Thursday, November 02, 2006

Roberto Bolano's Advice on the Art of Writing Short Stories


Never approach short stories one at a time. If one approaches short stories one at a time, one can quite honestly be writing the same short story until the day one dies.

It is best to write short stories three or five at a time. If one has the energy, write them nine or fifteen at a time.
...

Short story writers customarily brag about having read Petrus Borel. In fact, many short story writers are notorious for trying to imitate Borel's writing. What a huge mistake ! Instead they should imitate the way Borel dresses...
...and more Advice on the Art of Writing Short Stories (pdf file)

Link via Literay Saloon

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4 comments:

Siyaah said...

Hey, some nice tips there on writing short stories! thanks.

readerswords said...

Specially by Roberto Bolano, who I think is one of the finest writers to emerge out of the shadows of the Boom Generation.

epikles said...

that's a pretty funny presentation. now i will have to read something by Roberto Bolano! But I would definitely caution against reading Raymond Carver- you are all too likely to start smashing your character's heads in with rocks, as he so often does, and that is not polite.

readerswords said...

pigeon weather: I would highly recommend Bolano, both By Night in Chile as well as Distant Stars. You will not be disappointed !