If you’re like me, daily life doesn’t always allow us the time we want for reading or writing. So many times, I’ve started an amazing book, only to be kept away from it for a week and then … no longer feeling as invested in the story. (Or, frankly, having forgotten good chunks of what happened …)
Shorter works of fiction perfectly fill this void. Whether they’re novellas or short stories, they’ve become a prominent and much-needed feature in today’s publishing world.
Short fiction works beautifully across genres, but especially speculative fiction. Some of the best horror I’ve ever read are short stories. When you look at fantasy and science fiction, these authors must fit world-building, character-building, and plot all into one cohesive and entertaining bite that can be digested in one or two sittings. On top of that, they must reel you in and make you care — about the characters, about the stakes. This is no easy task! It’s like trying to swim laps in a hot tub.
As a reader, it’s so satisfying, though — to be given an entire little world that you can lose yourself in for a few hours. To fall in love with an author’s writing from this singular piece. It’s led me to look up those authors to get more of their work, and that’s how you know the story really did its job. I enjoy going into something knowing that it’s a complete piece. I will not be left on a cliffhanger; I will not be puzzling over side-plots that aren’t set to resolve themselves until books two or three or ten.
Seeing short stories become increasingly popular in the world of books delights me, and I hope that trend continues. Keep reading them, and the authors will keep writing them.