I don’t like writing short stories. I always think to myself that if I wanted to drop into a character’s life, it should be at least for the length of a novel rather than a few thousand words, if that.
However, lately I’ve come to see short stories as a nice way to create not a portrait, but a snapshot of a character. The idea intrigued me, and so recently I’ve been writing more and more short stories.
I think it helps that I finished all the books I had wanted to write, leaving my mind free to contemplate snapshots.
I’ve also recently discovered the joy of themed submissions. I stumbled across them through a writer’s newsletter I read. These are where the literary site or magazine wants you to submit a story based around a theme.
There’s something exhilarating about writing a story solely for a certain magazine and within the parameters of a theme.
I can’t tell you how much fun I’ve been having writing a series of short stories this way. I can’t wait to write more.