Short Stories and Novels

Yep, I brought back the fantastic Writer's Block header. And yes, to those of you who may have notice, (and to those of you who didn't,) the background picture is the same as for A Thousand Days. 

Recently I have been reading a collection of Ray Bradbury's short stories. It's a single book that contains The Martin Chronicles, The Illustrated Man, and The Golden Apples of the Sun.

It's a good book to keep around for when I am between books, as each book featured is a collection of short stories. When it will be only a day or so before we go to the library, or the person reading the book I want to read next is almost done with it. It is good for times when I know that it will only be a day or two wait for the next book I want to read. 

Reading all of these short stories have reminded me of something though.

I am terrible at writing short stories. 

I know, I know what you're going to say next. Don't you dare say it. This isn't me being falsely humble and lamenting the fact that I have low self esteem when it come to my work. This is more about personal frustration and honestly having difficulty doing something. 

One thing that teachers, other authors, and editors tell you to do is write short stories. They are not as much commitment as a novel, but they still get you practicing with the elements you will come up against in a novel. Characters  plot, setting, description, pacing, all of that good stuff. It is a really good idea, and I think writing short stories is a good practice.

The problem is this. Whenever I get an idea for a short story, and I sit down to write it, I suddenly realize that if I just add this one little part, it will actually become better. And then I think, well, there actually isn't much of a story to this, let me add some depth and plot here, and maybe a little there, and oh, that's terrible, there's a big gaping hole right there, better add a couple more scenes to clear that up...The next thing I know, I have a novel on my hands. At the very least I have a novella. Novel, novella, it turns out to be something too long for a short story. I then try to cut some out, but then the story seems dead to me. Sometimes I write these stories anyway, getting rid of the extra stuff, and I am disappointed in them. A lot of the time, the ideas I have are simply too complex to put into a short story with any success. Yet these are ideas I do not want to devote the time and attention that a full novel would take. 

I have always been a bit...long winded. 

I've decided that I am going to try to write a few short stories every year, even if they are kind of lame. My first order of business though will simply to read more short stories. I mostly read novels. Reading short stories might help me see the tools and the pacing that other authors have employed.