Even though novels keep getting most of the attention, the world of short story fiction is also sensitive to changing trends and they have undoubtedly been on the rise lately. They are being written by more reputable names and published by more reputable publishers than ever before – and this is a trend that can be expected to only get stronger.

Bar Set High

After the prime times of short stories – the latest of which would be around the 70’s and 80’s – the writers of short stories are facing higher standards than before. More has always been expected from short stories than novels; in short stories, every word matters. Being short, there is no room for extra content or below-average sentences or paragraphs.The requirement level seems to be even higher these days. The market that started shrinking after the 80’s hasn’t been too welcoming for anything short of brilliant after the benchmark was set high by those who managed to have success with short stories even after the lowered demand.

The Future of Short Stories

While the quality of short stories keeps rising, the demand is also increasing. The hectic lifestyle of today often doesn’t allow time for immersing oneself in a thick novel with hundreds of pages; therefore, short stories are more fitting to our busy schedules and short attention spans. And since short stories are created to make an impression in fewer words than novels, they are often way more intense, and intensity is also something that people these days crave. We have so many stimulants coming at us all at once; so much information and entertainment to take in, that nothing short of intense really make us tick anymore. And for these reasons, we are expecting short stories to get big again.