Why I Love Reading Short Stories
Even when I feel like I can’t read anything, I always make room for short fiction.
They’re short.
Do I have several hours a day to read? I wish. But do I have fifteen minutes over lunch? Probably. Short stories are the TV substitute for literature: they’re quick, easily digestible, and often packed with interesting plots and information. Because they’re so short, there’s much less commitment than reading a novel.
They’re usually free.
There are hundreds of literary magazines publishing for free online, especially in the science fiction/fantasy genres. Not having to leave the house, go to a bookstore or library, or pay any money is a huge advantage of short stories. If I want to read one, it’s just a quick click away. And because they are free and plentiful, if I don’t like a story within the first few paragraphs, I don’t have to waste my time reading it. I can just as easily go to the next story.
Of course, I would highly recommend tipping publications that you enjoy. These stories may be free to us, but many magazines pay their authors good rates. Financially supporting those publications supports their continued existence, which is good for everyone.
They offer so many opportunities for discovery.
Reading short stories has allowed me to explore hundreds of worlds in this time it would have taken me to read just one book. The incredible variety in authors and perspectives out there lets me see the hundreds of ways that a person can write a character, a world, a theme.
And short story publication is less gatekept than novel publication can be. This means that a larger variety of voices are allowed to proliferate the genre. It’s incredible to be able to step into someone else’s world — real or imaginary — for a few minutes. If the purpose of writing and reading is to see the world from different perspectives, short stories allow the reader to take on the most perspectives possible in the shortest period of time. And for that, they’re so valuable to me.
They’re also fun!
Short stories are the medium that I enjoy reading the most — they delight me. And if delight isn’t a good reason to recommend something, I don’t know what is
What’s your favorite short story? Please let me know, I’d love to read it.
A Few Magazines That Publish Free-to-read Short Fiction:
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