Henryĩ. “A short story is not a portrayal of life. It is like a stool that is so small that you must always be aware of sitting.” ~ Isobelle CarmodyĨ. “Write what you like there is no other rule.” ~ O. A story will not let you get comfortable and settle in. That and the fact that they are harder work to read. This may be one of the reasons some people reject the form.

Often the best stories hold you back and make you witness them. “Finally I do like best of all stories whose necessity is in the implied recognition that someplace out there there exists an urgency-a chaos-, an insanity, a misrule of some dire sort which can end life as we know it but for the fact that this very story is written, this order found, this style determined, the worst averted, and we are beneficiaries of that order by being readers.”ħ. “Long fiction is wonderful and you can lose yourself in it as a reader and as a writer, but short stories don’t allow the same kind of immersion. “So many people can now write competent stories that the short story is in danger of dying of competence.” ~ Flannery O’ConnorĦ.

If a novel was a map of a country, a story was the bright silver pin that marked the crossroads.” ~ Ann PatchettĤ.“Short story collections are the literary equivalent of canapés, tapas and mezze in the world of gastronomy: Delightful assortments of tasty morsels to whet the reader’s appetite.” ~ Alex Morrittĥ. “When well told, a story captured the subtle movement of change. They are journeys you can make to the far side of the universe and still be back in time for dinner.”ģ. “A short story must have a single mood and every sentence must build towards it.” ~ Edgar Allan PoeĢ. “Short stories are tiny windows into other worlds and other minds and other dreams. The same quotes will also help you finish!ġ. We’ve compiled some quotes from the greats to get you started on your short story. It is easier, shorter, and less complicated than writing a novel. If this sounds familiar, why not write short stories?

Best short stories to write about