Short Stories

[pt_tangles]

I'm going to be entering a local short story contest this year, and I wanted to read some good examples of the genre to help me get over my 'how the hell can you fit a whole story into 3,000 words?' dilemma. I've been to my local book store (and big box book story), and I can't seem to find any short story magazines.

So, I naturally turn to my F-List - where do you find your favourite short fiction? Do you have any favourite authors?

Ideas and help = <3

--Phae

Comments

[elf]

Fanfic. Start with fanfic. Not so much because everyone should read fanfic (although I often think so), but because it's got lots and lots of great writing at a few thousand words. (And fifty times as much garbage, so don't bother searching at random.)

http://yuletidetreasure.org/ is an annual fic exchange for "small fandoms;" the writing tends to be good, and it runs the full gamut of styles.

When I get home, I'll scrounge up more specific recs; there's limits to how much I can find at work.

[trystn.livejournal.com]

Try the writer who started the genre: Poe. Take a gam at the Pit and the Pendulum, The Angel of the Odd, the Cask of Amantillado, Buried Alive, and Masque of the Red Death.

[pt_tangles]

Brilliant! I love Poe, and I would never have thought of that :) I'm going to have to swing by the library to see what they have on hand.

--Phae

[trystn.livejournal.com]

and don't forget Murders in the Rue Morgue

[elf]

I adore Harlan Ellison's writing, but his stuff's rarely that short, and his idea of a "story" isn't the kind you submit to contests. (However, if you can find a copy of Dangerous Visions, which he edited, it's got lots of short stories of very different styles.)

Heinlein has lots of short stories. Very few are anywhere near as short as 3,000 words. (Is why I recommended fanfic--because when you remove the "price per word" motive, authors can make them as short as they need to be. Also, because they're commonly listed with a word count... knowing how to write a good 15,000 word story won't help much in a contest with a 3,000 word limit.)

Cory Doctorow writes stories with tech themes. (And other weird themes.) Most are available free at http://craphound.com/index.php?cat=2

Yuletide recs, around the right length:
Lighting the Lamps, an Earthsea fanfic, 1100 words.

Worse, He's Boring, Cherryh's Chanur series, 2600 words. (I'm not sure how follow-able this one is without the background.)

The Story of Marli-hrair and the Black Rabbit of Inle, Watership Down, 2200 words.

Other than sci-fi, I don't think there are any "short story magazines." Short stories are published as a single feature in some magazines, and occasionally collected into anthologies.

(Googling "free download short story anthologies" gets many hits.)

[pt_tangles]

Heinlein has lots of short stories. Very few are anywhere near as short as 3,000 words. (Is why I recommended fanfic--because when you remove the "price per word" motive, authors can make them as short as they need to be. Also, because they're commonly listed with a word count... knowing how to write a good 15,000 word story won't help much in a contest with a 3,000 word limit.)

Actually, it's a 2500 word limit. I always assumed that short stories were around 5,000 - 7,500 or so - I suppose it's no wonder that this contest is always so hard for me.

My current 'story' is up at 56,000 words and growing. But, I figure it can't hurt to take a bash at it again.

I'll definitely see if I can find any anthologies.

Thanks for the suggestions :)

--Phae