Many writers are working on a novel ... but what about short stories?

While short stories don't tend to have the commercial potential of novels, they can be a lot of fun to write. They've also got some unique advantages over the novel form.

1. Short Stories Let You Experiment With Form and Style

I've read short stories that:

• Consisted of only dialogue
• Had wildly experimental structures
• Were written in the second-person ("you walk down the road")
• Finally made sense because of a surprising twist near the end
• Were told solely through text messages and emails

Some of these might be possible in novels, but it can be really hard to pull off an unusual format or style in a 70,000 word (or more!) work. In a short story, the reader is likely to go with it. And that can be a lot of fun!

Even if your main focus is novels, you might want to use short stories to try out a particular way of writing that you'd like to incorporate into your novel (e.g. a section of text messages, or a scene in the second person).

2. Short Stories Can Give You a Satisfying Sense of Completion

You could probably write a short story in a day or two. If it's a very short piece, like flash fiction, it might take you less than an hour to get a first draft down.

Novels take a whole lot longer! Many novelists work for years on a single novel, especially if it's their first one. The process is rewarding, absolutely ... but it means it takes a long time to have the satisfaction of being "finished" with it.

If you're craving a sense of completion, try working on a short story for a few days or a week. You'll be done in next to no time!

3. Most Competitions Want Short Stories, Not Novels

There are lots of writing competitions out there ... and most of these are aimed at short story writers.

It makes sense: judging a whole novel would take a lot longer, and even judging the first 1-3 chapters is quite an undertaking. Short stories are a lot quicker to read, plus the competition organisers can easily publish the winners in a magazine, journal, or anthology.

While you're unlikely to make a fortune from short story competitions, even winning a small prize could give your confidence a massive boost. You could also mention competition wins, or even shortlistings, if you're approaching agents and publishers with your novel.

Not sure where to start with short stories? Download my free writing prompts (taken from Writers' Cafe) to help spark some inspiration.