motion right away.

Having her interacting with someone else is usually best—much more dynamic than starting with a character alone, musing. Also, it’s best not to start with your character just waking up or in an everyday situation or on the way to somewhere. That’s trite and too much of a slow lead-up for a short story—or any compelling story, for that matter.

14. Use close point of view.

Get up close and personal with your main character and tell the whole story from his point of view. Continually show his thoughts, feelings, reactions, and physical sensations. And take care not to show anyone else’s thoughts or inner reactions. You don’t have time or space to get into anyone else’s viewpoint in a short story. Show the attitudes and reactions of others through what the POV character perceives – their words, body language, facial expressions, tone of voice, actions, etc.

Even the narration should be expressed as your POV character’s thoughts and observations. Don’t intrude as the author to describe or explain anything to the readers in neutral language. You want to keep your readers immersed in your fictive dream, and interrupting as the author will burst the bubble of make-believe they crave.

15. Situate the reader early on.

To avoid reader confusion and frustration, establish your main character immediately and clarify the situation and setting (time and place) within the first few paragraphs. On the first page, answer the four W’s: who, what, where, when. But as mentioned above, avoid starting with a long descriptive passage.

16. Jump right in with some tension in the first paragraphs.

As I mentioned, there’s no room in a short story for a long, meandering lead-up to the main problem, or an extended description of the setting or the characters and their background. Disrupt the main character’s life in some way on the first page. As Kurt Vonnegut advises, in short fiction, start as close to the end as possible.

17. Show, don’t tell.

Don’t use narration to tell your readers what happened—put them right in the middle of the scene, with lots of dialogue and action and reactions, in real time. And skip past transitional times and unimportant moments. Use just a few words to go from one time or place to another, unless something important happens during the transition.

18. Your character needs to react!

Continually show your character’s emotional and physical reactions, both inner and outer, to what’s going on around him. And to bring the character and scene to life on the page, evoke as many of the five senses as possible, not just sight and hearing. Scents or smells are especially powerful and evocative.

19. Every page needs tension of some sort.

It might be overt, like an argument, or subtle, like inner resentments, disagreements, questioning, or anxiety. If everybody is in agreement, shake things up a little.

20. Withhold key information.

This adds tension and intrigue, especially when a character has secrets or regrets. Hint at them to arouse reader curiosity, then reveal critical info bit by bit, like a tantalizing striptease, as you go along.

21. Dialogue in fiction is like real conversation on steroids.

Skip the yadda-yadda, blah-blah, “How are you? I’m fine. Nice weather,” etc., and add spark and tension to all your dialogue. And make the characters’ words and expressions sound as natural and authentic as you can. Avoid complete, correct sentences in dialogue. Use plenty of one or two-word questions and responses, evasive replies, abrupt changes of topics, and even a few silences.

22. Each character should speak differently, and not like the author.

Each character’s word choices and speech patterns should reflect their gender, age, education, social standing, and personality. Don’t have your kids sounding like adults or your thugs sounding like university professors! Even men and women of similar cultural backgrounds and social standing speak differently. Read your dialogue out loud or role-play with a friend to make sure it sounds real, has tension, and moves along at a good clip.

23. Build the conflict to a riveting climax.

Keep putting your protagonist in more hot water until the big “battle,” showdown, or struggle—whether it’s physical, psychological, or interpersonal. This is where they’re challenged to the max and have to draw on all their courage, wit, and resources to avoid defeat and/or reach their goals.

24. Go out with a bang.

Don’t stretch out the conclusion – tie it up pretty quickly. Like your first paragraph and page, your ending needs to be memorable and also satisfying to the readers. Try to create a surprise twist at the end – but of course it needs to make sense, given all the other details of the story. It should be unexpected, but also, in retrospect, inevitable.

25. Provide some reader satisfaction at the end.

It’s not necessary to tie everything up in a neat little bow, but do give your readers some sense of resolution, some payout for their investment of time and effort in your story. As in novels, most readers want the character they’ve been rooting for all along to resolve at least some of their problems. But be sure the protagonist they’ve been identifying with succeeds through their own courage, determination, and resourcefulness, not through coincidence, luck, or a rescue by someone else. Keep your hero or heroine heroic.

REVISION STAGE:

26. hook ’em in right away..

Now that you’ve got your whole story down, go back and grab the readers with an opening that zings. Write and rewrite your first line, opening paragraph, and first page. They need to be as gripping and as intriguing as you can make them, in order to compel the readers to read the rest of the story. Your first sentence and paragraph should arouse curiosity and raise questions that demand to be answered.

27. Cut to the chase!

The short story requires discipline and editing. Trim down any long, convoluted sentences to reveal the essentials. Less is more, so make every word count. If a paragraph, sentence, or line of dialogue doesn’t advance the plot, add intrigue, or develop a character, take it out.

Also, use strong, evocative, specific nouns and verbs and cut back on supporting adjectives and adverbs. For example, instead of saying “He walked heavily” say “He stomped” or “He trudged.” Or instead of “She walked quietly,” say “She tiptoed” or “She crept.”

28. Make every element and every image count.

Every significant detail you insert in the story should have some significance or some relevance later. If it doesn’t, take it out. Don’t show us a knife or special character skills, for example, if they don’t show up later and play an essential role. You have no room for filler or extraneous details in a compelling short story.

29. Make descriptions do double duty.

When you’re describing a character, for example, rather than just listing their physical attributes and what they’re wearing, search for details that reveal their personality, their mood, their intentions, and their effect on those around them, and also the personality and attitude of the character who is observing them. And there’s no need to go into detail on everything they’re wearing. Just paint in bold brush strokes and let readers fill in the details – or not, as they prefer.

30. Stay in character for all descriptions.

Filter all descriptions through the attitude and mood of the main character. If your POV character’s aging father shows up at the door, don’t describe him neutrally and in detail as a brand new character. Show him as that character actually sees her own father arriving at her house.

Similarly, if a teenage boy walks into a room, don’t describe the room as an interior designer would see it – stay in his viewpoint. He is most concerned with why he entered that room, not all the details of what it looks like.

31. Pay attention to word count and other guidelines!

As I mentioned earlier, short stories are generally between 500 and 7,500 words long, with the most popular length around 2,500 to 4,000 words. If you want to submit your short story to a website, magazine or contest, be sure to read their guidelines as to length, genre, language no-no’s, and so on. Also, for your own protection, do read the fine print to avoid giving away all rights to your story.

by Jodie Renner (@JodieRennerEd) March 8, 2015

What about you, Scriveners? Do you write short stories? Or are you like me and keep getting bogged down in big novels? Can you work on stories when you’re in the middle of a novel? Have you ever won a story contest? Are you going to run out and enter one now? (If so, do scroll down to our “opportunity alerts”.) Do you have any questions for Jodie?…Anne Giveaway: Jodie will be giving away an electronic copy of her new writing guide, Captivate Your Readers , to the first four people who request it below, and she’d love it if winners wanted to leave a review at Amazon.com or Amazon.ca. Also, if you haven’t read any of Jodie’s writing guides, mention that in the comments! You’ll be eligible for a grand prize of all three books, in mobi, ePub, or PDF (your choice).

BOOK OF THE WEEK

This third guide to writing compelling fiction by respected editor and award-winning author Jodie Renner provides concrete advice for captivating readers and immersing them in your story world. It’s all about engaging readers through techniques such as deep point of view, showing instead of telling, avoiding author intrusions, writing riveting dialogue, and basically stepping back and letting the characters tell the story.Today’s readers want to lose themselves in an absorbing story. Renner shows you how to provide the immediacy and emotional involvement readers crave in fiction, the direct, close connection to the characters and their world.

This book is available in both e-book and print form, through all Amazon websites. Available soon in print through Ingram and at many independent bookstores and libraries.

“Jodie’s books are packed with practical writing and editing advice. Get ready to improve your manuscript today.” – Steven James, author of  Story Trumps Structure: How to Write Unforgettable Fiction by Breaking the Rules

“Want to write solid, marketable fiction? Read this book. Regardless of your experience level, CAPTIVATE YOUR READERS gives you clear and concise tools that will help you create a believable story world and spin a good yarn.”  – DP Lyle, award-winning author of the Dub Walker and Samantha Cody thriller series”Jodie Renner nails it! Captivate Your Readers should be at the top of every new and experienced writer’s arsenal, as well as a preferred resource for every teacher of writing. Her no-nonsense, easy-to-understand approach is perfect. Bravo, Jodie Renner!” – Lynn Sholes, bestselling author of the Cotten Stone series and  The Shield

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March 8, 2015 at 5:10 pm

They can be grittier because readers can tolerate extremes in short doses – never thought of it that way. That's probably easier on the writer as maintaining that kind of atmosphere for hundreds of pages is difficult. I've only written one fiction short story in recent years, but maybe I should write more.

March 8, 2015 at 5:17 pm

I encourage you to write more short fiction and even experiment with different genres as a way to broaden out your writing and develop different "voices," Alex.

And for award-winning fiction or for submitting to anthologies, your story should stand out in some way and affect the readers (and judges) emotionally, to rise it above the pack.

Good luck with all your writing projects! 🙂

December 9, 2015 at 10:52 am

best advice ever thank you for the advice

March 8, 2015 at 5:21 pm

Thanks, Anne, for the opportunity to guest post on your highly rated, award-winning blog! I've recommended various articles of yours to my aspiring author clients for years, and it's a privilege to be here this week.

March 8, 2015 at 6:21 pm

Jodie–We're honored to have you with us!

March 8, 2015 at 5:32 pm

Brava. These short story suggestions would fly as excellent pointers for writing novels, too. Thanks, once more, for some fine advice.

March 8, 2015 at 5:43 pm

Thanks, CS. Glad you found my tips helpful!

March 8, 2015 at 6:03 pm

I do write short stories. Unlike other writers, I don't have a problem with a short story wanting to be a novel. Short stories are great for experimentation because you can do things that might not work at all if exposed to the longer form of the novel.

But you left out something, and it's a major thing that editors look for and writers leave out: Setting. Most writers deal with setting by saying, "They went to a bar and sat down." Unfortunately, some of this probably because description is almost universally described as "boring" and "excessive." No one ever stops to think "How do I make it not boring?" Instead, they just leave it out.

Even you put description near the end, which kind of implies it's not that important. The opposite is true: Setting should be firmly established with all the five senses in your first 300 words. It also should very clear — and this one is hard — that if you removed the setting from the story, the story wouldn't work without it.

Most writers tend to focus on making sure the words are perfect, fearing that a misplaced comma will get a rejection. It's things like missing setting that gets rejections.

March 8, 2015 at 6:11 pm

Linda, you make an excellent point about setting, and I definitely should have included it. I find that a lot of aspiring fiction writers get carried away with describing the setting, as if they're writing a travelogue, and of course there's no room in a tight short story for that. But setting the stage for the readers and showing the story world through the main character's observations and sensations, with attitude, is very important, as you point out. Show what he's seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, and tasting, and color the description through his personal observations and his personality, mood, and intentions. Thanks for the reminder! I must add that as another key point.

March 8, 2015 at 6:09 pm

Great post for short-story writers and novelists alike.

I'm in, Jodie. You already have my e-mail address. I'd love a copy of your book.

March 8, 2015 at 6:12 pm

Thanks, Kathy. I'm glad you found these tips useful for fiction writers. I'll email you with an e-copy of my book.

March 8, 2015 at 6:28 pm

What a helpful post for fiction writers. I've bookmarked it. Thanks for such a thorough treatment.

March 8, 2015 at 6:31 pm

Thanks for your kind comments, Elizabeth. Glad you found it helpful.

March 8, 2015 at 7:09 pm

Loved this post and I'd love to read your new book, Jodie! I wasn't aware of any of them, so of course I'd like to win all three : ) I think I see the problem now with a short story I've been wrestling with for too long.Thanks!

March 8, 2015 at 7:15 pm

Great to hear these tips gave you a light-bulb moment, Deb! I'll put your name in the hat to win e-copies of all three of my writing guides!

March 9, 2015 at 2:55 am

Congratulations, Deb! You've won e-copies of all three of my writing guides! Please email me at info(at)JodieRenner(dot)com to claim your prizes.

March 8, 2015 at 7:05 pm

Thanks so much, Jodie. This is a very complete guide for writing and revising short stories. Especially loved the revision section. I plan to bookmark and return to this over and over. What a great article. My best, Paul

March 8, 2015 at 7:14 pm

So glad you found this checklist useful, Paul! Good luck with your short stories and all your writing projects!

March 8, 2015 at 7:21 pm

Makes one want to write a short story or at least give it a try. 🙂 Thank you for the post, Jodie.

March 8, 2015 at 7:32 pm

You're most welcome, Sasha! Hope this helps you develop a compelling short story!

March 8, 2015 at 9:58 pm

Tanks for this post, Jodie. Love the short story. I got hooked when they were the magazine rage from Red Book to Playboy. My first love was the master … O Henry. Back in the day many novel writers had collections. I am gratified to see interest in this form making a comeback.

I have written them, played with them for quite some time, and use flash fiction on my blog … often taking prompt sentences from my readers. I don't know if I'll ever do more with them, but your post motivates me to think about trying 🙂

March 8, 2015 at 10:45 pm

So glad I'm providing some motivation for you to keep writing short stories, Florence! I'll be sure to keep an eye out for them in print!

March 9, 2015 at 7:14 am

So glad I found you. I see so much here that you have accomplished I'm amazed. I have one short story titled " The Bunny Trail n` murder" 54 pages and you're done. Vale. Waiting on the proof to come back on the 10th. Hope you keep doing good stuff. I would love to inspire others the way you have with me. Have a wonderful day.

March 9, 2015 at 4:02 pm

Thanks for your kind words, Donald! So glad I inspired you! Good luck with all your writing projects! 🙂

March 9, 2015 at 4:52 am

Great advice. I have been wanting to start writing for so long now, particularly short stories. I'm inspired to begin. I would also love to be able to read your books. Thank you.

March 9, 2015 at 4:01 pm

I'm pleased that I've inspired you to write some short stories, Nimisha! If you contact me at info(at)JodieRenner(dot)com, I'll send you an e-copy of my new book.

March 9, 2015 at 8:48 am

If it's still available, I'd love to read your book

March 9, 2015 at 4:03 pm

Hi Ash, Please email me at info(at)JodieRenner(dot)com and I'll send you an e-copy of my new book. 🙂

March 9, 2015 at 2:29 pm

Love your rundown on both writing and revising short stories. I'll definitely be coming back to this post later.

March 9, 2015 at 4:06 pm

Glad you found my tips useful, Tyrean! 🙂

March 9, 2015 at 9:21 am

I love short stories and have written dozens (though only one collection out with 8 stories but I have participated in anthologies). Great fun to write, much more fun than a novel. You, as the writer, get instant satisfaction – whereas a novel is a much bigger effort, and of course, a lot harder to pace. Can't keep the stakes up too high throughout a novel without tiring your reader out! And congrats to Editor Jodie Renner: that's exactly the way I see it, that's the way a good short story should be. Shall spread the word around!

March 9, 2015 at 4:05 pm

Thanks so much for spreading the word around about my tips for writing a winning short story, Claude! So glad you enjoy this format for fiction! Keep on writing!

March 9, 2015 at 5:27 pm

Hi Jodie -Excellent article. I've written three novels and have recently made a foray into the realm of short story writing for a change of pace. You have condensed indispensable advice on story writing into a ready-made checklist for aspiring or accomplished writers. Thanks!

March 9, 2015 at 6:20 pm

Thanks so much for your kind words, Vicky. Good luck with your short stories!

March 9, 2015 at 9:19 pm

Those steps suspiciously sound like the same steps for a novel… 🙂

March 9, 2015 at 9:51 pm

Yes, Southpaw, most of them work for a novel, too, except a few tips specific to short stories, like word count, keep it to a tight time frame, only one main character and one POV, no subplots, etc.

March 9, 2015 at 9:30 pm

I didn't read every comment to see if you already took the 4 requests for your book, but I'm very interested! Add me to the request list.

This is a fantastic post. 🙂

March 9, 2015 at 9:52 pm

Glad you like the post, Jenny! I'm still waiting to hear from one or two of the winners, so if I don't hear from them, I'll get back to you.

March 10, 2015 at 6:08 pm

Thanks, Jodie! It was super helpful, since short writing is my sweet spot.

March 10, 2015 at 6:35 pm

Great! Glad you found this checklist helpful, Jenny! 🙂

March 11, 2015 at 1:20 am

I have nine published books and for me short stories are more challenging. Thanks for the great tips.

March 11, 2015 at 2:52 am

Barbara–Hi there! Great to see you here. Yeah, I'm the same way. Once I started writing novels, I abandoned my short fiction and it's hard to get my mojo back. I'm hoping Jodie's tips will help me too!

March 11, 2015 at 2:55 am

One thing about writing a short story, Barbara, is if it's not going as well as you'd like or you want to change direction, you (hopefully) haven't invested a great deal of time so you can put it aside for a while and brainstorm another idea. Good luck with your foray into short fiction!

March 11, 2015 at 2:37 am

As someone just starting out blogging and getting serious about my writing, I absolutely adore your blog! I have tagged several of your posts in my bookmarks page so I can easily go back and reread your advice! This one is especially going in my bookmarks as I am writing short stories right now. I'm too inexperienced and nervous about my writing right now to write an entire novel, but short stories I feel less self-conscious about writing. Thanks again for all your advice!

March 11, 2015 at 2:50 am

Scribbling–I'm so glad you like the blog! Do come back. We update every Sunday, 10 AM Pacific time.

Getting started with short stories is very wise. They're easier to place, and they can be sold again and again. We're so pleased Jodie could write this great post for us. Do take a look at her books.

March 11, 2015 at 2:57 am

Yes, isn't Anne's blog fabulous, Scribbling! I refer my writing clients and other authors and aspiring authors here all the time, and I'm honored to be a guest here this week. Short stories are a great way to experiment, so don't be nervous – jump right in! Good luck with that! 🙂

March 11, 2015 at 4:38 am

Great Blog, Jodie. I'm presently working on a short story. Even before hitting #31 on your list, I was contemplating ways to deepen and rev-up my work. Thanks!

March 11, 2015 at 3:46 pm

So great to hear my tips provided you inspiration for your current short story, Della! Good luck with this and your future stories!

March 12, 2015 at 2:26 pm

Great tips! When I have my lunch break and no one to talk to (which is usual, because I don't like a lot of people around me), I always take out a short story to provide me with a quick journey through some faraway land. Hence I need it to be gritty, aggressive, out of the ordinary, I don't have the time I have at night to enjoy the longer stuff. Great post!

March 12, 2015 at 3:06 pm

What a perfect way to spend your lunch break, Bernardo! (I hope you're eating lunch at the same time! LOL) More and more people are latching on to the advantages of having some short fiction ready on their reading devices, so writers should cash in on this growing demand.

March 12, 2015 at 10:48 am

This was excellent! Thank you!

Thanks, Nina!

March 13, 2015 at 12:55 pm

Great stuff, Jodie. I started out writing short stories, fell in love with them, and still write them in addition to novels. In fact, the protagonist in my first novel originally appeared in a short story. I have another character who has appeared in a half dozen stories and who is begging me to put her in a novel. I'm sure I will. I occasionally give presentations on writing short stuff and I'm sure I'll steal – I mean borrow – some of your great tips.

March 13, 2015 at 4:11 pm

I just checked out your Amazon Author Page, Earl – impressive! Next step – pick up some of your short stories. Can't wait to read them! Thanks for dropping by and commenting, and of course, steal away! 🙂

March 15, 2015 at 9:34 am

I'm going to paste the email I sent to my Beginner Writer Friend, along with the link to this article.

"This is THE best SHORT article I’ve seen on writing a good short story.

MOST of these things apply to every story we'll ever write.

If you can do MOST of these things, your stories will be good, and people will want to read more of YOUR stories. And that’s how you will succeed.

The article is actually about winning competitions, so a couple of the points don’t apply in your case (or mine). Because winning competitions doesn’t matter to us — it’s a different skill than SELLING BOOKS, which is currently our aim."

To be completely honest, Jodie, I then told him NOT to buy your books yet. As a beginner, he's feeling quite overwhelmed, so I told him, for now, to work on improving the 10,000 word story he's written, using this article as his guide, then to write another from scratch — again, using this article as his guide.

Of course, down the track, I'd highly recommend he go on to buy your books and/or use your editing services — anyone who can write such a succinct article must certainly have a lot to offer.

Thanks again for sharing it.

March 15, 2015 at 3:42 pm

Harry, these tips apply to anyone wanting to write short stories that sell, too! My whole focus as an editor and award-winning author of writing guides is to help writers create fiction that readers love and that sells!

And my books are a great resource for newbie writers as they're very reader-friendly, with lots of subheadings and before-and-after examples. And in the e-book, you can click on the chapters and subheadings to jump to them, then back to the TOC.

Good luck with everything! Glad you found my tips useful! 🙂

March 19, 2015 at 8:00 am

Awesome post! I have placed in a few writing contests recently, and I think point 9 is key. A lot of contests have themes or prompts, so writers have to make sure their story is different from the common storylines.

March 22, 2015 at 7:34 pm

Gargi–Congrats on placing in those contests! Those wins don't just help your self-esteem–they really raise your profile and help with queries. I like the ones with writing prompts, too. I always try to do the opposite of what seems "expected."

March 22, 2015 at 8:33 pm

Oops! Somehow this comment slipped past me. Gargi and Anne – good tactic about going for the unique, unusual, and unexpected. Hope the judges are delighted or even awed by your entries!

March 23, 2015 at 1:25 am

Coming way too late to request the books (drat!) but wanted to say thanks for a great post. I wrote short stories earlier, morphed into novels, wrote literary short stories for college classes (probably had quite enough of those, thanks), and my 2nd middle-grade book is coming out this summer. No time shorts now, but bookmarking this for later – I'd love to get back to them!

March 23, 2015 at 3:00 am

Thanks for dropping by and commenting, Jennifer. Good luck with all your writing projects – sounds like you've got lots on the go!

March 27, 2015 at 4:22 pm

Timothy–Good for you to be following these tips already! Jodie is a professional editor, so you would have to hire her at professional rates to get an evaluation of your work. The link to her website is in her bio above.

September 15, 2015 at 7:46 pm

At last I've found a mind like mine.i do appreciate what you've provided ma'am.hope I get all three e books even though I'm late reading this post.its better to be late than never being there.i do appreciate once again

September 15, 2015 at 11:29 pm

Obed–I'm not sure Jodie is still getting notifications on this post, but I'll let her know. I'm so glad you've bought her wonderful books!

September 15, 2015 at 11:39 pm

Glad you found these tips helpful, Obed, and I hope you enjoy my books!

March 12, 2016 at 12:51 pm

i am planning to write short stories, but before starting up i want to read more and more short stories of yours, so let me know a few names of them . And thanks a lot for giving a very useful tips to the new writers..

November 19, 2017 at 1:57 pm

Honestly l am more than impressed with what l just read. This is the best piece of advice l have gotten regarding writing and short stories. I m sure bookmarking this. Pity the contest is over l would have loved to win one of your books Jodie!

August 14, 2019 at 4:43 am

Excellent! I appreciate the guidance you provided here, Anne. I’m trying short stories for the first time, and to be honest, I found it quite intimidating. It’s a challenge to craft a story containing all of these elements in a succinct narrative. You’ve given me a great foundation from which to start. Thanks!

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In terms of competitions, short story length is usually between 1,000 and 5,000 words, although I have seen short story competitions with a 17,000 word maximum. Some people might regard this as a novelette or novella. If you write a story of under 1,000 words, most people seem to regard this as flash fiction.

Below is a guide to story lengths and how they might be named (there’s a fair bit of overlap as research shows that opinions differ greatly):

• Flash fiction: under 1,000 words
• Short story: 500 to 17,000 words
• Novelette: 7,500 to 25,000 words
• Novella: 10,000 to 70,000 words
• Novel: 50,000 words or more

I’m of the opinion that the correct name or length is whatever any publisher, competition judge or magazine editor deem it to be. Just write within the parameters they ask for and you’re more likely to win competitions and be published.

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Gill R Hi Chris, I have written 3 children's books, I guess you would say Novellas. I self published one for charity (I am recovering from cancer and wanted to raise money) but after Lulu took their cut, there was very little left for the charity.  It's still up there, called Arrowroot the Goblin. 

I've written 2 more, one of which is 10,500 words and I think better than Arrowroot, but have no idea what to do with it. I did try a few publishers. Most said they did not accept manuscripts from new writers, so not sure how you're meant to ever become anything else! And no one AT ALL was interested in charity projects. Any advice much appreciated. Regards, Gill

Chris Fielden Hi Gill, sorry to hear you've suffered with cancer, but great that you are recovering :-)

Charity projects are tough, unless you're really famous so the publicity is worth it for the publishing house. Sounds harsh, but that's how business works unfortunately. I'd also imagine that the amount of charity projects a publisher receives means they just can't support all of them. 

Have you tried approaching the charity you're fund raising for to see if they can help with publicity? I'd imagine that's more likely to gain a response as there is something in it for them.

You could try approaching agents, rather than publishers, as they will consider previously unpublished authors, but the children's market is incredibly competitive, so you need a VERY thick skin.

I'm not really sure what else to say. It's a tough problem all writers face. That's partly why I started writing short stories - they're a lot easier to complete and there are plenty of publishing opportunities for them and competitions to enter. If you are published through these mediums, people start to recognize your name so you start to sell a few books. It's a long game to play, but I'm afraid I can't think of anything else to suggest!

Anyway, hope that's helpful. And best of luck with your writing and finding an outlet for your work :-) Cheers, Chris

Nicholas S Hi Chris, I am just nearing the completion of my book (45,000 words at the last count). I hope to reach 500,000 at least. My brother is helping with the editing. It is a fantasy adventure that is written in the first person. I have based a lot of my characters on friends and family (with their permission). I will self-publish through Amazon. Is this a good idea? My brother has already published his book (Mark S) so his input is a great help.

Regards, Nick

Chris Fielden Hi Nick, sorry a bit confused by numbers - I guess the 500K is a typo?! So 50K words? If not, you have Lord of the Rings on your hands - quite an achievement :-)

I think Amazon is a good way to go, if you don't want to approach agents or publishers. You'll need to market the book well to make many sales, though. If your brother has had success with that in the past then that is likely to be a great help. I think Amazon has more exposure than Lulu (which is the other self-publishing site I've used), so will probably be better, but Lulu is a lot more user friendly and intuitive to use when setting up your book and monitoring sales etc.

Hope that's some help :-)

Nicholas S Oops, yes its around 50 thousand. I have ended the book with the begining of the next, so I am am also working on that one, it's all go. I wish I could afford to just write as that would be fantastic.

I lived most of my life in Southern Africa and have used a few of my real life adventures in the book. I am now back home in Wiltshire with my family, but one day i hope to return to my adopted continent.

Thanks for your feed back.

Chris Fielden Sounds perfect Nick, always good to have a series - look at Harry Potter...

I think most writers wish they could afford to just write. If you persevere, at least you have a chance of achieving that dream. Never give up, that's the key!

Best of luck with the books, mate. And enjoy Wiltshire - it's a lovely part of the country. 

Nicholas S Hi Chris, just an update about my book as you said a while ago. It is now on sale yippee. It is called Shumbachena, Nick

Chris Fielden Excellent news, congrats Nick :-)

Emani M Hello Chris, I think it is really great that you have this website.  I think it really helps those who are interested in writing, but have no real idea about how to go about the whole process.  I am one of those people :)  I am going to enter my short stories in some of the competitions you have listed.  Is it okay for me to enter the same story for various competitions?  I would think so.

Okay, keep up what you are doing Chris.  You are great!!

Chris Fielden Thanks Emani :-)

It depends on the competition - you'd have to read the rules for each. A lot of them ask you not to submit elsewhere while a story is under consideration, but some allow it.

Best of luck with your writing!

Frances D I like to write short articles from my experiences.  All are non-fictional.  I have written two children's stories.  I don't know what to do with these or who might publish them.  What do you suggest?

Chris Fielden Frances, I'm not very familiar with non-fiction. Try looking at my short story competition page and see if any of them accept non-fiction submissions. I know some of them do, but you'd have to look through them and see what is most suitable for your work. You will also find competitions for children's stories.

Hope that's helpful. Best of luck with your writing.

Nidhi M I've written two novels in the Indian language. I've also written a short story. I need finances for my daughter's education. Please can you guide me? How can I send my short story to magazines? It's in English. I had never thought of taking writing as a career but now I think I should, for my daughter.

Please guide me. Thank you.

Chris Fielden Nidhi, you will have to research magazines and see what their submission guidelines are like and whether your work might be suitable. It's best to read back issues so you can see the style the editors prefer. Try this page where I list a lot of magazine opportunities.

Hope that's useful and best of luck with your writing!

Ron A I have a short story just over 5,000 words in length and I would love to publish it. Can I get some advice? I'm considering three follow ups in the series. I also have a short contemporary drama and according to your words a children's adventure flash story ready for competitions. This will also be a series more like 1,000 words each. I would like to hear from you.

Chris Fielden Ron, if you check out the short story competition list and the magazine list under the Writing Advice section of my website you will see lots of publishing opportunities for your work. The best bet is to look through them and see which competitions / magazines might be most suitable for your stories.

Ron A Thanks Chris, I actually started going through some of them and reading your advice before signing out and got a couple of key take-aways from it. Thanks again, I am now a fan and will continue to read your stuff. Ron.

Lynn C Do you have the names of magazines that write in this fashion?

Chris Fielden Lynn, if you look at the short story magazines page and the short story competitions page (the links are in my comment replying to Ron above) you'll find loads of different opportunities for submitting your work :-)

Lynn C Chris, thank you so much for the information.

Yin Chris, I would like advice on stories from the Far East (not exactly a genre that is the flavour of the day). My stories (short and novellas) are based in Malaysia/Indonesia. Are there any publishers who specialise in this genre? Since Maugham, Orwell, Burgess no one seems interested in this part of the world.

Am I killing myself for nothing? Thanks, Yin

Chris Fielden Yin, I don't know of any publishers who specialise in stories based in the east I'm afraid. That's not to say that publishers wouldn't be interested in them. In my experience, it doesn't matter where a story is set. Publishers are simply interested in strong stories. So it really depends what the stories are about and how good they are. If I were you, I'd try submitting them to magazines and competitions and see what kind of feedback you get. If they're already written, it's certainly worth a try - you have nothing to lose!

I hope that's helpful :-)

Anne M Christopher, I recently lost my job in the Banking sector and,  as I have always loved reading books, I decided to try and write a short story myself. It's something I always wanted to do anyway. Would it be possible to email or post a copy of my short fiction story to you for  you to look over and perhaps see if it's any good?

Kind Regards, Anne

Chris Fielden Anne, I'm afraid I receive a lot of requests like this and can't offer to proofread other writer's work for free. Having a full time job and running this site leaves me very little time! However, I do offer a paid proofreading service that might be of interest to you.

Best of luck with your writing :-)

Catherine N I published a short narrative of 13,300 words as an eBook on Amazon in time for Mental Health Awareness Week. It was promoted during that week by Anxiety UK, Bipolar UK, International Bipolar Foundation, Mental Health Foundation, Mind, Sane, Rethink, Relate, Time to Change, YoungMinds. Claudia Hammond from BBC Radio 4 also tweeted its presence on Amazon. They were all able to advertise the narrative when it was free.

I'd like to work towards promoting it for World Mental Health Day, 10 October 2014. One way would be to find translators so it could be read worldwide.

The narrative is for anyone who supports someone with a mental health problem and those who experience such difficulties. It was described by the Director of Operations at IBF as "a wonderfully unique perspective" as it does not judge or blame any aspect of being ill and shows a journey towards recovery which doesn't shy away from living daily with a mental health condition.

The narrative has taken me 20 years. I don't think there is another piece to follow but I may be wrong. The journey I'd like to take is to help people through illness and into work. Against all odds I am a special needs teacher and I love my work. I don't have experience or contacts in publishing or marketing, nor do I have funds to publish the narrative alone.

Please would you offer some guidance about how to move forwards with the story. It's called The Flight of the Bumblebee by C. C. Neish.

Yours, Catherine

Chris Fielden Catherine, it sounds like you've already had a good amount of success with your eBook - having all those institutions promoting it is really positive, so congratulations.

I'm not sure I can help with this, as I don't have the right kind of contacts. Most of my contacts run writing competitions and writing websites - they aren't publishing companies. It might be worth investing in the latest Writers' & Artists' Yearbook as that will contain up-to-date contact information about many different publishers.

Sorry I can't be of more help. Best of luck with the book and please let me know how you get on with publishing it :-)

Bruce G I have written a fictional story. It comes to about 50 pages. It is basically a novelette.   Which magazine would most likely accept my story?   Much appreciated if you can suggest one.

Chris Fielden Bruce, I'm afraid you'll have to undertake some research and read magazines' submission criteria and see which is most appropriate for your work.

I list a lot of magazine opportunities on my short story magazines page , so that's a good place to start.

Best of luck with getting your story published :-)

Anton A Dear Chris, great website.

Chris Fielden Anton, that sounds great. Let me know how you get on with the competitions!

Lyn P Hi Chris, great to find your website. Really pleased to find a website about writing that doesn't takes itself too seriously! At the same time though, you have a lot of good advice. Looking forward to entering your next competition.

Chris Fielden Thanks very much Lyn - I'll look forward to reading your entry :-)

Tyvan J Hi Chris, I too have decided to go with the Amazon route, but want to publish a few short stories first before unleashing my series on the world...

I was thinking about offering my first short story for free to get some exposure, and then start charging for my second and so on.

I guess my genre could be called Supernatural Fiction...

Allie L Chris, really appreciate the word lengths printed above. This tells me that I have either a short story or a novelette (8,500 words).  I would love to find a home for my ms, however, I haven't found a publication that will look at anything of this length. I'm surprised by how short the word cut-offs are. Any suggestions?

Chris Fielden Tyvan, that's great, best of luck with publishing your work"

Allie, try looking through my short story magazines list . Competitions usually have shorter word-count limitations, but magazines do sometimes consider longer works.

Hope that's helpful!

Subroto S Hello Christopher, I have submitted a novel of 40,000 words, which was the minimum prescribed for the competition.  If I want to get it published, is it better to get short excerpts of the fiction story published in some magazines?  The fiction story is a thriller.  Which magazine would you suggest?

Awaiting your guidance. Thanks, Subroto

Chris Fielden Hi Subroto, you could try, although many publishers prefer that writers submit previously unpublished work, so it will depend on who you are approaching with your book and what they say in their submission guidelines.

Some magazines will consider publishing novel excerpts, but not all. You'll have to do some research and see which ones do and don't, and which ones a thriller might appeal to. I'm afraid I can't really advise as it is dependent on your style of writing and what each magazine is looking for.

The other thing you could consider doing is using the characters in the story to write a short story and tailor it towards the magazines you're considering submitting to. That way, your novel remains unpublished, but you have work in a similar style and using the main characters published, which will look good on your writing CV.

I hope that's helpful, and best of luck with getting your work published.

Kathy P I have written numerous short stories, articles and poems. I am currently writing a book. I was wondering if the short stories that I have written for the Lancashire Evening Post would be of interest to you. Their word limit is 1,500 words, so they are quite short. I have a wealth of articles, which I have written about Eating Disorders as I am currently suffering from anorexia. Again, I am unsure whether or not they would fulfil any writing competition criteria. I look forward to hearing from you. I just love to write.

Chris Fielden Kathy, I'm afraid I'm not currently publishing any stories from other writers other than through my short story competition. You can find details here .

There are some non-fiction competitions that might accept your articles, so it might be worth researching that on Google.

Hope that's helpful and best of luck with your writing.

Dean J Hi.  I'm working on a collection of short stories, of which ten of the stories have been completed.  I'm aiming for fifteen, and at this stage I'm looking for a publisher.  My work includes a number of allegorical works and humorous stories.  Can anybody recommend a good contact?

Chris Fielden Dean, sorry, I don't know of any. The best bet is to check out the Writers' & Artists' Yearbook and do some research that way.

David B Hi Chris, I have been writing a Science Fiction story since Feb 2014. It's been a bit hit and miss but I'm up to 36K words and it's not finished yet. However, I am now getting to the point of thinking how do I get it published.  I've seen Amazon's site but I'm still not sure of what I need to send to them or anything like that (total novice). Have you any suggestions, or advise?

PS do I need a cover illustration?

Chris Fielden David, if you look at the Amazon Novel Award submission guidelines they will tell you exactly what you need to do. Generally, most publishers will expect to read a finished novel if they like your initial submission. There are exceptions to this rule, so you will have to research each individual publishers' / competitions' submission criteria, but that is generally the case. So I'd advise that you finish the book before submitting.

You do not need to have a cover prepared for your book (unless you intend to self-publish) - it's the story that matters.

You could also check out my book and novel competition list - there are lots of opportunities listed there. Best of luck with finishing your book!

Marie A Hi Chris, I'm from the Philippines and the publishing industry isn't exactly very supportive of writers. I've tried submitting my manuscript (roughly 40k words) to some agents in the US and London and I have received some replies that said that it did get their attention. But I'm afraid that distance may also have stopped them from even considering me. Do you have any advice? Thanks, by the way. The website is really very helpful. Thanks again in advance :)

Chris Fielden Hi Marie, I don't think it matters where you live in the world - if a publisher likes your work they'll publish it! The key is not giving up. Rejection is just part of the job. Each time you receive a rejection, reread your work, improve it where possible and then send it out again. That's how I do it. Sometimes my stories are rejected many times before they are published.

I hope that helps you. Best of luck with finding a publisher for your work :-)

Marie A Chris! I received your reply and I would like to thank you for your time and effort. It really means a lot to me especially coming from you. What you said really helped me to be more hopeful and to just keep on working hard until I get that yes that I've been waiting for.

Thanks again!

Holly K Christopher, this information on story length classification is really useful. 

I haven't been writing long but a friend suggested I try for the Open Lines comp on Radio 4 but I have ended up with a much longer story than their guidelines suggest. I don't know whether I should chop it to bits, enter part of it as a stand alone or enter it somewhere else and send in something different.  Any tips gratefully received.

Chris Fielden Holly, this is a common problem! Sometimes, an idea turns into a longer story than you anticipated. In these circumstances, I usually enter the longer piece elsewhere and write something new to the required word length. But if you feel the piece could work as a shorter story, then chop it back. There's a bit of trial and error involved, but you'll soon get used to what works for you.

Hope that's helpful and best of luck with the Radio 4 competition :-)

Holly K Thanks Chris, have done just that... only I feel a bit cheeky sending something in that is so speedily written. Happy with it though.

Thanks for the advice and Happy writing!

Chris Fielden Welcome Holly :-)

Srijaya N C I have written a short story of around 4,000 words which you can call a novella. It is a women oriented story set in an Indian background.

The title is : "Aren't we a family"

Should I send the manuscript to you?

Chris Fielden Srijaya, I don't publish other writers' stories, except through my short story competition . If you want to enter that, you will have to pay the entry fee.

I wish you the best of luck with getting your work published.

Herb H I have written a children's book about how trucks fit into the intermodal system of interstate commerce. I have spent the last 30 years in the industry, so my perspective is my strength. I have submitted the manuscript to about 8 publishers with strong interest but no bites. Any suggestion on who I can focus on to tell my story? My option is to self-publish and use my connections in the national truck stop directory to market the book at their location. Long haul truckers are the audience. It is mainly a picture book with sound bites of truck horns, train whistles, boat whistles and plane propeller noises. Any suggestions?

Second message: I've written a short story; 1,500 words. It is an adult subject but not vulgar. Mostly humorous accounting of my freshman year in high school and my relationship with the class tease.

Any suggestions where  I might send for publication? Thanks twice.

Chris Fielden Hi Herb, I'm afraid I have no experience of the trucking industry so can't help there. The best bet is to invest in the Writers' & Artists' Yearbook as they have up-to-date publisher information that is likely to help you research the best market. Failing that you could self-publish through Create Space or Lulu or something like that.

Regarding your short story, there are loads of opportunities listed on my website on the Short Story Competitions page and the Short Story Magazine page . A little research there should give you plenty of opportunities. I also run a humorous short story competition too, so that might be appropriate.

Brian P B Your lists and comments are by far and away the most useful that I have come across in more than just a little bit of research in trying to find one,  just one site that I can consistently go to and know that they first care and second put the research and effort into something that is worthwhile as well as helpful.

For that my friend,  I thank you.

Chris Fielden Thanks so much, Brian. I'm very pleased to hear you like the site and find it useful - always great to hear :-)

Chantiele Chris, I have written my first novelette and I will be writing another one to add to it before I try to publish them. My complete one is a little over 13,000 words and I know the rule of thumb is to put two or three together in a book format before you publish.

I have also started writing short stories now. They average to about 1,500 words each. What I would like to know is how many short stories would I need before I can publish them in a book for Amazon on Kindle? Or is it the word count that I should be considering? I would like to get a baseline to work from, so any advice given, will be appreciated.

Chris Fielden Chantiele, congrats on finishing your novelette - that's a great achievement :-)

There is no rule really. Most readers would expect 10 or 15 stories at least, I guess, to regard it as a collection. The shortest collection I've ever submitted to a publisher was 15 stories and was over 40,000 words (40K was their minimum requirement).

If you're self-publishing, you just need to do what feels right for your writing and the collection as a whole. And then maybe price it cheaper if it ends up being short.

I hope that's helpful.

Aidan D I have written a novelette and would like to see if it is publishable. It is a historical work of non-fiction that involves my family. How would I go about submitting this? I would appreciate any advice that I could get. Thank you.

Chris Fielden Aidan, you would have to research publishing opportunities. It will depend how long your story is, but some magazines might accept a novelette - sometimes they serialise longer stories. Or you'd have to approach publishers. The Writers' & Artists' Yearbook is a good place to start.

Let me know if you have any other questions :-)

Joseph P Hi! In July of this year I'll be a 93-year-old codger. I am a retired businessman who, upon retiring at age 75, got restless and went back to school and participated in a few creative courses. At age 80 I wrote my memoir, then in 2006 I wrote a romance novel and followed it up with a sequel in 2008. I self-published all three books and sold several hundred copies of each without doing any significant promotions.

I no longer want to write novels but from time to time I get involved in writing flash fiction and short stories. Would you be interested is publishing some of them?

Chris Fielden Joseph, I'm afraid I don't publish other writer's work, except through my short story competition which you would have to enter.

Congratulations on your novels! And I wish you the best of luck with getting your short stories published.

Gayle C Hi Chris, I have been wanting to write for as long as I can remember but have always worried about keeping ownership of my work so have never approached anyone about publishing it. Can you give a brief overview of what happens, sort of how to keep the writing as your own? I would like to think my stuff was good enough to publish but dont want to submit it to find it had been used by someone else. Thank you.

Chris Fielden Gayle, as soon as you write a piece of fiction, you own the copyright as the creator. You will have the original files and can prove you submitted your work to a magazine by keeping emails or proof of postage. You can learn a lot more about Copyright on Wikipedia .

I really wouldn't worry about anyone stealing your work - the likelihood is miniscule. I've been submitting stories for years and have never encountered any problems.

I hope that puts your mind at rest, but let me know if you have any other questions.

Gayle C Thank you, Chris, this has always worried me. I once submitted a piece to a children's magazine then thought I saw bits of my story in others that were printed. Never did hear back from them.

Thanks once again.

Chris Fielden Sorry to hear that, Gayle. If they did use your work without permission, you should probably take legal advice as they should pay you for it!

Gayle C Hi Chris, long time ago now and it just put me off, but am looking at finding a publisher for small stories. Thank you for the advice. Am trawling through my papers, (I don't throw anything away!) and have just finished your book. I enjoyed it very much and was genuinely surprised by the end.

I must admit to reading a good crime novel every now and then and this one was quite a well hatched plot! Waiting for your next, best regards Gayle

Chris Fielden Fabulous – it’s always nice to hear someone enjoyed Wicked Game – thanks for letting me know :-)

All the best with getting your work published!

Neil E Been writing stuff mostly screenplays and short stories for twenty years or so. Need to get it out there how do I go about it Ta!

Chris Fielden Hi Neil, the best bet is to start submitting to magazines and competitions. You can research markets on these pages:

• Short Story Competitions

Hope that helps!

Irish B Hi Chris, why is it that in literature short stories are long sometimes?

Chris Fielden I guess the term 'short story' is open to interpretation... :-)

Arjun L Hi Chris, I want to write a story, but I have a big problem with the language of English. So can you give any suggestions regarding this? I hope you will help me.

Chris Fielden Hi Arjun. If English isn't your first language and you're not confident writing stories in English, then there are 4 options that I can think of.

• Write stories in your native language and try and get them published before writing in English
• Study the English language until you feel you understand the language well enough to write stories in English
• Pay a professional to translate your stories from your native language into English
• Write stories in English and then pay an editor to bring them up to standard

2 will take time, and 3 and 4 could be costly, so I'd advise you start with 1. If you get any of your work published, you will know the story is good and therefore it might be worth investing in translating the story for English language markets.

I hope that's helpful and wish you the best of luck with your writing :-)

Arjun L Hi Chris, thank you so much for your valuable advice.

Adam T Hi Chris, I have written 3 children's books, I guess you would say Novellas. I self-published one for charity (I am recovering from cancer and wanted to raise money) but after Lulu took their cut, there was very little left for the charity.  It's still up there, called Arrowroot the Goblin.

I've written 2 more, one of which is 10,500 words and I think better than Arrowroot, but have no idea what to do with it. I did try a few publishers. Most said they did not accept manuscripts from new writers, so not sure how you're meant to ever become anything else. And no one AT ALL was interested in charity projects. Any advice much appreciated.

Chris Fielden Hi Adam. If you're having no luck with publishers, you could try approaching an agent to represent you. However, this is very competitive. I'd recommend starting by researching agents that might be suitable to approach. The Writers' & Artists' Yearbook is a good place to start. Unfortunately, the children's market is incredibly competitive, so it is difficult to break into. However, that shouldn't stop you trying...

Lots of people write books for charity. I suspect publishers get inundated with requests of that nature and have to focus on what makes money. If they were to undertake charity projects, they are much more likely to use a recognised author so they can guarantee raising some money. A project with an unknown author is likely to make a loss, unless there is a specific angle that can be used for marketing purposes.

I'd recommend continuing with the self-publishing route and then marketing your book yourself. CreateSpace is a good place to start as it's free to use and you can then distribute through Amazon. That's what I do.

I've used Lulu too. The cost is similar, but Amazon gets you more exposure as the distribution is better and they have a larger audience. You still have to push the book yourself though, to generate sales. You could see if the charity is interested in advertising the book through their website/Facebook etc.? That could help.

I hope that's helpful. Best of luck with your book.

David H Hi Chris, I am starting to write some short stories which I would like to put into one book. I hope you don't mind me asking a couple of basic questions.

I would like to write a couple of 50,000 word stories. How many chapters would you use in a 50,000 word story?

Also, I am using Word. I have seen you should have 10 pages a chapter. I have also seen you write 200ish words per page. So, every time I reach 200ish words, do i make a new page? Or just write on the page in Word until it makes a new page itself?

Chris Fielden Hi David. There is no rule or limit on the number of chapters used in a story. It is entirely subjective - just use as many as you think the story requires.

The same goes with words per page. If you are submitting to publishers, they generally expect documents to use double line-spacing for editing reasons. There is no expectation regarding the number of words per page. When a story is accepted for publication, it is formatted specifically for printing.

If you are planning to self-publish, I'd use the same method. I use CreateSpace to publish my books. When a book is complete I download one of their templates and then create the actual book using that.

I hope that's helpful. Best of luck with your short stories.

Krishna K Hello Christopher

It's really fantastic that you encourage new writers from all corners of the world. I found your site a gate-way for my writing of short stories, poetry and translation of any English / Hindi stories into TELUGU. I have short story of 642 words.

Where should I send it?

Whom should I send it to?

I am from Andhra Pradesh, India, Asia.

I have been working as a teacher in a public school for the past 25 years.

With best complements.

Chris Fielden Hi Krishna, I'm glad you like the site :-)

If you want to enter competitions with your story, try researching opportunities on my short story competitions lists .

If you want to submit to short story magazines, try this page .

I wish you the best of luck with publishing your stories.

Yuvraj S Sir, I have written a story. It is about 5 pages long. How many pages should there be in a short story?And can short stories be published on sites like amazon as an eBook?

Chris Fielden Hi Yuvraj. Usually, short stories are measured by word count, not the number of pages. This is because font size, type of font, spacing etc. can make the word count of a page vary considerably.

You can Google tools to count the words in a story for you. However, some aren't very accurate, so be wary of that. Microsoft Word, Google Docs etc. do it for you and are accurate.

So far as I know, you can self-publish any length of book on Amazon. Just check out their KDP guidelines.

Jeff G Hello Chris, I am a teen who had originally hated ELA but have now gotten into writing. So I'm kinda going into writing bling. I have a great novel that I want to at least have a word count of 50k. My friend has told me to start with some short stories. I started writing but I'm not sure how long this story should be. I don't want it to be too short, but not too long to where I'm basically writing another novel. What would be a good word count for the story? Should it be a short story, or a Novelette?

Chris Fielden Hi Jeff. It depends what you want to do with your story really. The vast majority of short story competitions ask for stories that are up to 5,000 words in length. Magazines sometimes accept longer submissions. Up to 8,000 words is common, above that is less common, but you do see some that will consider publishing novelettes and novellas.

Personally, I tend to write stories under 5,000 words as there is a large market full of publishing opportunities for tales of this length. The market for novelettes is smaller, but there is a market there. So it depends what you want to do with the story when you've finished it. There is no rule - you just need to pick a market and write for it.

Angelica B I'm writing a short story, but every time I write up to three pages I read it again and it doesn't make sense so I end up starting all over again.

Chris Fielden Hi Angelica. Have you tried plotting a story out before you write it? If you do that, it can help keep you focussed and help the story stay on track. It's worth a try.

Mickey P Please tell me how a short story differs from a novella. Thank you.

Chris Fielden Hi Mickey. It's the length of the story. Novellas are longer than short stories. The story lengths discussed on this page are a good guide.

Mickey P Thank you much for your response. Would you please give me maximum word count to go by?

Chris Fielden Hi Mikey. There is no exact maximum word count for any type of story - like I said, read the post above and that gives you a guide regarding word count.

Different publishers have different word count requirements, so it depends who you want to submit to.

Paul W Hi Chris. Just stumbled across your website and found the info very helpful. I write humorous short stories, I've had about ten published in magazines / newspapers, appeared on tele in the finals of a BBC3 writing comp and had a little monologue on the radio and BBC interactive TV (Johnny Vegas did it proud).

My problem is, as much as I'd love to write a 50,000+ word novel, I just find the whole thing too daunting to attempt. Any ideas?

Many thanks.

Chris Fielden Hi Paul. Congratulations - it sounds like you're doing really well with getting your short stories published.

I guess you could do a collection of your published short stories? That might make a novel length book.

Or you could do a writing course, like the one offered by the Writers Bureau . I did that (many years ago, to be honest, but found it very helpful) and then wrote a novel after doing it.

Or you could use platforms like Wattpad and Inkitt . You can upload chapters to those platforms and gain feedback from readers as you go.

I hope that’s helpful and wish you the best of luck with your writing in the future.

Swapnil Sir, I have written a bunch of short stories. I'm not English, so I have some problems to face with publishing my short stories. I think I write well, but nobody comments on my stories. So now I need a critiquing platform for my short stories. They are written from extracts of my personal diary. I hope you will read my story and give me a chance to prove myself. Thank you.

Chris Fielden Hi Swapnil. I receive many requests to read other writers work for free and offer advice. I have to turn all of these requests down, I’m afraid. I just don’t have time to read stories for free. I do offer a paid proofreading service which you’d be welcome to use. You can learn about that in Writing Services section of my website.

If you want some ideas of where to obtain free feedback on your stories, try this resource .

There are some platforms listed there that might be of interest to you.

I wish you the best of luck with your writing.

Trevor EHS Do you accept short stories from autobiographs? Memoirs?

Chris Fielden Hi Trevor. Are you referring to my competition? If so, you can see all the details here .

If you're referring to writing a post for my website, please see my submission guidelines .

The only other way I accept stories is through my flash fiction writing challenges .

If that doesn't answer your question, please elaborate so that I know what you're referring to.

Trevor EHS Hello Chris. As I have had some memoirs published in news papers and magazines (some with small financial rewards) I would like your advice as to where I could improve my income. I am in my senior years  so have plenty of experiences. Your suggestions would be appreciated.

Chris Fielden Hi Trevor. Well, I list a couple of memoir competitions in my non-fiction competitions resource .

Aside from that, I'm not aware of any other opportunities specifically for memoirs. If you discover any, please let me know, as I often get asked about them. Maybe there's a gap in the market?

Lucy S This information is really helpful! But I gotta ask, are these story lengths the length of a chapter or the length of an entire book?

Chris Fielden Hi Lucy. The story lengths given are just a guide, but they are for complete books/stories, not individual chapters. I've never come across any specific guidelines about chapter length, but I guess some publishers might have a preference. I'd simply recommend reading submission guidelines carefully before sending your work anywhere :-)

Jarod T So, a book can be in two categories at once, because the categories overlap each other?

Example: A 16k word story is both a Novelette and a short story.

Chris Fielden Hi Jarod. It depends which publisher you research... many have different requirements on the word count limits attributed to short stories, novellas, novels etc.

The best advice is to see what word limits a publisher asks for and how they refer to the different story lengths as part of your market research, prior to submitting.

The numbers on this page simply show the ballpark figures, based on research across a wide variety of publishers in different countries.

I hope that answers the question.

Evelyn A Dear Mr Fielden. I am from Sri Lanka. I am a passionate reader as well as a writer. I write novels, and short stories.

I want to know if I, being someone from Sri Lanka, could apply for these competitions listed on your site, and if I could also be able to publish mu short stories through this site.

I am so interested to go through this site, and it is very informative and helpful.

Thank you very much.

Chris Fielden Hi Evelyn. Thanks for getting in touch and glad to hear you like the site :-)

Most of the competition I list will accept entries from writers living anywhere in the world. However, some of them do have local restrictions - just check the submission guidelines before entering.

If you want to write for my site, have a look at my writing challenges . I publish writers through those.

I wish you the best of luck with your writing and submissions.

Evelyn A Dear Mr Fielden. Thank you so much for your quick response. I really appreciate it.

Thank you for your information on publishing, and I shall for sure check the sites for more details and restrictions, if there are any.

Thanks for sharing the link to your publishing site, that is so very kind of you. I shall be happy to do so. First I shall check the details through the link provided by you.

Chris Fielden No problem, Evelyn – glad you found my reply useful :-)

Bernadette E Dear Christopher, I am at present writing a book about my travels to Cornwall over the past fifty years, I would like to know if this will be classed as a short story, instead of a book.

I have written 26,500 words and 129 A4 pages so far,I will be including photographs, my life is long, so maybe not qualify as a short story!

Many thanks for any enlightenment you might give me.

Chris Fielden Hi Bernadette. Well, it depends on the publisher really.

Most publishers seem to class stories of that length as a novella or a novelette, but some may still class it as a short story.

If your book is non-fiction, you might find it’s classed as a memoir or autobiography by some publishers and agents – you’ll have to research and see what they ask for I guess.

I hope that’s helpful. I wish you the best of luck with your book.

Bernadette E Dear Chris, many thanks for your reply it was very helpful, I think it maybe an autobiography, but time will tell I am sure. I shall research more on your link, thank you very much.

Chris Fielden No problem, thanks Bernie :-)

Malcolm L Good morning, I am just after some advice, if possible. I have a cousin who writes short stories. They have not had anything published, yet, but I think that they could have. My question is, where would they need to submit a short story? I am asking on their behalf as they do not have the internet. Any advice you could let me have, and I will pass it on. Thank you for your time.

Chris Fielden Hi Malcolm, thank you for your message.

You'll be pleased to hear that there are hundreds of publication opportunities for short stories nowadays. I list many on my website.

You can find details of hundreds of short story competitions here .

And you'll find details of hundreds of short story magazines, journals and websites here .

If your cousin doesn't have the internet, they may struggle as the vast majority of submissions are undertaken online. But I guess they could use an internet café or something.

Anyway, I hope that's helpful :-)

Izzy H I am 13 and working on a trilogy. The first book is on 46,000 words, so nearly half way! The main three books (the trilogy I mentioned), are actually also in a trilogy, while being a trilogy themselves.

1) The __ of __

2) The Tales of __ (trilogy of short stories)

• The First Story (set a few hundred years before the main books, three parts to the book)
• Character Truths [name in finalisation] (three stories revealing the hidden aspects of three select characters)
• New Stories [name in finalisation] (three stories of characters either during the time of the original three books or after, ie the main characters children)

Hope that was understandable! Any tips on story writing in general while managing schools and GCSEs, and also publication would be helpful :)

Chris Fielden Hi Izzy Wow... it sounds like you're busy! It's great to hear that someone of your age has so much focus and motivation and is aleady 46K words into your project. Congratulations - you should be very proud :-)

It is tough finding time to write, especially around work and, in your case, studying. I try and set some time aside every day, even if it's just 30 minutes. Turn off the phone, the internet and anything that can distract you. And then write. I often go out to write, too. I have a camper van that I use as a mobile writing office and that means I can go away and focus. You won't be driving yet... but going to a library, or somewhere quiet, might make it easier to focus. That approach works for me. I hope it might work for you too.

Re publishing, it depends what you want to do with your books. You can self-publish easily nowadays, on CreateSpace, Amazon, Lulu etc. Or you can try approaching agents and publishers. If you want to do that, try the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook or the Mslexia Indie Press Guide as a starting point for your research. They're both very useful.

I hope that information is useful and wish you the best of luck with your trilogies :-)

Alan WG Hello Chris. What a wealth of information. Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to reach-out for information on writing!  I happened onto your site with a search of  'Short Story Lengths' and was intrigued by the wealth of generous information  you provided.

I am a screenwriter who has had a request to rewrite one of my feature film scripts of 104 pages, into a short film. Your guide for story-lengths is super helpful but difficult to transfer  to a screenplay's length, as their disciplines are similar  yet quite different, #pages vs #words (apples/oranges.) Todays feature film scripts have a standard page count of 110 max (generally.)  Would you have any guidelines on 'general' length for a short story screenplay?

Thank you again for your information. Though I am speaking in a different writing format I found your readers comments helpful to my situation, and thought my query  might be of interest as well.

Chris Fielden Thank you for your message, Alan - very much appreciated. I'm glad to hear you are finding the site helpful :)

I'm afraid I don't have any experience with writing screenplays, so I can't answer your question. That said, I just had a quick look online, and the most useful post I could find was on the Masterclass website .

I hope that helps and wish you the very best with your screenplay. And thanks for asking the question, as I'm sure other readers will find it interesting.

Alan G Hi Chris, your efforts are ‘Greatly' appreciated. I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to help me with my quandary. Your helping  me with my search was completely unexpected, and a testament to your generosity and kindness. You've inspired me to delve further into your book publishing study course (another avenue to showcase a story for a screenplay adaption),  once I've completed my current project. Thanks again...I’ll be in touch!!!

"Much~Appreciated”   ~ Alan

Chris Fielden No problem, Alan. I wish you the very best with your current project.

The copyright of the stories and content published on this website remain with the author.

Christopher Fielden and all the other contributing authors published via this website have asserted their right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the authors of these works.

The stories and articles on this site are provided for you to read free of charge subject to the condition that they are not, by way of trade or otherwise, copied, lent, sold, hired out, printed or otherwise circulated in any format without the author’s prior consent.

How Long Is A Short Story? The Perfect Length For Short Stories

• March 28, 2022

One thing that authors need to keep in mind when writing a story is word count. While you can technically write your story to be any length, keeping the pace of a story includes some planning.

Short stories have word counts with a fairly large range and are great when packed together in a collection or as stand-alone publications to help get your foot in the door when you begin writing.

Short story writing is not just for new authors. Some of the best-known, best-selling authors are known for their short stories. Jackson, London, King, Poe, and many others successfully mastered the art of the short story.

Short stories are also fun to read. You can get all of the essential elements and excitement that you would get from a novel in a bite-size story that you can usually read in one sitting. But how long is a short story? Are there hard and fast rules concerning short story word counts?

These questions and more will be answered in this article.

All the Stories

There are many classifications of stories based upon word count. While there aren’t exactly iron-clad rules regarding word count to qualify as a short story, there are general guidelines that every writer should know and keep in mind as they begin the writing process.

Word count in micro fiction

Micro fiction stories are stories that are less than 100 words. While this may sound impossible, there are some examples of this craft. Commonly credited to  Hemingway , there is a six-word story that simply goes, “For Sale: Baby shoes. Never worn.”

This simple story invokes an emotional reaction for most readers because we can only guess why the shoes are for sale and why they have never been worn, but the common perception of the point of this story is quite the melancholy one.

The story attached to its creation is that Hemingway placed a bet that he could write a six word story, and “Baby Shoes” was the product of that bet. Another that many people have heard goes like this, “The last man on Earth sat alone in a room. There was a knock on the door.”

A short story can pack a big punch and usually leave the reader more unsettled than stories with higher word counts because an incredibly short story packs a punch in very few words. With no real explanation, they end, leaving the reader curious.

Word count in flash fiction

Flash fiction is classified as a short work of fiction with a word count of under 1000 words. Another Hemingway, “A Very Short Story,” is told in under 700 words and, much like his famous six-word story, provides us with an example of being able to evoke an emotional response with very few words.

For example, In this flash fiction story, two characters, a soldier and a nurse fall in love when the soldier is injured. They vow to get married, and he goes home to the States to get a job and be able to make a life for the woman he loves.

She stays behind to wait for him to have resources for marriage. She has an affair in that time apart, and she is duped into thinking that the man she cheated with is in love with her and will marry her. The story ends with both the nurse and the soldier incredibly unhappy and apart.

With the right flash fiction prompts to inspire you, flash fiction may be a great start to write a short story.

How Many Words is a Short Story?

So, that brings us again to the question: How long is a short story?

The general rule for a word count on short stories is anything over 1000 words and under 10,000 words. While there is a lot of cushion here, many short stories range somewhere in the middle of these parameters in terms of their word count.

A short story tends to have more description than its micro fiction and flash fiction counterpart. If you write a short story, you want to give enough information and background to your reader so that they invest in the characters and the situation without dragging the plot out. 

A short story tends to get to the point fairly quickly after a bit of background has been established, and they move at a much faster pace than a novel does.

Writing short stories can be challenging because you can have a great idea but have just a limited amount of space in which to tell the story behind that idea. 

You have to address the subject matter fairly quickly into the story and can’t dawdle on the setup, introduction of the main character, character development , or the interactions of multiple characters. 10,000 words may seem like a lot, but it’s really not when you’re tasked with writing an entire story so that it will engage an audience.

How Long Is a Short Story in Pages ?

A short story has an estimated length of 3 to 30 pages. This range varies depending on the word count, font size and style, margins, line spacing, and insertion of visual elements like pictures, illustrations, tables, graphs, and the like.

As mentioned above, the average word count of a short story is 1,000 to 10,000 words. Short story length matters in certain circumstances. Having 3 to 30 pages for the mentioned word count range is advisable, especially if you want to publish your work in a literary magazine.

It would be best to talk to your publisher about their conventions on how many pages you need to deliver when publishing a short story since different publishers may have their own sets of standards and rules.

Do Short Stories Have Chapters?

A short story does not have chapters because it is so short. It may contain scene transitions and breaks to signify a new setting, show a different scene, or indicate that time has passed.

These transitions depend on where they make sense in a short story. A scene transition may appear before the climax or whatever part the author feels that shifting or pausing is possible when writing short stories.

Chapters are however, used to divide parts of novellas and novels as they are longer and the pause allows the reader to stop at each chapter’s end to rest and process what has taken place in the story so far. Often, a reader can finish reading a short story within one sitting, so they don’t require chapter breaks, where as this is not always possible with novels.

Bite-Sized Classics

Many of our favorite classic stories are actually short stories.

Many established writers are also masters of writing a short story. While many of them included their most famous short stories in short story collections, there is very little debate that a great short story can be read in one sitting and is just as enjoyable as longer works of fiction. 

The following are some examples of some short stories that have lived on in the hearts and minds of the reader and nearly everyone has heard of. While some of these are longer short stories than others, and most of them were included in collections, they are each also a great short story as a stand-alone.

• Edgar Allen Poe: A Tell-Tale Heart (2100 words)
• Stephen King: Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption
• Katherine Mansfield: The Garden Party (5555 words)
• Shirley Jackson: The Lottery (3775 words)
• Jack London: To Build a Fire (7175 words)

The novella fits snugly between the short story and the novel. The length of a novella can have a word count that is typically anywhere between 10,000 and 40,000 words. Anything above 40,000 words is considered a novel.

Joyce Carol Oates is a well-known suspense author who wrote the novella “Beasts.” In this story, a female student becomes inappropriately obsessed with her English professor, throws caution to the wind, and engages in illicit and strange behavior with both the professor and his wife.

A tale of suspense, this is just one example of a great novella that pulls the readers in and gives them a lot of chaos and suspense in fewer words and space than a full-length novel. Oates has also written novella collections .

Word counts matter less with novels than they do with short stories and other short fiction pieces. Word counts can be a little elastic when it comes to novels, although the standard rule of thumb is that a novel is ideally between 50,000 and 100,000 words.

There are, however, standard practices that work best as far as word count and book genres go.

Romance novels are usually fun and quick reads without a lot of depth to them. In other words, when you read a romance, you’re not there for a lot of interesting backstory.

You’re there for the rush you feel when the main character falls in love and for the thrill of the story in general.

You fall in love with the story because it’s like the whirlwind romance: fun, quick, and largely superficial. Most romance novels are right at the minimum 50,000 word count.

Thriller/Suspense

These are typically longer written novels. Usually coming in at around 70,000 words, thrillers, mysteries , and suspense stories typically take a little longer to build up, and writers often like to take their time with such genres.

Shirley Jackson, an author who is considered a master storyteller, wrote what is considered by many to be her masterpiece, the mystery novel ‘ We Have Always Lived in the Castle ,’ in under 50,000 words. It came in at the minimum end of what is considered to be the range for a novel, but it is so excellently written that it doesn’t matter to most readers or book critics.

Shirley Jackson was a master of the novel, novella, and short story and remains the inspiration for some of today’s best writers.

Science Fiction

The science fiction novel is often on the upper end of the scale when it comes to the number of words. Because there are often whole worlds being introduced to the reader in a sci-fi novel, the author needs more space in which to set and build the scene and explain things like technology, weapons, society, etc.

A sci-fi novel usually stretches from between 90,000 and 120,000 words. Again, this is not a hard set rule, as most of Kurt Vonnegut’s books, most of which had heavy sci-fi themes, were much shorter.

“ Cat’s Cradle ,” one of Vonnegut’s better-known novels, is satiric sci-fi and is barely over 50,000 words.

Short Story Collections

While a good short story can stand alone, they are often included in collections so that a writer can publish several of them at once. Many short story writers have the first draft of their stories published in magazines, such as Edgar Allen Poe and Stephen King.

After they have enough short stories to include in a collection, a selection is made, and a book of short stories is produced.

King has released several collections and has claimed that he plans to write short stories for the rest of his career, although he is known as the master of the horror novel. Something about the short story challenges him, and he enjoys it immensely.

He has found so much success in his shorter works that many of them have been made into films.

Sometimes after a writer dies, their short stories are gathered and published as a collection. This is true of both Poe and Shirley Jackson. Vonnegut is another whose unpublished work were collected and published in one book after his death.

Do Word Counts Really Matter?

There are certainly circumstances in which word counts don’t matter. Word counts for non-fiction are often dependent upon the subject matter. The average short story can have words that vary by a margin of over 60,000 words.

Counting words shouldn’t get in the way of your writing short stories. But you should remain cognizant of them when you write a short story to know what sort of finished product you’re going to have.

You may start low and slow with flash fiction as you work your way up to bigger writing projects. Don’t get pressured with how many pages or words you need to churn out.

Short stories tend to be a bit of a challenge when you want to incorporate so much in your work. Press on and just keep writing and let your creativity take over. Soon, you will have a literary masterpiece in your hands.

2 thoughts on “How Long Is A Short Story? The Perfect Length For Short Stories”

Your comment on SS’s is spot on thank you it provided the guidence I needed thank you. Good job.

Thanks for making this information available to the public. This has really helped to answer the very questions that has been bothering me for some time. Thanks ever so much.

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Blog – Posted on Sunday, Jun 17

Best short stories and collections everyone should read.

If you are on the lookout for great storytelling but don’t want to commit to a full-length novel, then short story collections are the answer. Whether it’s just before bed, during your commute, or waiting to see your doctor, small chunks of time are perfect for reading short stories.

Here we have gathered thirty-one of the best short stories and collections , from all sorts of backgrounds and sources, to help you grow your “To Be Read” pile.

For your convenience, we've divided this post into two parts: 1. the ten best free short stories to read right now , and 2. best short story collections. Feel free to jump to the section that you prefer!

If you're feeling overwhelmed by the number of great short stories out there, you can also take our 30-second quiz below to narrow it down quickly and get a personalized short story recommendation 😉

Which short story should you read next?

Discover the perfect short story for you. Takes 30 seconds!

Free Short Stories to Read Right Now

These individual short stories are the best of the best — and the even better news is that they're available for free online for you to peruse. From classics published in the 1900s to a short story that exploded in late 2017, here are ten of the greatest free short stories for you to read.

1. “Lamb to the Slaughter” by Roald Dahl

While not exactly a philosophical or political tale like our first two examples, this twisty short story from Dahl does delve into some shady moral territory. We are introduced to Mary Maloney: a loving wife and dedicated homemaker. In just a few short paragraphs describing how she welcomes her husband home, Dahl makes us sympathize with Mary — before a rash act turns her life upside down and takes the reader with her on a dark journey.

For those who haven’t read it, we won’t spoil the rest. However, it’s safe to say that Dahl serves up a fiendish twist on a platter.

2. “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson

A perennial feature in many a high school syllabus, Shirley Jackson’s best-known short story clinically details an unusual ritual that takes place in a small town. There’s not exactly a lot of plot to spoil in The Lottery — but within a few short pages, Jackson manages to represent the mob mentality that can drive reasonable people to commit heinous acts.

3. “How to Become a Writer” by Lorrie Moore

Told in the second person point of view , this story from Moore’s debut anthology Self-Help takes an honest look at the inner life of a struggling artist. Through the use of an unusual POV, the author manages to turn her reader into a confidante — making it abundantly clear that the ‘you’ the narrator is speaking about is actually herself.

This story is a standout, but the entire collection is well worth a read for its insight, humor, and disregard for literary norms.

4. “Cat Person” by Kristen Roupenian

In the Social Media Age, no short story has gone viral the way this New Yorker contribution from Roupenian has. Arriving at the height of #MeToo, it begins with 20-year-old Margot embarking on the early stages of flirtation with an older man, Robert. As she gets to know more about this man (as well as filling in the gaps with her imagination), the power dynamic in their relationship starts to fluctuate.

Lauded for its portrayal of Margot’s inner life and the fears many modern women face when it comes to dating, it also has its fair share of detractors — many are critical of the central character, some are downright outraged by the story’s success. Still, this story undeniably struck a chord with the reading public, and will likely remain relevant for some time.

5. “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver

First published in The Atlantic Monthly in 1981, “Cathedral” is today known as one of Raymond Carver’s finest works. When it opens, we meet a narrator whose wife is expecting a visit from an old friend, a blind man. Dissatisfied and distrusting of people not like him, our narrator struggles to connect until the blind man asks him to describe a cathedral to him. 

 “Cathedral” is one of Carver’s own personal favorites, and deservedly so. His characteristic minimalist style is devastating as the story builds up to a shattering moment of emotional truth — an ultimate reminder that no-one else can capture the quiet sadness of working-class people like him. 

6. “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor

Innocuously titled, “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” is nevertheless Flannery O’Connor’s bleakest — and most famous — work. It begins unassumingly with a Southern family who’s planning to go on a road trip. Yet the journey is rudely interrupted when their car overturns on an abandoned dirt road — and they are met by an enigmatic group of three men, coming up over the far hill. 

This short story inspired some strong reactions from the public upon publication — and the conversation continues today as to its frank depiction of the nature of good and evil. Again, we won’t spoil anything for you, except to say that “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” is well worth your time. 

7. “Symbols and Signs” by Vladimir Nabokov

The famous author of Lolita wrote “Signs and Symbols” in 1948. Its premise is seemingly simple: an elderly couple visits their mentally ill son in the sanatorium in America. Yet their background and trials come into sharp focus as the story develops, until an explosive ending disrupts everyone’s peace of mind. 

As you might expect, the somber “Symbols and Signs” diverges sharply from Lolita in terms of both tone and subject — but its ending will keep you awake at night thinking about its implications.  

8. “Sticks” by George Saunders

Not so much a short story as it is flash fiction, “Sticks” is written from the perspective of a young man whose father has an unusual habit: dressing up a crucifix that’s built of out a metal pole in the yard. One of America’s greatest living short story writers, George Saunders explained: "For two years I'd been driving past a house like the one in the story, imagining the owner as a man more joyful and self-possessed and less self-conscious than myself. Then one day I got sick of him and invented his opposite, and there was the story." 

The result is a masterful piece of fiction that builds something out of seemingly nothing — all in the space of only two paragraphs. 

9. “The Veldt” by Ray Bradbury

If there’s anyone who you can trust to deliver thought-provoking, terrifying science fiction on the regular, it’s Ray Bradbury. In “The Veldt,” George and Lydia Hadley have bought an automated house that comes with a “nursey,” or a virtual reality room. Worried about the nursery’s effect on the kids, George and Lydia think about turning off the nursey — but the problem is that their children are obsessed with it. 

As an ominously prescient prediction of the downside of technology, “The Veldt” is a short and shining example of how Ray Bradbury was an author before his time. 

10. “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes

In this classic short story, we are privy to the journals of Charlie Gordon, a cleaner with an IQ of 68. ("I reely wantd to lern I wantid it more even then pepul who are smarter even then me. All my life I wantid to be smart and not dumb.”) Charlie’s luck changes when he is selected for an experiment that purports to turn him into a genius — but everything that goes up must come down in the end. 

“Flowers for Algernon” won the Hugo Award in 1960 for its groundbreaking presentation. Heartbreaking and rich with subtle poignance, it is likely to remain a staple for centuries to come.  

Best Short Story Collections to Devour

If you'd like many short stories at your fingertips all at once, short story collections are where you should look. Here, we've collected 21 of the best short story collections — along with the standout story in each volume.

11. A Manual for Cleaning Women by Lucia Berlin

Standout Story: “A Manual for Cleaning Women”

12. Blow-up and Other Stories by Julio Cortázar

Standout Story: “House Taken Over”

13. Drifting House by Krys Lee

Standout Story: “Drifting House”

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14. Dubliners by James Joyce

Standout Story: “The Dead”

15. Everything’s Eventual: 14 Dark Tales by Stephen King

Standout Story: “Riding the Bullet”

16. Ficciones by Jorge Luis Borges

Standout Story: “The Garden of Forking Paths”

17. Florida by Lauren Groff

Standout Story: “Above and Below”

18. Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders by Neil Gaiman

Standout Story: “The Flints of Memory Lane”

19. Kiss Kiss by Roald Dahl

Standout Story: “The Pig”

20. Men Without Women by Haruki Murakami

Standout Story: “Samsa in Love”

21. Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger

Standout Story: “For Esme - With Love and Squalor”

22. Rashōmon and Seventeen Other Stories by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa

Standout Story: “In a Bamboo Grove”

23. Runaway by Alice Munro

Standout Story: “Runaway”

24. Strange Pilgrims by Gabriel García Márquez

Standout Story: “The Trail of Your Blood in the Snow”

25. The Collected Stories by Grace Paley

Standout Story: “A Man Told Me the Story of His Life”

26. The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway by Ernest Hemingway

Standout Story: “Hills Like White Elephants”

27. The Complete Stories by Flannery O’Connor

Standout Story: “A Good Man is Hard to Find”

28. The Essential Tales of Chekhov by Anton Chekhov

Standout Story: “The Lady with the Dog”

29. The Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen

Standout Story: “I’d Love You to Want Me”

30. The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Standout Story: “The Thing Around Your Neck”

31. The Youngest Doll by Rosario Ferré

Standout Story: “When Women Love Men”

Ready to write your own short story? Check out these short story ideas for all your inspiration needs.

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American writer Ernest Hemingway working at a portable table while on a big game hunt in Kenya, ... [+] September 1952.

There is a quieter, more succinct wing of literature that thrives on pithy conciseness: the short story. The authors of this art form have perfected the concept of this type of storytelling by distilling exciting human experiences into a compact form that is easy to digest and just as engaging for the busy reader. Here are 25 of the greatest short stories of all time, each with its own approach to brevity.

What Is A Short Story?

Compared to a novel or novella, a short story is a smaller body of work with a more limited scope and less developed characters. However, don’t let its brevity fool you. A short story’s goal is to uncover a single incidence or series of linked incidents, aiming to evoke a single effect or mood from the reader. It’s a concentrated dose of emotions, a snapshot of life that can leave a lasting impact. The concept of a short story allows for a concise, structured plot that is laser-focused on a small cast of characters and, usually, a single setting. With short stories, every word is carefully chosen to deliver a punch, sometimes in as little as several hundred words. The upper limit for a short story is sometimes likened to that of a novella, but a single short story rarely attains this much length, yet it can still leave a lasting impression.

Top Short Stories

Some of the most famous and widely read classic short stories of all time are Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery (1948), Edgar Allan Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart (1843), and Flannery O’Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find (1953).

Over the years, many book critics have cited these stories as the blueprint for short story writing because of their evocative plots and evergreen themes. Among the most celebrated short story writers are Edgar Allan Poe, who wrote mysterious and ghoulish stories that made the list for the genre’s entry standard; Ernest Hemingway, famous for his terse, classic prose; and Alice Munro, who is regarded as the revolutionary architect of modern-day short fiction. These authors have left an indelible mark on the literary world, and their stories continue to captivate readers with their depth and richness. The stories in these lists have been compiled by measuring their literary merit and cultural impact.

25. The Lottery Ticket By Anton Chekhov (1887)

Let’s delve into one of these timeless classics, The Lottery Ticket by Anton Chekhov (1887). In this story, Ivan Dmitritch and his wife are thrilled when they discover they might have won the lottery. They immediately begin to dream of what they would do with their potential newfound wealth. In the course of daydreaming, the couple reveals their true wishes and plans until they are brought back to reality. Chekhov’s story is a melancholy examination of human nature, the impact of money, and the surprising results of our deeply held desires. It's a journey of hope, disappointment, and self-discovery that will leave you pondering long after you’ve finished reading.

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Who Should Read This: Lovers of classic Russian literature and human psychology will enjoy this story.

Where to Read : Classic Short Stories .

Anton Chekhov in his study in Yalta, circa 1895–1900.

24. The Aleph and Other Stories By Jorge Luis Borges (1949)

In The Aleph and Other Stories , Jorge Luis Borges invites readers into a world of philosophical musings and intricate narratives. The Aleph, in particular, is a mind-bending exploration of infinity and existence, showcasing Borges’ unique blend of speculative fiction and philosophical inquiry.

Who Should Read This: This book is ideal for readers who enjoy philosophical and speculative fiction.

Where to Read: Penguin Random House .

Colombian writer and Nobel Prize winner Gabriel Garcia Marquez poses for a portrait on February 20, ... [+] 1991 in Carthagena, Colombia.

23. A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings By Gabriel Garcia Márquez (1968)

In this magical realist story, Márquez introduces young readers to the story of an old man with wings in a small village. Although his wings are extraordinary, Márquez invites readers to examine the old man’s humanity. Other notable characters in this story are Pelayo, Father Gonzaga, Elisenda and The Neighbor. The story’s whimsical yet deep plot directs readers to reflect on the extraordinary within the ordinary.

Who Should Read This: This book is a good fit for readers who enjoy magical realism and allegorical storylines.

Where to Read: AbeBooks .

22. The Collected Stories of Diane Williams By Diane Williams (2018)

Diane Williams ’ The Collected Stories of Diane Williams is an anthology of over 300 short stories that are fascinatingly strange, plotless, and non-linear. The collection is immersive, drawing readers into the extraordinary inner lives of their main characters and the inner workings of Williams’ mind. As one of the masters of the short story, Williams has built a career out of defying logic and challenging traditional genre guidelines, all while bending the rules to offer readers a unique and thought-provoking literary experience.

Who Should Read This: This collection fits readers who enjoy non-linear short stories.

21. Acts of God By Ellen Gilchrist (2014)

In Acts of God , Gilchrist gives a vivid, down-to-earth account of resilience and grace through the lives of her characters, who are grappling with forces outside of their control in various scenarios. The collection showcases the unwavering grit of ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances, and each story is centered around human compassion and the quiet heroism found in everyday life.

Who Should Read This: This short story collection is perfect for readers who enjoy stories that celebrate human resilience and goodness.

Where to Read: Hachette Book Group.

American novelist Ellen Gilchrist poses for a portrait while visiting New York City on September 5, ... [+] 1986.

20. Cathedral By Raymond Carver (1983)

Raymond Carver’s Cathedral follows the story of a growing friendship between the narrator and his wife’s long-time blind friend, Robert. Initially, the narrator is uncomfortable with Robert’s visit and appears aloof. However, over time, and especially through a shared drawing exercise of a cathedral, the narrator experiences a dramatic shift in his perspective toward Robert. Carver’s minimalist style and focus on human connection and empathy make this a powerful and heart-warming story.

Who Should Read This: This book is perfect for readers who appreciate minimalist fiction.

19. Sonny’s Blues By James Baldwin (1957)

James Baldwin’s Sonny’s Blues understands suffering, fraternal love, and the redemptive power of music like almost nothing else in story form. Set in Harlem, the short story follows the narrator through his brother Sonny’s heroin addiction and his passion for jazz. Baldwin’s characters struggle to bridge their brotherly differences and finally reconcile at the end.

Who Should Read: This book is ideal for readers who appreciate classic literary fiction and stories about complex family ties.

James Baldwin poses while at home in Saint Paul de Vence, South of France during September of 1985.

18. The Necklace and Other Short Stories By Guy de Maupassant ( 1992)

In The Necklace and Other Stories , Maupassant portrays the ebbs and flows of day-to-day life with humor and irony. By using ordinary characters and compelling plot twists, this story shows the superficiality of wealth and the underbelly of social aspiration. Maupassant’s sharp social commentary and ironic twist make this collection of stories a classic.

Who Should Read: This is a good read for people who appreciate irony and social critique.

Where to Read: Dover Publications .

17. The Snows of Kilimanjaro By Ernest Hemingway ( 1936)

In The Snows of Kilimanjaro , Ernest Hemingway follows the story of an American writer dying of gangrene while on a safari in Africa. Hemingway’s sparseness and allusions to regret, artistic ambition,, and mortality make this book an inquiry into human life and death. Hemingway’s vivid descriptions of the African landscape increase this story’s impact on the reader's mind.

Who Should Read: This book is perfect for readers who appreciate existential literature and foreign-themed plots.

Where to Read: Simon & Schuster .

Ernest Hemingway poses for a photo with native guides while on a big game hunt in September 1952 in ... [+] Kenya.

16. Bartleby, the Scrivener By Herman Melville (1853)

Herman Melville’s Bartleby, the Scrivener follows the mysterious behavior of Bartleby, a law copyist who gradually withdraws from life until he is estranged from the world. In this book, Melville explores isolation, passive resistance, and the effects of modern capitalism. Through Bartleby, Melville invites readers to reflect on individuals’ moral and ethical responsibilities toward one another.

Who Should Read: Readers interested in philosophical and existential questions will appreciate this story.

15. To Build a Fire and Other Stories By Jack London (1986)

Jack London’s To Build a Fire follows different characters struggling to survive in extreme weather. Each story shows the power of nature and the consequences of underestimating its enormity. This book also includes shorter stories from later years of his career.

Who Should Read: Those who enjoy stories of human endurance and survival against the odds will find this tale gripping and intense.

Where to Read: Barnes & Noble .

14. A Rose for Emily By William Faulkner (1930)

Set in the fictional town of Jefferson, Mississippi, this Southern Gothic story follows the life and death of Emily Grierson, an elderly Southern woman who is part of the antebellum Southern aristocracy. Faulkner’s careful attention to detail and narrative approach to themes like isolation, resistance, and societal change make this a compelling and haunting read.

Who Should Read: This book is perfect for readers who appreciate stories that are centered around the Antebellum South.

William Faulkner, circa 1935.

13. A Sound of Thunder By Ray Bradbury (1952)

This science fiction classic explores the concept of the butterfly effect through a time travel adventure. When Eckels, a hunter, steps on a butterfly in the past, he returns to a drastically altered present. Bradbury’s exploration of interconnected events and the consequences of small actions remains powerful.

Who Should Read: Fans of science fiction will appreciate Bradbury’s portrayal of time travel and its consequences.

12. The Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka (1915)

Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis tells the story of Gregor Samsa, who wakes up to find himself transformed into a giant insect. Kafka’s exploration of alienation, absurdity, and existential terror lends itself to criticism of societal and familial expectations. With this book, Kafka gives readers one of the finest works of 20th-century literature.

Who Should Read: Fans of classic fiction who are drawn to characters that are complex and isolated.

11. The Gift of the Magi By O. Henry (1905)

O. Henry’s The Gift of the Magi follows the heartwarming story of love and sacrifice, centering on a young, poor couple, Jim and Della Dillingham, who want to buy each other Christmas gifts but cannot afford it. To afford it, Jim and Della give up some of their most prized possessions. The plot twist at the end showcases O. Henry’s style, emphasizing themes of selflessness and true love. The story’s simplicity and emotional depth make it a classic.

Who Should Read: This book is ideal for readers who enjoy heartwarming, sentimental tales.

10. The Rocking-Horse Winner By D.H. Lawrence (1926)

D.H. Lawrence’s The Rocking Horse Winner centers on the life of a young boy who rides his toy rocking horse to predict winning horses in real races, hoping to gain his mother’s approval. Lawrence critiques materialism and the destructive nature of obsession. The story’s supernatural elements and tragic end offer a reflection on unhealthy family-related expectations.

Who Should Read: Perfect for readers interested in psychological and supernatural fiction.

9. Hills Like White Elephants By Ernest Hemingway ( 1927)

Set at a Spanish train station, Ernest Hemingway’s Hills Like White Elephants captures a conversation between a couple facing a difficult decision. Hemingway’s sparse writing style and use of subtext create a powerful story about communication and the complex nature of human relationships. The story’s minimalist style also leaves much to the reader’s imagination.

Who Should Read: This book is a good fit for readers who appreciate concise, subtle and impactful storytelling.

Portrait of Ernest Hemingway

8. Whatever Happens, Probably Will By John W. MacIlroy (2022)

MacIlroy’s Whatever Happens, Probably Will is a collection of short stories that showcase the unpredictable nature of life. MacIlroy’s approach to writing is shown through his intricate plots and well-developed characters, each facing situations where the unexpected alters their course. MacIlroy’s sharp writing ose and perceptive insight into human behavior make this collection even more appealing.

Who Should Read: This book is a good fit for readers who enjoy pithy writing.

7. Her Body and Other Parties By Carmen Maria Machado (2017)

Machado’s Her Body and Other Parties is a genre-blending collection of short stories that give insight into the realities of women’s lives. Machado’s debut book is both relatable and haunting, with each story alluding to themes of gender, sexuality, and identity. Each story offers a three-dimensional view of contemporary issues, which makes this a page-turner. Machado’s unique voice and inventive storytelling make this collection a modern classic.

Who Should Read: This book is great for readers who enjoy feminist literature, magical realism, and stories that push the boundaries of genre.

Where to Read: Graywolf Press .

Carmen Maria Machado at the XX edition of the International Literature Festival of Rome on July 21, ... [+] 2021.

6. Never Whistle at Night By Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. (2023)

In Never Whistle at Night, Van Alst Jr. offers a dark anthology that combines horror stories laser-focused on Indigenous traditions and contemporary experiences. This collection of stories showcases indigenous authors who use the horror genre to explore themes of survival, cultural identity, and resilience. Each story is a testament to the rich storytelling traditions of Indigenous communities, offering suspense and profound reflections.

Who Should Read: This anthology is perfect for fans of horror fiction and those interested in Indigenous literature.

5. Out There Screaming , edited By Jordan Peele and John Joseph Adams (2023)

Jordan Peele is one of the leaders of modern-day horror-themed entertainment, so his contribution to Out There Screaming is not far-fetched. The book is a collection of horror stories written by a diverse group of BIPOC authors ( Erin E. Adams, Violet Allen, Lesley Nneka Arimah, Maurice Broaddus, Chesya Burke, P. Djèlí Clark, Ezra Claytan Daniels, Tananarive Due, Nalo Hopkinson, N. K. Jemisin, Justin C. Key, L. D. Lewis, Nnedi Okorafor, Tochi Onyebuchi, Rebecca Roanhorse, Nicole D. Sconiers, Rion Amilcar Scott, Terence Taylor, and Cadwell Turnbull), each contributing their own unique voice to the genre. The various stories include deep dives into themes of fear, identity, and society, often through the lens of race and culture. Peele’s influence is obvious in the book’s combination of psychological horror and social commentary, making it a must-read for fans of dark fiction.

Who Should Read: Out There Screaming is a perfect book for fans of modern-day psychological horror.

Where to Read: Penguin Random House.

Jordan Peele attends the "Us" Premiere 2019 SXSW Conference on March 08, 2019 in Austin, Texas.

4. The Yellow Wallpaper By Charlotte Perkins Gilman ( 1892)

Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper is a 19th-century fictional story narrating mental health and gender roles. The story, presented as a series of journal entries, details the narrator’s obsession with the wallpaper in her bedroom and her gradual descent into insanity. Gilman’s critique of the way that women were treated in the 19th century remains relevant today.

Who Should Read: This book is ideal for those interested in feminist literature and psychological fiction.

Where to Read: This book is available at Simon & Schuster .

3. A Good Man Is Hard to Find By Flannery O’Connor (1953)

Flannery O’Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find follows a family’s haunting road trip that ends in tragedy. O’Connor skillfully combines dark humor with themes of morality and redemption. The story’s shocking, violent edge and the grandmother’s confrontation with the ominous character, Misfit, force readers to question faith, grace, and the core of human nature.

Who Should Read: This book is ideal for readers who enjoy Southern Gothic literature and moral complexity.

Where to Read: This book is available on Amazon .

2. The Tell-Tale Heart By Edgar Allan Poe (1843)

Short story expert Edgar Allan Poe invites readers into the world of a cold-blooded killer with The Tell-Tale Heart. The gothic classic follows the life of a murderer who is haunted by the constant beating of his victim’s heart. Poe’s use of plot twists, narration,, and intense psychological depth makes this a must-read for fans of horror and suspense. The story’s exploration of guilt and paranoia is both compelling and unsettling.

Who Should Read: This book is perfect for readers who appreciate gothic fiction and psychological thrillers.

Where to Read: This book is available at Barnes & Noble .

Edgar Allan Poe, circa 1840.

1. The Lottery By Shirley Jackson (1948)

Set in a seemingly peaceful and idyllic town, The Lottery follows a shocking and brutal ritual that takes place every year in the town. Renowned author Shirley Jackson criticizes societal norms and the dark side of human nature, highlighting how ordinary people can commit heinous acts under the guise of custom and tradition. The suspenseful buildup leaves a lasting impact on the reader.

Who Should Read: This book is perfect for fans of classic horror.

Where to Read: This classic is available at Barnes & Noble .

Bottom Line

Each of the stories on this list have offered something unique, insightful and poignant. Each writer has evoked emotions through masterful storytelling and a command of brevity, making them masters of their field.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are good short romance stories.

The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry (1905) This classic romance story is about true, selfless love. It follows a young couple, Della and Jim, who sacrifice their most prized items to buy each other Christmas gifts.

A Temporary Matter by Jhumpa Lahiri (1998) Part of Lahiri's collection Interpreter of Maladies , this story is about the complex nature of romantic relationships and how they can be strained by loss. 

What Are Good Short Scary Stories?

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson (1948) Set in a seemingly quiet and peaceful village, this story reveals a shocking and horrific ritual that the townspeople partake in annually. 

The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe (1843) Poe's classic fictional account of murder, madness, and guilt centers on an unnamed narrator who insists on his sanity while describing the murder of an old man. 

What Are Good Short Fantasy Stories

The Paper Menagerie by Ken Liu (2011) This award-winning story combines magical realism with a heartfelt analysis of cultural identity and family. 

A Sound of Thunder by Ray Bradbury (1952) This time travel adventure follows a group of hunters returning to the prehistoric past in a quest to kill a dinosaur. Things quickly take a drastic turn.

What Are Good Short Stories For Kids?

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (1963) This beloved kids classic follows Max, a young boy who travels to an island inhabited by wild creatures after being sent to his room as punishment for being unruly.

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein (1964) This is a classic, yet touching story about the relationship between a boy and a tree. It explores themes of generosity and unconditional love. 

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• April 21 2024

Short movie scene

Below you will find the solution for: Short movie scene 7 Little Words which contains 8 Letters.

Short movie scene 7 Little Words

Since you already solved the clue Short movie scene which had the answer VIGNETTE, you can simply go back at the main post to check the other daily crossword clues. You can do so by clicking the link here 7 Little Words Bonus 4 April 21 2024

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