Cartoon by Tom Gauld
I feel like a pleb admitting this. Believe me when I tell you I have struggled against my aversion, trying my darndest to learn to love the short story. I have taught writing craft using short stories in workshops and university courses. I have judged short story competitions. I have even—a long time ago—written short stories. I have trawled the archives of the New Yorker podcast, in which authors I admire read aloud short stories they admire, and discuss them with the smart and erudite editor. I have read short stories by authors whose novels I have adored. I have read prize-winning, anthologised stories, selected by experts; stories by authors widely believed to excel at the form. No matter how acclaimed the story or its author, I am, almost always, at best underwhelmed, and at worst, entirely baffled.
When breaking a story down, I can recognise what is supposed to be a breakthrough, a revelation, a moment of epiphany, but I never feel it. I am never moved by it. No matter how skilful the writing, I simply don’t care about characters I’ve known for less than five minutes.
I’m not sure why I am sharing this now. Perhaps, aged almost fifty, I have finally admitted to myself that no amount of trying is going to change my relationship with the short form. Perhaps I am hoping that other secret story haters will emerge from their burrows and admit to just not understanding what all the fuss is about, so I won’t have to feel so alone. Perhaps I just love the drama of getting hate mail!
So tell me, are you with me? Should I keep persevering? Or should I be ashamed to call myself a writer?
Beaufort Street Books Inaugural Quiz Night
I’m excited to be MCing the inaugural Beaufort Street Books quiz night on Friday, September 27th, which is going to be all kinds of nerdy fun, with a best costume competition, guest authors helping teams out, and of course, fantastic prizes for the biggest book nerds. Questions will cover Australian favourites, classics and kids books, and of course, our fantastic West Australian authors; something for everyone. You can put together your own group or book a single ticket and meet some new friends.
6.00pm for 6.30pm | St Albans Hall | 423 Beaufort St, Highgate
Single tickets $30 ($20 students/underemployed) | Tables of 8 = $210
Pizza can be ordered on the night for delivery to your table or BYO your own picnic.
To Whom It May Concern | A Night of Complaint Letters
Photos by Alireza Zamani
On Friday, August 30th, local authors and creatives Julia Lawrinson, Laurie Steed, Paula Hart, Clinton Bell and Kate Page aired their grievances over matters from the petty—Guinea pig noise complaints—to the lofty —why Batman only defends Gotham when there is suffering everywhere! Anita Emor and I also dazzled/confused punters with the world premier (aka test run) of The Wrong Song Salon, in which we apply a woke lens to songs with questionable lyrics, starting the proceedings with Olivia Newton-John’s Physical, which certainly doesn’t fit contemporary definitions of enthusiastic consent. We had a record breaking audience of 103 complaint lovers, squeezing themselves wherever they could sit or stand in Beaufort Street Books’ fabulous new premises, (plus one complaint hater who wrote an email afterwards to say this ‘book event’ was a ‘dud’. Next time, read the box, Karen!)
Other things that have intrigued or entertained me lately
Book In Ascension by Martin McInnes. Shortlisted for the Booker Prize, with an intriguing sci-fi premise, this book has been a great disappointment, with a main character so bland, she seems barely human.
Podcast | The Emotional Toll of Dating Apps A year ago, I quit dating apps forever because of the toll they took on my mental health, and this research-based podcast was relatable and informative. If you have friends who are single, I highly recommend this as an insight into what it’s like ‘out there’.
TV | Mr & Mrs Smith Glossy action comedy featuring Donald Glover looking unbelievably good in short shorts and muscle shirts (see above).
Blogpost | 9 Easy mantras to crush your loneliness I hate this click-baity title but as someone who suffers from loneliness, there were some really fresh perspectives in this article.
I would love to hear from you! Any little thought that pops into your head would be so welcome in my inbox.
I have felt the same way about short stories since I started reading. However, I can't stop myself from reading them. I am so baffled -- every time -- that I think: well, I can do that too. So, I go and write a short story, although I don't really want to. What I want is to go back to writing my novel and talk to characters that I really care about. But I finish my short story and send it to competitions. I rarely win anything. Then I read the winning stories and I'm baffled again. The writing is usually superb, but when I reach the end, I hear myself say, 'So what?'
Short-story novels are different. A Visit from the Goon Squad is, in my opinion, a masterpiece. I could never write something like that; it is so well done. But as a reader, I grieved for the characters every time I reached the end of a short story. I wanted to hear directly from Sasha again, but after the first chapter, that was it, I could only see her through other characters' lenses. I also enjoyed -- and grieved for the characters in the same way -- The Turning, by Tim Winton.
I was so excited to read about your quiz night. My partner and I go to the quiz night at the Dunsy in Dunsborough every Tuesday. I've been telling them for years to include more questions about books and literature, but there are only a few every week, while they dedicate a whole round to music and another whole round to TV and cinema. I wish I could go to the Beaufort Bookshop on Friday, the 27th, but there are markets the next day in Dunsborough and I'll be there selling books. Hopefully I can go to the next quiz.
I always want to read more short stories but hardly ever get there - they really vary for me but Ursula Guin's 'The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas' is one of the most powerful short stories (in fact most powerful pieces of writing altogether) that I've ever read, and I also love Billennium by JG Ballard - I seem to be going for ones with social commentary but would love to hear what you think of these!