Short story writer

We like to pretend that art is art. That an author writes what they are inspired to write, with no concern but the voice of the muse. This is a useful fiction. It is good for writers to focus on the art when writing and worry about the business side later. But it is a fiction. Writers are aware of market demands, what kinds of novels get buzz, and what subjects award judges gravitate towards.  Read more

George Saunders once said, ‘when you read a short story, you come out a little more aware and a little more in love with the world around you'...but what is the best way to start?  Read more

People are always saying, "I have an idea for a story." But if a story starts in an idea it might as well give up and be a novel. I think ransacking your mind for story ideas builds up an immunity to the mysterious form itself. At some point you have to bow to the story's elusiveness and refusal of paraphrase, that is, of expression as an idea.  Read more

In 2017, almost 50% more short story collections were sold than in the previous year. It was the best year for short stories since 2010.  Read more

I'D ALWAYS thought of myself as a poet, and that was that. I'd gone to graduate school in poetry. I'd had fellowships in poetry. I don't mean to say these things qualified me to be a poet, but that was the label I'd given myself. Fiction had never come up. One day, like many other days, I sat down to write a poem.  Read more