Benefits of Reading and Writing Short Stories

In the last decade or so, reading in the United States has experienced a sharp decline. The percentage of American adults who read at least one book during the year declined from 54.6% in 2012 to 48.5% in 2022. Moreover, the percentage of American adults who read literature in general (novels, short stories, plays, etc.) declined by 7.6 percentage points between 2012 and 2022, from 45.2% to 37.6%.¹

The benefits associated with reading include stress reduction, improved focus and concentration, better memory, stronger writing skills, and more.² If you are an aspiring creative writer, habitual reading is essential to honing your craft. As mentioned in my previous article on tips and tricks to improve writing productivity, I like to think of reading and writing as breathing in and breathing out, respectively.

Like most people living in today’s fast-paced, digital media-dominated world, you may find yourself short on time and attention during the day for reading, let alone writing. Short stories, in my opinion, are the ideal medium for part-time writers to ensure they are reading enough on a regular basis to maintain and strengthen their writing skills. While short stories have fallen out of popularity in the last century in favor of the novel,³ here are a couple of reasons why you as a writer or someone interested in reading more should consider engaging with short stories instead of novels.

Less time and commitment

Short stories are called ‘short’ for a reason. Most can be read in a single sitting or so. They are thousands upon thousands of words less in length compared to novels while still having the same profoundness. Since they do not require a long-term commitment from the reader, it is easy to read multiple of them within the span of a week or a few days. Likewise, they are easier for writers to complete compared to novels. This brings me to my next point.

Great for study and practice

The brevity of short stories allows you to easily explore the themes, ideas, and writing styles of the works of numerous different authors. Short stories are simple with their plots usually revolving around a single central conflict. Their shortness and simplicity make them ideal for studying the fundamentals of strong writing and storytelling practices. Writing short stories is a worthwhile exercise for experimenting with different techniques and styles and mastering the key elements of a story, from scene development to dialogue exchanges.

Delayed gratification

Everyone loves the serotonin rush they get after completing something that requires considerable time and effort. It is easier to experience delayed gratification by reading or writing a short story compared to a novel. Note, I say ‘delayed gratification’ as opposed to ‘instant gratification’ because reading or writing a short story still involves forgoing immediate rewards or pleasures from low-effort activities (scrolling through social media, streaming Netflix, eating junk food, etc.) for a long-term accomplishment.⁴ Completing a short story from start to finish is therefore worthwhile for acquiring a sense of fulfillment.

Short story recommendations

Short stories are in need of a resurgence in popularity, as they offer people an accessible and meaningful means to engage with literature and to fulfill their reading goals. Not to mention, I need an audience for my upcoming short story anthology, The Flutist Sinraat and Other Fantasies.

Some of my favorite short story authors include Ray Bradbury, Edgar Allan Poe, Leigh Brackett, HP Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and Flannery O’Conner. You can find the works of these authors online for free. So what are you waiting for? Get reading!

If you have a particular author or short story to recommend, let me know in the comments below.

Sources: 

¹“New Data Reveal How Adults Participated in the Arts during COVID-19.” National Endowment for the Arts, October 18, 2023. https://www.arts.gov/news/press-releases/2023/new-data-reveal-how-adults-participated-arts-during-covid-19#:~:text=82%20percent%20of%20respondents%20attended,taking%20online%20art%20classes%3B%20and.

²Winter, Catherine. “10 Benefits of Reading: Why You Should Read Every Day.” LifeHack, November 15, 2023. https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/10-benefits-reading-why-you-should-read-everyday.html.

³Notes, Critical. “A Brief History of the Short Story in America.” National Book Critics Circle, August 27, 2007. https://www.bookcritics.org/2007/08/27/a-brief-history-of-the-short-story-in-america/.

⁴Thambithurai, Sinddya. “Instant Gratification vs. Delayed Gratification.” Medium, April 19, 2023. https://medium.com/@sindu.thurai/instant-gratification-vs-delayed-gratification-4c74c4f5c5c.