It's an unfortunately wide spread misconception that short stories are the training wheels of literature. Young writers often make their name with them and moved afterward to longer projects. It's hard to find established names in literature writing short stories. But truth is, they're just a different field of competencies. Writers like Raymond Carver and John Cheever proved that they can have just as much of a lasting effect as a novel. They are shorter, but they are tighter and often leave you distraught. They are a single, well placed shot, as a novel is an assault. This category will reward the writers whose stories for me were "one shot, one kill". Here are the nominees.
Heath Lowrance for "It Will All Be Carried Away" in Dig Ten Graves
Daniel Woodrell for "Black Step" in The Outlaw Album
Frank Bill for "The Accident" in Crimes In Southern Indiana
David Cranmer for "Clouds In A Bunker" in Pulp Ink
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Read them in November, they're short and discuss who do you think should win before the ceremony!
8 comments:
That's some good company, Ben, thank you.
Man, talk about stiff competition. Great choices!
Thanks Cullen. Those are the four short stories that moved me more than most novels I've read this year. Needless to say, I'm torn about choosing a winner.
Congrats to all the nominees. And thanks for taking the time to do this, Ben.
hehehe, the goal is to promote the books indeed.
Oh and I'm totally having fun with it!
This is such a great idea. More people should be reviewing short fiction. The short story is coming back in a big way with ebooks. People can read a story on their phone on the bus, waiting in line, or whatever. It's easier to read a short than get back into a novel. Name writers are now self-pubbing selling shorts and novellas as 99 cent ebooks.
You're right that it's not a beginner's medium at all. It may be harder to write a really good short than a long work of fiction.
Although I wish more writers would begin with short forms rather than trying to write novels before they've got a clue how to tell a story.
Congrats to the nominees!
Good writers and great stories. Congrats!
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