If they're good. And that's the rub, isn't it. I haven't conducted a survey or searched for statistical data on reader preferences, but I can tell you why short stories aren't as popular as they should be: many of them are unsatisfying.
I'm still relatively new to writing fiction, having started in earnest in 2019 and not yet having published any fiction of note. I've written quite a number of short stories now, some in the 4,000 word range and some as many as 10,000 words. It's great training for writing novels.
And it happens sometimes that I'd like to read some short fiction instead of committing to a 400+ page novel or a series. And I sometimes find great ones. It's easier to find great sword-and-sorcery since that genre has a long history in the pulp magazines of the early 20th century.
But when it comes to short stories, readers often find that there is no satisfying ending and often no meaningful character work or themes. Established authors—and may God smite me with the curse of someday becoming an "established writer"—can submit a mediocre story with no real ending and editors will publish away. Less known and unknown writers have to try harder, but even so, many short stories tend to disappoint.
It shouldn't be that way. I believe a short story should show something meaningful. You only have to develop one character and you can do that in relatively short space. And the structure needs to have an arc and bring the reader somewhere, not just show someone getting out of a jam.
I struggle with the length of many books and series in the fantasy realm. Haven't and will not ever touch Wheel of Time (okay, I read the first two books) or Malazan (haven't read a word). Although I've really enjoyed Sanderson's Mistborn series and Elantris, I can't bring myself to start his other series. Sure, I've read some long ones (Tolkien and Martin, for example). I've been bored to tears in some less known series that could have used major editing and were probably written long because the author thought this was the expectation.
As a busy career person with a family, sometimes I just want some short stories, dammit!
I titled this little essay "The Case for Short Stories." And I guess I am making a case. They can be good. There's no reason why a story of at least 4,000 words cannot have a satisfying arc and a touch of character development. But more importantly I want to say to fellow writers: write more of them, publish more of them, and put in the same effort you do on a novel! Make them awesome.
There are hungry readers out here!
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