Listen here sir, I'll have you know that I can read definitely lose a reader in much less than 10 sentences. Give me 10 words. I'll make the magic happen.
I really liked this. I've got nothing more to add.
Actually, one thing. I feel with short stories you get two paragraphs to get the reader involved, maybe three. Novels there's a bit more investment but short stories can be dropped and moved on to another bite sized fiction way quicker.
That said, the story you picked does it in one paragraph so yeah, it's very good.
Is this lack of grounding a new thing? I think it was a feature of some of the PoMos like John Barth. But others, like Pynchon and DFW, as confusing as they could be, still had grounding details. And more recently, literary writers like Donna Tartt and (maybe less so) Rachel Cusk — plenty of grounding. Same with Demon Copperhead, which I’m reading right now - but is Kingsolver considered literary?
I’ll accept your assessment of Pugilist at Rest — great story! Someone mentioned Sonny’s Blues, which is also up there. I think I’d pick a different Hemingway, maybe Hills or one of the Nick Adams stories.
I agree with a lot of what you said here. As a genre novelist who only dabbles with the short story, my insight might be off base.
But the one W we can't do without, in my humble opinion, is the "why." Without emotional stakes readers don't care.
Your short story example has great stakes - the character getting caught and humiliated thus earning a new nickname. We are voyeuristic creatures by nature and love to watch a downfall as long as it isn't our own. And the offer of explanation bookended by the "Hey Baby" on both ends of the piece both lends beautiful symmetry to the piece while also offering us an explanation to the perplexing syntax of the first sentence.
I often find this is the disconnect for me in literary fiction (admitted, it isn't my genre and I haven't much enjoyed the examples I have dabbled in). But often I find myself wandering through pretty prose feeling like I don't know why I am there or which character I should be rooting for.
Anyway, great article! I enjoyed thinking about this and will definitely think of Hey Baby when I write my next short.
Saw your teaser and was getting ready to quibble. Is he going to post "The Lady with the Pet Dog"? "Sonny's Blues"? "The Metamorphosis"? "The Swimmer"? ...With this choice by Thom Jones you get no argument from me. Brilliant.
Listen here sir, I'll have you know that I can read definitely lose a reader in much less than 10 sentences. Give me 10 words. I'll make the magic happen.
I really liked this. I've got nothing more to add.
Actually, one thing. I feel with short stories you get two paragraphs to get the reader involved, maybe three. Novels there's a bit more investment but short stories can be dropped and moved on to another bite sized fiction way quicker.
That said, the story you picked does it in one paragraph so yeah, it's very good.
A lucky coincidence really. I was ready to talk about my favorite short story.
Bowie of course 😀
Exactly!
Is this lack of grounding a new thing? I think it was a feature of some of the PoMos like John Barth. But others, like Pynchon and DFW, as confusing as they could be, still had grounding details. And more recently, literary writers like Donna Tartt and (maybe less so) Rachel Cusk — plenty of grounding. Same with Demon Copperhead, which I’m reading right now - but is Kingsolver considered literary?
I’ll accept your assessment of Pugilist at Rest — great story! Someone mentioned Sonny’s Blues, which is also up there. I think I’d pick a different Hemingway, maybe Hills or one of the Nick Adams stories.
The masters were masters for a reason.
This is Major Tom to Ground Control....David Bowie's Space Oddity
I agree with a lot of what you said here. As a genre novelist who only dabbles with the short story, my insight might be off base.
But the one W we can't do without, in my humble opinion, is the "why." Without emotional stakes readers don't care.
Your short story example has great stakes - the character getting caught and humiliated thus earning a new nickname. We are voyeuristic creatures by nature and love to watch a downfall as long as it isn't our own. And the offer of explanation bookended by the "Hey Baby" on both ends of the piece both lends beautiful symmetry to the piece while also offering us an explanation to the perplexing syntax of the first sentence.
I often find this is the disconnect for me in literary fiction (admitted, it isn't my genre and I haven't much enjoyed the examples I have dabbled in). But often I find myself wandering through pretty prose feeling like I don't know why I am there or which character I should be rooting for.
Anyway, great article! I enjoyed thinking about this and will definitely think of Hey Baby when I write my next short.
Such a good point. The worst question for a reader to ask is-- why am I reading this?
Ground control to Major Tom...
Well done
Thad, you’ve really made the grade. And the papers want to know whose shirts you wear.
Well spotted!
Saw your teaser and was getting ready to quibble. Is he going to post "The Lady with the Pet Dog"? "Sonny's Blues"? "The Metamorphosis"? "The Swimmer"? ...With this choice by Thom Jones you get no argument from me. Brilliant.
I'm glad you agree!
STARMAN by David Bowie
Very good
If you think I need advice on how to do this, you’ve got another thing comin’.
😆
That is an incredible story. Hilarious too.