Short stories have been called a “hand grenade of ideas” (Paoli Bacigalpi), “soft shadows … set out in the world” (Haruki Murakami), and “a shard, a sliver” (Will Self)
A few things writers have said about short stories:
“A short story is a love affair; a novel is a marriage. A short story is a photograph; a novel is a film.” ~ Lorrie Moore
“I love short stories because I believe they are the way we live. They are what our friends tell us, in their pain and joy, their passion and rage, their yearning and their cry against injustice.”
~ Andre Dubus
“A short story is the ultimate close-up magic trick – a couple of thousand words to take you around the universe or break your heart.” ~ Neil Gaiman
“I want my stories to be something about life that causes people to say, not, oh, isn’t that the truth, but to feel some kind of reward from the writing, and that doesn’t mean that it has to be a happy ending or anything, but just that everything the story tells moves the reader in such a way that you feel you are a different person when you finish.” ~ Alice Munro
A few things writers have said about short stories:
“A short story is a love affair; a novel is a marriage. A short story is a photograph; a novel is a film.” ~ Lorrie Moore
“I love short stories because I believe they are the way we live. They are what our friends tell us, in their pain and joy, their passion and rage, their yearning and their cry against injustice.”
~ Andre Dubus
“A short story is the ultimate close-up magic trick – a couple of thousand words to take you around the universe or break your heart.” ~ Neil Gaiman
“I want my stories to be something about life that causes people to say, not, oh, isn’t that the truth, but to feel some kind of reward from the writing, and that doesn’t mean that it has to be a happy ending or anything, but just that everything the story tells moves the reader in such a way that you feel you are a different person when you finish.” ~ Alice Munro
At a trip to a local coffee shop I overheard some middle-aged women laughing and telling stories about their experience with testosterone." "Boost Your T" was the result.
"Tough Old Bird" was inspired by a trip to the dentist. My hygienist told me a story about a previous patient and his dad, an ornery old codger. This was what I did with it, and Mosh Lit liked it. You need to scroll down to the fifth or sixth story.
On a trip to the grocery story one day, I witnessed a struggling old lady and wondered what her story was. "Louise's Angel" was the result. And Fewer Than 500 published it.