Short fiction vs Long fiction


The other day I was walking with a writer friend in park discussing the nuances of fiction writing. The discussion came down to writing short stories vs novels and we realized that the former was more challenging to write. 

Now I have finished two semesters at University and taken two short fiction workshops. As I went through some of the feedback I realized how difficult it was to pack the several dynamics into one story. Especially when the page and word limited is restricted in a short story. There is so much to tell so its hard to identify what may be essential. What makes it even more challenging is the the disparate views that you get in a workshop. Every feedback is valuable and yet tough to incorporate. It made me wonder if long fiction is easier. One could elaborate on the back story of several characters without worrying about the pacing. The comparison between the short and long fiction reminded me of a sprint vs a marathon. 

In my several years of training, one thing in my fitness regime that makes me cringe is the sprint/speed intervals. It takes every ounce of your energy and breath to run 400 m around the track. You have to pack so much in that given time and distance which leaves you quite exhausted. Its the same feeling I get after I finish writing a short story. And this semester I wrote three short stories-a couple of them involved immense amount of research, burning the midnight oil and resulting in fatigue. Similar to the feeling I experienced during a sprint. 

I have run a marathon and participated in endurance events. While the distance seemed humongous, the pacing makes it relatively easier. Which made me wonder if I should dabble with long fiction next year once I finish with my short story collection which by the way I am hoping to publish in the next two years.  The more I think about it the more I am lured towards long fiction. Yes you may hit a wall just like you do when you are running a marathon. During a race, all it takes is a sip of gatorade and gu gel to overcome that wall. It remains to be seen what it will take to overcome that writer's block. In the meantime, I am just going to work on a few ideas.

 

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