Reply #10: Is there actually a book on short story writing that you can recommend?

[CTyankee]

I have actually been a writer through most of my career, but in a different forum than short story (unless you count some of my grant proposals, which is possible...). I wrote exhortatory fundraising material for causes I cared about and was able to raise money doing so, so I know I can persuade.

This is all different for me. In grad school I did a lot of explicatory writing. It helped me with clarity, which is certainly a virtue in writing fiction and I would guess short stories in particular. What I am lacking is knowing what makes a short story good. I can certainly point to examples of great short stories -- "The Swimmer" by John Cheever or "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson come to mind. But it is certainly not quantifiable.

I think I am too beholden to "The New Yorker" kind of short story. I remember someone remarking that to write a good New Yorker story just take off the last sentence of your story. In a sense, that is what I have aimed for in my piece.

How do you approach a short story when you are a writing tutor? I tutor, myself, but ESOL. I'd like to know how you approach this.

thanks for your input.