How Long Are Short Stories Usually?

When crafting a short story, one of the first questions writers often ask is: How long should it be? The answer depends on your goals, audience, and the platform where you plan to publish. While there are general guidelines, the length of a short story can vary significantly. Let’s explore the typical word counts for short stories, their variations, and how to determine the right length for your work, complete with plenty of examples from famous stories.

General Word Count Guidelines for Short Stories

A short story generally falls between 1,000 and 7,500 words, though this range can expand or contract depending on specific subcategories or publication requirements.

Common Length Categories

1. Flash Fiction: Up to 1,000 words.

   • Example: Ernest Hemingway’s famous six-word story: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”
   • Example: Lydia Davis’s ultra-short stories often fall under 500 words, such as “Break It Down.”

2. Short-Short Stories: 1,000 to 2,000 words.

   • Example: Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” (about 1,000 words) captures a powerful emotional arc in a compact space.
   • Example: Raymond Carver’s “Popular Mechanics” (1,600 words) delivers a sharp, gut-wrenching narrative.

3. Traditional Short Stories: 2,000 to 7,500 words.

   • Example: Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” (approximately 3,700 words) delivers a chilling societal critique in a tight package.
   • Example: Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart” (about 2,200 words) is a masterclass in tension and psychological depth.

4. Novelettes or Long Short Stories: 7,500 to 20,000 words.

   • Example: Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness (approximately 18,000 words) borders on novella length but is often considered a long short story due to its structure.
   • Example: Leo Tolstoy’s “The Death of Ivan Ilyich” (about 12,000 words) explores profound existential themes in a slightly longer format.

Factors That Influence Short Story Length

This isn't cut and dried, and the variations may be impacted by additional factors. Including these.

1. Genre Expectations

Certain genres have typical word count ranges for short stories:

• Science Fiction/Fantasy: Often leans toward the upper end (4,000–7,500 words) due to the need for worldbuilding.
  • Example: Harlan Ellison’s “I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream” (6,800 words) creates a vivid dystopian world.
• Literary Fiction: Frequently shorter (1,500–4,000 words), focusing on character and theme over plot.
  • Example: Alice Munro’s “Runaway” (3,500 words) highlights her signature emotional depth.

2. Publication Requirements

Magazines, anthologies, and competitions often specify word count limits.

• Literary Magazines: Most accept stories between 1,500 and 5,000 words.
  • Example: The New Yorker often publishes stories around 4,000 words, such as Jhumpa Lahiri’s “A Temporary Matter” (4,300 words).
• Competitions: Flash fiction contests might cap entries at 500 or 1,000 words, while others allow up to 10,000.
  • Example: Short story competitions like the Bridport Prize have a 5,000-word limit.

3. Narrative Scope

The complexity of your story often dictates its length.

• Shorter Stories: Focus on a single moment, event, or revelation.
  • Example: Tobias Wolff’s “Bullet in the Brain” (1,300 words) captures a single transformative moment.
• Longer Stories: Allow room for subplot, multiple characters, or a more complex arc.
  • Example: James Joyce’s “The Dead” (15,000 words) weaves intricate character dynamics and an evocative setting.

How to Choose the Right Length for Your Story

As you consider your length, here're some guiding principles.

1. Focus on the Core Idea

Ask yourself: What’s the central idea or emotion I want to explore?

• If your story revolves around a single event or revelation, aim for fewer than 3,000 words.
• If it spans multiple events or perspectives, a length closer to 7,000 words might be appropriate.

2. Consider Your Reader’s Experience

Shorter stories can deliver a punch, while longer stories allow readers to immerse themselves more deeply.

• For anthologies or online platforms, shorter stories (1,500–4,000 words) often perform well.
• For literary magazines, a 5,000-word piece allows for richer development without overstaying its welcome.

3. Match Length to Purpose

• Flash Fiction: Perfect for showcasing creativity in a limited space, such as a writing challenge or an experimental piece.
• Traditional Short Stories: Ideal for capturing a complete narrative arc in a digestible format.
• Long Short Stories: Suitable for exploring complex themes or experimenting with structure.

What Happens If Your Story Doesn’t Fit the Guidelines?

Is it going to ruin you if you're under or over? No, but keep a couple things in mind.

Too Short:

If your story feels underdeveloped:

• Add depth to characters or setting.
• Flesh out key scenes or transitions.

Too Long:

If your story drags:

• Trim unnecessary descriptions or dialogue.
• Combine or cut redundant scenes or characters.

Example: Anton Chekhov famously advised writers to remove everything that isn’t essential, saying, “Medicine is my lawful wife, and literature my mistress.” His concise stories, like “The Lady with the Dog” (about 6,000 words), exemplify this approach.

Short Story Length vs. Other Formats

If your story’s word count exceeds the short story range, consider whether it might work better as a:

• Novella: Typically 20,000–50,000 words.
  • Example: Stephen King’s The Body (25,000 words), which became the movie Stand by Me.
• Novel: 50,000+ words.
  • Example: If your narrative demands multiple subplots and intricate development, it may be time to expand your work into a full-length novel.

Finding the Sweet Spot

Short stories are defined as much by their brevity as by their ability to evoke emotion, provoke thought, or entertain in a compact space. While the typical range is 1,000 to 7,500 words, flexibility is key. A compelling 900-word flash fiction piece or a 10,000-word long story can be equally effective if it serves the narrative.

Famous examples across genres remind us that the perfect length depends on the story’s demands. So, focus on crafting a complete, engaging narrative—whether it’s a quick spark of brilliance or a lingering exploration of character and theme.