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– 6 – - Form and length

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 February 2022

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Summary

The short story is not just a story that is short: the short story generally differs significantly from the novel in terms of scope, timeframe, number of characters and locations. How details acquire priority in short fiction. The relationships between the short story, flash fiction and poetry. The challenges and pleasures of short and very short fiction. The usefulness of short form writing to the developing novelist in the scope it offers for experimentation with narrative voice, characterisation and dialogue, as well as its value in its own right.

‘It is a complexity of afterthought, a psychological or emotional residue, that we seek to leave with the reader following the intense experience of consuming a short story.’

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The Book You Need to Read to Write the Book You Want to Write
A Handbook for Fiction Writers
, pp. 70 - 82
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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  • Form and length
  • Sarah Burton, Jem Poster
  • Book: The Book You Need to Read to Write the Book You Want to Write
  • Online publication: 17 February 2022
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009072571.007
Available formats
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  • Form and length
  • Sarah Burton, Jem Poster
  • Book: The Book You Need to Read to Write the Book You Want to Write
  • Online publication: 17 February 2022
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009072571.007
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Form and length
  • Sarah Burton, Jem Poster
  • Book: The Book You Need to Read to Write the Book You Want to Write
  • Online publication: 17 February 2022
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009072571.007
Available formats
×