January 30th, 2010

Talking Stories

Last night at dinner, my friend Scott explained to someone, “Becky writes short stories–short stories are to the point, but you don’t always know what the point *is*.” Such a good summation of the strengths and weaknesses of stories.

This morning I read Andrew Hood saying in Canadian Notes and Queries that “What the short story can do better than any form is romance the effects of life without having to belabour the causes.” He went on to quote Clark Blaise’s comment that, “[short story writers] are not in the business of establishing any of the whys… The story traces what lingers after the whirlwind, after the fracture. Or before it. We’re not in the business of establishing the reasons…why things happen. They’ve already happened.”

Today is, I feel, a good day for stories!
RR