  Short Stories
This week: Edited by: Mavis Moog  
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| In this week's newsletter I hope to inspire you to read some classic short fiction. Don't forget to read the Editor's Picks too. |
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One thing most successful writers agree on is that any aspiring author must read widely. This may seem obvious but it's surprising how many authors have not read as much as they need to.
The short story has a long and illustrious history. Many agree that it is now a predominantly American genre but the roots go back deep into European and Arabic culture. I have put together a reading list of short fiction, which will show the development of the short story. If you read all these stories, I can almost guarantee that your writing will improve as a result.
I will examine a couple of these stories more closely later, but for now, here's the list:
The Canterbury Tales - Geoffrey Chaucer
Decameron - Giovanni Boccaccio
Thousand and One Arabian Nights
Twice Told Tales - Nathanial Hawthorne
La Maison Tellier - Guy de Mountpassant
Ward No. 6 - Anton Chekhov
The Gift of the Magi - O. Henry
The Sound of Thunder - Ray Bradbury
The Snows of Killimanjaro - Ernest Hemmingway
Why I Lived at the P.O. - Eudora Welty
Any of the Don Camillo stories - Giovanni Guareschi
Memories of the Space Age - J. G. Ballard
My Enemy's Enemy - Kingsley Amis
The Open Window - Saki
Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie - Beryl Bainbridge
The Pit and the Pendulum - Edgar Allen Poe
The Red Pony - John Steinbeck
A Bear Hunt - William Faulkner
A Child's Heart - Hermann Hesse
The Quantity Theory of Insanity - Will Self
I am sure many of you can add worthy titles to this list, but I've tried to give a representative spread of excellent short fiction and hope that you'll agree these stories are not only entertaining but also have much to teach the short story writer.
La Maison Tellier, by Guy de Mountpassant (1850-1893)
The story was written in 1881. La Maison Tellier is a brothel in a busy French port. The owner of the establishment and her five girls astonish and distress the town's male population by closing the house and travelling to Virville to attend the confirmation of the madamme's god-daughter. The notice pinned to the door of the bordello simply says, "Closed on account of the Confirmation."
This is a humorous story, full of vivid characterisation and genteel, French etiquette. Madamme tellier and her girls expect to be treated with complete propriety as they travel by train to their pious destination, but their party does not go unnoticed by their fellow passengers.
The Red Pony, by John Steinbeck
As there are probably more American short stories than in any other culture, it is only right that American authors feature heavily in the reading list. The Red Pony is really a collection of four shorter stories but the whole novella is only 120 pages long.
It tells the story of Jody Tifflin, who is a little boy growing up on a ranch . When he is given a pony Jody learns about responsibility, and death. The complete set of stories is moving and thought provoking, covering such issues as family relationships, work ethic and American history. This is also a masterclass in descriptive writing and first class characterisation. What else would one expect from Steinbeck?
I hope some of you will read these stories and find great inspiration in them. Some of them are available to read online, so it needn't cost you a fortune to broaden your reading scope. Till next month, happy reading.
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Thank you everyone who wrote lovely messages about last month's newsletter. I'm glad it was a subject that interested you. - MM
windac
I found this issue to be well written, very informative, and would think it extremely helpful to those who have the talent for writing short stories. Alas... this category would not include me. Well done Mavis!
MDuci
Mavis,
I truely loved your newsletter, and thank you for sharing character narration of the "voices," I love placing myself in a character rather mine or another author. Great piece.
isam
Excellent, informing newsletter. By far the best one of the week. Thanks.
Stop it! You'll make me blush - MM
rose_shadow
Mavis,
What a great newsletter on narrative voice. I notice that my voice tends to change slightly depending on what I've been reading. For example, I had been reading Robert Jordan when I wrote a story and a friend commented on how I must have been reading Jordan when I wrote it!
billwilcox
Mavis!
Another outstanding newsletter--thank you. The thing about finding your literary voice is that you better make sure you're not the only one who likes it.
shaara
Nice job giving us input on voice.
Smiles and thanks,
Shaara
schipperke
Excellent newsletter on voice and as close as I've seen as defining this nebulous subject.
scribbler
I like the quote about taking the pressure off trying to find your voice. I never went off to find my own voice but one day I just realized that it was there, and it was different and distinct to myself. I think that our voice is kind of the way we really wish we could speak in conversation, kind of like our true person. AT least that's how I feel!
Here's a question
Ellen Stone
What kind of things should you write about to get people to read your short stories?
Mavis answers:
I don't think there can be a definitive answer to this question. A short story can be about anything. The plot, style and pace of the story is what's important.
If you're asking what subjects are most popular then the answer must be, romance, vampire/horror and action adventure, but that's not always the best measure of a good story. Call me an elitist if you like, but popular doesn't always mean good. I think the best stories are the ones that explore an interesting theme and offer something for the reader to chew on. Excellent technique, imagery, characterisation, wit and sometimes, surprise are the ingredients I look for. What do other members think? Does anyone have a more precise answer for Ellen Stone ?
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Short Stories: February 08, 2006 Issue [#871]
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