“I find the short story much more intriguing because it encompasses, in a moment, everything that went before and supposes everything that will follow. It gives the reader the opportunity to exercise his or her chops in solving the mystery. It freezes up a moment in time, it freezes your imagination of a concept in a moment in time, and the short story has always seemed to be to me far more difficult and adroit and flexible than the novel. There are many great novels, and yet I see people writing trilogies and quatrologies and even five and six and eight volumes in a series, and I think, ‘Are they not re-chewing their cud?’ So I try to hit the gong the first time.” Harlan Ellison
M.C. Tuggle, Writer 
What a brilliant quote.
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cath,
Ellison was one of a kind. (And a lot of people were thankful of that!) His comments about the novel reminded me of Ambrose Bierce’s definition of the novel: “A short story padded.”
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And he “hit the gong” all right. Great writer.
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American Daze,
So true. I just read Paladin of the Lost Hour. Wow.
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Great post. I’m not fortunate enough to have a publisher or even an agent, but I hear that publishers are now requiring writers to produce series rather than one-off novels because the publishers can make more money from the series.
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bradsbooks,
Publishers like making money, so a successful series that doesn’t have to be sold with each run is highly desirable.
Another good reason to stick to short fiction.
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Brilliance, again!
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