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I’m always eager to read your comments about my books and stories, so please feel free to pitch in. Here are a few things for you to know:
1) I answer the messages here personally.
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Dear Mr. Coville,
You stated in a message in the guestbook that you prefer writing long stories. Why are short stories harder? What about long stories makes it your favorite?
Your friend,
Annie
You stated in a message in the guestbook that you prefer writing long stories. Why are short stories harder? What about long stories makes it your favorite?
Your friend,
Annie
Reply by Bruce Coville
Annie -
Winston Churchill once concluded a letter with this phrase: "I'm sorry this letter is so long. If I had had more time, I would have written a shorter one." (I'm paraphrasing, but that's pretty close.) Writing tight and lean takes time.
But there is also the matter of how your brain thinks. My dear friend, Jane Yolen, is, for the msot part, a short form writer. I am, for the most part, a long form person. When I start writing a short story I keep thinking of possible things to happen, and the story wants to get longer. JEREMY THATCHER, DRAGON HATCHER and JENNIFER MURDLEY'S TOAD both started out as short stories that got out of control!
BC
Winston Churchill once concluded a letter with this phrase: "I'm sorry this letter is so long. If I had had more time, I would have written a shorter one." (I'm paraphrasing, but that's pretty close.) Writing tight and lean takes time.
But there is also the matter of how your brain thinks. My dear friend, Jane Yolen, is, for the msot part, a short form writer. I am, for the most part, a long form person. When I start writing a short story I keep thinking of possible things to happen, and the story wants to get longer. JEREMY THATCHER, DRAGON HATCHER and JENNIFER MURDLEY'S TOAD both started out as short stories that got out of control!
BC