This road trip has made me appreciate the short story a lot more. Whether we’re telling each other stories to pass the time or reading histories out loud from our guidebooks, there is something satisfying and whole about a short story that you can’t get from the longer form. It’s a complete package, compact, enjoyable, and easy to read. There’s a reason why mini candybars are labled things like “fun,” “party,” or “bite” size. Mini things are just easier, and sometimes more fun, to consume.
In fact, a lot of my friends have been turning towards the short story when picking up reading material for exactly this reason. As college kids we have little time and short attention spans, so a short story is the perfect size for our consumption. While most people may not find the time to read a book, we are finding more and more time to read blog posts, tweets, facebook posts, and silly articles our friends send us. Short stories and flash fiction have the power to replicate this, and with e-readers all about ease of use and lower costs, it seems like short stories may soon be enjoying a comeback.
If the publishing industry could find a way to tap into this market, could experiment with pricing and size of story, we might find ourselves with 10, 20, 30, cent short stories. Like a song on iTunes, or a drug store magazine, at that price point and length they’d be incredibly easy and guilt free to just pick up and browse through. I have a lot of hope for the e-book industry, and I definitely believe that the short story could be an interesting and profitable way of harnessing this new medium.
What short stories have you read lately? Would you buy a 10 cent short story?
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