writing - short stories

Elements and Characteristics

The short story is type of fictional writing that tends to be more

brief and to the point than longer works of fiction such as and

novels.

Short stories tend to be less complex than novels. Usually, a

short story will focus on only one incident, has a single plot, a

single setting, a limited number of characters, and covers a short

period of time.

Short stories have their origins in oral story-telling traditions. They

also developed from the prose anecdote, a swiftly-sketched

situation that quickly comes to its point.

The term short story most often refers to a work of fiction no

longer than 20,000 words and no shorter than 1,000.

Stories less than 1,000 words are usually referred to either as "short short fiction,“ "short shorts,” or “flash fiction.”

A short story is one that should be able to be read in one sitting,

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