Most of the time, when I write a short story, I send it away privately to people who ask for it, and then bury it at the bottom of my top drawer with the rest of them. I've been writing short stories my entire life, and although I don't have much to show for it, I have discovered how important they are. So today, I wanted to share with you why I believe writing short stories is beneficial to the writer.
It goes without saying that the majority or readers enjoy shorter stories. Many people are intimidated by a thousand-page hardcover. A 6-page story, however, seems appealing to everyone, avid readers, occasional readers and non-readers. If you're new to the business of publishing, short stories may be an easier way to get your name out there. Whereas a novel, if not backed up by a major publisher, may leave you disappointed, wondering why only a handful of people read your amazing book. So if you win the reader's heart with a short story, they might come back for more.
So now that we've established why short stories are good for jump-starting a career, the question remains: what does writing short stories do to you, not as a published writer, but as a writer?
The simple answer is it helps you grow. This answer, of course, is not a simple one. And if I'd like to be more accurate, I'd break this down to two sub-answers:
1. You learn more about your writing
Short stories take shorter time to write than novels, and this leads to more stories written in a shorter amount of time. The more stories you write, the more you learn about who you are as a writer. You get to experiment with various styles and genres and familiarize yourself with your own voice as you stop mimicking your favorite writers. Following in the steps of your favorite authors is also a part of the learning process, but as you grow out of it and learn who you are as a writer, you become true to yourself. And you develop your uniqueness by writing more stories.
2. You build self-esteem
Writing your first novel is probably the most difficult thing you will ever write as a writer. It's why most writers give up before they complete the first draft. Quitting can lead to discouragement. A short story, however, no matter how imperfect its first draft is, is much easier to write. And after you're over with the first draft, you can always rewrite it. The feeling you get when you finish writing a story is unprecedented and unparalleled. And you get the same feeling over and over again each time you finish writing something new. So the benefits you get from completing a short story is tremendous and even if you never publish the story, the notion of accomplishment is enough to keep you at it.
I've gotten into the habit of reading more short stories lately. Have you written anything you'd be willing to share with me? I'd love to read your short stories.
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