tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876019129197579580.post6780926145014649955..comments2023-11-14T21:48:34.082-06:00Comments on In the Dark Mind of B.R. Stateham: Writing the short storyB.R. Statehamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00894951166082934512noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876019129197579580.post-68605887422555704212011-05-03T08:25:37.067-05:002011-05-03T08:25:37.067-05:00Well, sometimes i really like the intricate charac...Well, sometimes i really like the intricate characterizations and plotting of an Alice Munro short story but sometimes I like the practically flash fiction of Raymond Carver.<br /><br />Two Hemingway stories really stand out, of course; The Killers and Fifty Grand.<br /><br />A little while ago I read Ed McBain's short story collection, "Learning to Kill," and it's really good. Also Elmore Leonard's western stories are a lot different than I expected (I haven't read many westerns so I was influenced by TV and the movies) and his "When the Women Come Out to Dance" also has range from a Carver-esque three page story to a couple of novellas.<br /><br />Lately I've really started to prefer short storiees over novels - to read and to write.John McFetridgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09442198820998606682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876019129197579580.post-14202654156000368832011-05-03T08:23:50.464-05:002011-05-03T08:23:50.464-05:00All good points, B.R. Whether writing a novel or ...All good points, B.R. Whether writing a novel or a short story, if it's to work and be an enjoyable read, it has to have a strong plot, believable characters and thorough descriptions. I completely agree with the comments about implying vs. saying. Some things need to be explained completely, but if the reader can put themselves into the story and wonder about sidebar incidentals, that pulls them in. Origins of some items or certain relationships of passing characters and so on left to the reader's imagination will make them feel part of the story and they will enjoy it a lot more. I know I really enjoy stories where absolutely everything is not front and center. I love filling in the blanks myself.Joycehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03275503653927579472noreply@blogger.com