AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Same Tools, Different Scale
- Short stories and novels use the same tools but deploy them differently across scale and scope.
- Being good at one form doesn't automatically mean you'll excel at the other.
Attraction Shapes Form
- Novelists are drawn to large-scale stories that need breadth; short-story writers prefer intimate, focused tales.
- Short fiction can be complex but requires different compression and muscle than novels.
Keep Casts And Settings Small
- Limit characters and locations to keep a short story tight; each character or location adds ~500–1000 words.
- Aim for 1–2 scenic locations and 2–3 characters for a 1,000–4,000 word marketable story.