Short story

Short story is a genre of literature that typically can be read in one sitting. With a tight and compact narrative, short stories focus on a self-contained incident to evoke a single effect or mood.

Definition

A short story is a brief work of fiction, usually written in prose and running 1,500 to 30,000 words in length. The literary roots of the short story can be found in oral storytelling traditions, such as anecdotes, myths, and legends. The modern short story developed in the early 19th century.

Characteristics

Short stories tend to be less complex than novels. Typically a short story focuses on one incident, has a single plot, a single setting, a small number of characters, and covers a short period of time.

History

The short story has changed as societies have evolved. In the Middle Ages, the short story existed in the form of folk tales and fables passed down orally from one generation to the next. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the short story evolved into a more sophisticated literary form, as authors like Edgar Allan Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne experimented with its form and content.

Short Story Writers

Famous short story writers include Edgar Allan Poe, Guy de Maupassant, Anton Chekhov, and Ernest Hemingway. These writers have significantly influenced the development and evolution of the short story genre with their various styles and themes.

Short Story Collections

Short stories are often collected together and published in a single volume. These collections may be by a single author or they may be anthologized by theme or subject.

See Also

• Flash fiction
• Novella
• Anthology
• Literary magazine

References

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  Canterbury Tales, William Caxton edition