STARTING SHORT
What can writing short teach about writing long? Short stories can be ideal training ground for writers working up to a novel, says author Dan Malakin, whose route to writing bestselling thrillers came through writing hundreds of short stories, twice being shortlisted for the Bridport Prize
The wait is always torture. Days pass at a crawl and anxious dreams fill your nights. It’s wholly self-inflicted – you could stop it at any time – but instead you find yourself back at your computer, heart stuttering in your throat, furious with yourself for getting so worked up once again, pressing the refresh key in a state of near panic until it finally appears. That’s right, it’s feedback from your writing workshop. Time to find out what people think about your latest attempt at a short story.
Groups like this are a rite of passage for most wannabe authors. They’re often the first situation where you show your work to someone who didn’t either birth you or share your bed. They can be online or in person, run by a professional writer or another hopeful, but from my experience they all have one thing in common: the ability to terrify even the hardiest of storyteller.
But are they worthwhile? Why run the gamut of short story workshops instead of simply ladling onto the page the novel that’s been bubbling for years deep in your brain?