A short story writer is someone who makes a living or enjoys writing short stories. Short story writers mostly write fiction, but some also tell nonfiction anecdotes in the form of short stories. Short story writers can submit their work for publication in anthologies, newspapers and magazines, collections of short stories, or online.
A short story’s framework can accommodate nearly any genre. Short stories in the genres of horror, fantasy, romance, and comedy are all simple to write. A short story writer must be able to tailor the story to the genre; most stories will have a single, well-defined plot that can be told in a few pages. While there is no hard and fast rule for distinguishing between short and long stories, anything under 60 pages is usually considered a short story.
A short story writer may study writing or writing-related subjects in school. Many people study literature, creative writing, journalism, or English as a major. A degree isn’t required to become a story writer, but it can help a writer discover and develop their own unique voice. Studying the subject in school can also help new writers become acquainted with some of history’s best and most renowned storytellers. A newer writer may be able to gain insight into his own work pattern, favorite subjects, and career goals reading and learning about great writers.
Short stories can be written in hours, but many take weeks, months, or even years to complete. Some writers dislike doing multiple drafts of a story because they believe that a first draft is a work of art, and that additional drafts muddy the purity of a piece of writing. Other writers must eventually have the material wrested from them in order to avoid completing a tenth, twenty-first, or fifty-first draft.
A short story writer can get inspiration and ideas from a variety of places. Some people enjoy writing about their families, personal lives, or amusing and fascinating true events. Others enjoy creating entirely fictional worlds and populating them with strange characters. Others prefer to reimagine existing material, such as fairy tales, in the form of a short story. Stories can be just for entertainment, but many of them contain an underlying moral, ethical, religious, political, or philosophical message.
A literary agent is often required of a short story writer who wishes to pursue a professional career in the field. Winning contests, having self-published material become successful, submitting work to agencies with an open policy, or simply having the right personal connections are all ways to achieve this. Literary agents can assist writers in obtaining deals to have their work published on the open market, and they can be a valuable asset to a writer’s career.