Short Story

NEWSLETTER
April 23, 2024

The short story is usually concerned Throughout history humankind has

WHAT IS SHORT
STORY?
A short story is a work of prose fiction
that can be read in one sitting—usually
between 20 minutes to an hour. There is
no maximum length, but the average
short story is 1,000 to 7,500 words, with
some outliers reaching 10,000 or 15,000
words. At around 10 to 25 pages, that
makes short stories much shorter than
novels, with only a few approaching
novella length. A piece of fiction shorter
than 1,000 words is considered a “short
short story” or “flash fiction,” and anything
less than 300 words is rightfully called
“microfiction.”
with a single effect conveyed in only
one or a few significant episodes or
scenes. The form encourages
economy of setting,
narrative, and the omission of a
concise
complex plot; character is disclosed
in action and dramatic encounter but
is seldom fully developed. Despite
its relatively limited scope, though, a
short story is often judged by its
ability to provide a “complete” or
satisfying treatment of its characters
and subject.
Before the 19th century the short
story was not generally regarded as
a distinct literary form. But although
in this sense it may seem to be a
uniquely modern genre, the fact is
that short prose fiction is nearly as
old as language itself.
enjoyed various types of brief
narratives: jests, anecdotes, studied
digressions, short allegorical
romances, moralizing fairy tales,
short myths, and abbreviated
historical legends. None of these
constitutes a short story as it has
been defined since the 19th century,
but they do make up a large part of
the milieu from which the modern
short story emerged.
IMPORTANCE
Short stories have a unique
structure and style that sets them
apart from longer works of fiction,
and they offer writers and readers a
wide range of benefits. Whether you
are a writer looking to hone your
craft, a reader looking for new
inspiration, or a student studying
literature, short fiction is an
important genre that should not be
ignored.

What is the history of short

story?
Short-form storytelling can be traced back to ancient legends,
mythology, folklore, and fables found in communities all over
the world. Some of these stories existed in written form, but
many were passed down through oral traditions. By the 14th
century, the most well-known stories included One Thousand
and One Nights (Middle Eastern folk tales by multiple authors,
later known as Arabian Nights) and Canterbury Tales (by
Geoffrey Chaucer).