Novels are almost always what I set out to write because they give me the opportunity to build complex plots and fascinating characters. However, I overwrite. Everything. The words pour out and I don’t stop them. Much of this excess material is the background story underlying the novel I’m writing, and it helps the plot and the characters emerge and develop. But, although this material is necessary for my understanding of characters and story lines, I cut it because it bloats the story I’m telling. It’s weird, but too many words can wreck the flow of a story.

As an author, it’s hard to cut scenes and or characters, once you have written them, and the better they are, the harder the cut, but it has to be done for the sake of the story being told.

Happily, I can often use the cut material as the basis for a short piece. Once I craft them into a final state, they can live here and you get to read them. For me, these short stories are a great way to experiment with new ideas and hone my craft. More than one of my novels has grown from a short story I wrote just for practice. For you, especially if you’ve come to love the tales I tell, they can add a little extra flavor to the characters and stories you already like.

In a short story, every word counts, and each element is essential to the whole. A good short story can be read in a single sitting, and its compact size means that it can be easily shared with others. As a writer, that gives me discipline. As a reader, well, you get enjoyment, and maybe some insights. Either way, there’s plenty to love about short stories.