I don't have the attention span to read novels anymore. Sometimes it feels like by the time I get to the middle of the book, I would have already forgotten the beginning. Reading short stories is instant gratification and has taught me much about writing economically. It wasn't until I actually started writing my own short fiction when I realized that, a. this is tougher than a novel. and b. short fiction and novels ask for a writer's different strengths. But the difference isn't as pronounced as, say, the difference between jetskiing and painting; it's like painting and digital art.
If you've been writing novels so far, I highly recommend following my blog posts over the next week or so about how to write a short story. The form is less forgiving in terms of shaky plotting, but if you've been struggling with writers' block, now's an opportunity for you to experiment with new ideas.
Linda
No comments:
Post a Comment
Add to the conversation! Thank you for commenting on TWFT!