Fairytales are wonderfully flexible in terms of being perfect for stories of varying lengths. I love short stories, including fairytales, for all sorts of reasons, some of which are:-
- When I haven't as much time as I'd like for a decent reading session, a short story fills the gap.
- There's a huge range of magazines, anthologies etc to both write for and to enjoy as a reader.
- Short stories are great both in print and online form. (So, to be fair, are novels, but I think short stories work better on mobile phones etc. Short seems to suit the medium better but this may just be me here).
- There are far more competitions for short stories than novels and entry fees, where applicable, are cheaper.
- Short stories can often be extended and become the starting point of a novel.
- I love the idea of short stories being a snapshot in time. A good short story lingers in the memory and, frankly, it is easier to recall a short tale rather than a novel. Much as I love The Lord of the Rings, there is no way I'm memorizing every part of that epic whereas I do recall favourite short stories far more easily.
- Short story publication acceptances can make for quite an impressive listing on the writing CV and can be a great way of showing your commitment to writing.
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