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Short stories are shorter than novels and can be read quickly, yet they remain less popular than novels. Why do readers tend to favour longer narratives?

The preference for novels over short stories is nothing new. But in an era characterized by unprecedented speed, why do long stories still dominate? Social media has created a universal attention deficit, making it difficult for people to focus on a single topic for a more than few seconds. In such an environment, short stories should have a preferred genre among readers, but they haven’t. Just walk into any bookstore and you will see the proof; novels consistently outnumber short story collections.

As a genre, the modern short story is about 150 years younger than the novel. It began with Henry Fielding in the early 18th century and grew into maturity in the 19th century through the works of Guy de Maupassant and Anthon Chekhov. Rabindranath Tagore, the pioneer of modern Bengali short stories was contemporary of both. Interestingly, among these three, only Maupassant began his literary career with short stories; Chekhov started with comedies, while Tagore with poems followed by novels. Tagore’s first novel, Rajarshi, was published in 1887, while his first story collection appeared in 1894.

Maupassant’s popularity began to wane in the early 20th century. It is often quipped that his stories are read more by English speakers than by the French themselves. Most of us have read his famous story, The Necklace, but beyond that, few of us could recall another of his stories.  Tagore’s stories remain literary treasures among Bengalis, but outside of India and Bangladesh, they are seldom read.

Chekhov is an exception. He died only at the age of 44. Shortly before his death, he remarked that his stories wouldn’t be read more than another six or seven years. But the world has proved him wrong. Even 120 years after his death, his stories continue to be read around the world.

Historically, short stories have been overshadowed by novels and received less attention from both readers and literary institutions. For example, the first Nobel prize in literature was awarded to a work of poetry in 1901, whereas it was not until 2013 the prize was awarded for short stories to Canadian Alice Munro (who has recently been the subject of controversy). Of course, not every writer will reach the heights of winning a Nobel Prize, but in general, novels and poetry receive more awards than short stories. There was a time, when weekly and monthly magazines favored short stories because they were easier to fit within limited space and meet the literary taste of readers. It is said that the American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald gave up on novels for writing short stories because he could publish more of them than novels and earn incomes faster. In fact, in 1929, The Evening Standard paid him US$4,000 for one story, equivalent of nearly $40,000 today. While not all short story writers were as fortunate, many were able to earn incomes by publishing their works in magazines. Needless to say, it was a great incentive for story writers as well as a useful channels for them to connect with readers. Now those weeklies and monthlies have been taken over by web-based magazines, which do not see much benefit patronizing short stories.

At the same time, publishers are reluctant to publish short story collections. While art and culture may be progressive, they still rely on patronage and in our time, it often means commercial support. Business will patronize the works that promise financial returns. Consequently, publishers favour novels over short stories because they can more easily predict their profitability. Novels typically explore the extended lives of multiple characters, offering a broader canvas for writers to weave in various dimensions of human experience, including love, conflict, hardship, political unrest, pandemics, and even war. If a publisher believes that this richness adds depth to the story and will attract readers, they’re more likely to publish it.

Publishers likely cannot apply the same evaluation criteria to short story collections. These collections aren’t merely assortments of unrelated life events; each story, according to Chekhov, is a slice of the human life. However, these brief glimpses into life experiences don’t always promise strong sales. That is why, in a bookstore, we can find novels more easily than short story collections.

The rise of new technology and social media have also pushed short stories towards sidelines. This is somewhat counter-intuitive. We spend nearly every waking moment glued to our smartphones, constantly toggling between Facebook, Twitter, Tiktok and so on. As noted above, this uncontrolled digital immersion has eroded our ability to focus on any topics. We are constantly bombarded with snippets of news fleeting updates, and ironically, journalists call these fragments as “stories”, diluting the value and depth of short stories. The restless psychology fueled by digital technology does not help nurturing a habit of reading, especially of short stories (or even poetry). Although short stories are concise, truly appreciating them requires a kind of stillness and attention that our fragmented digital lives rarely allow. Every word in a short story is indispensable, like a brick in the construction of a building, and together they form a moment of life that is neither banal nor fleeting. Despite capturing only a brief slice of life, a well-written short story can evoke the fullness of a life and leave a lasting impression on the reader. 

By contrast, reading a novel demands time but not necessarily the same level of concentration. A reader can skim sentences, skip paragraphs and even bypass pages and still grasp the overall narrative. It is akin to a long train journey, where the primary concern is reaching the destination. The events and details along the way may enrich the experience, but they can be passed over without derailing the journey. So, at the risk of overgeneralizing, we might say that in this age of psychological restlessness, those who wish to preserve their reading habits often gravitate towards novels rather than short stories.

Short stories have unique strengths, but they lack the edge to compete with novels, either among publishers or readers. What the future holds for short stories is difficult to predict. Their presence in literature will likely be sustained more by devoted readers than by the general public.

Adapted from remarks shared at the Ashram discussion forum in March 2024.

Rashed Nabi
Ottawa.

1. en-ashram-N/G
2. 15-09-2025
4. Tweet