Finding Myself in Stories

Why do authors write? Perhaps writers want to make meaning of the world. Maybe they want to reflect on personal experiences and connect with readers. Sometimes, they might even hope to change the world. Identifying the purpose and intended audience for writing a text helps us to understand the text. Many different types of characters and experiences may be found within the written page. We can become new people in our minds, identify with characters within the pages, or even take trips or vacations, and never leave our own reading spaces! Through all types of texts, we are able to remove ourselves from our own lives, and look into the lives of others. The short story brings us little "slices of life," and can be just as memorable, effective, and amazing as any novel. In fact, many writers feel that the short story is a more difficult text to create, than a longer one, as the writing has to be concise and precise. Below are quotes from three writers who each share their own views of the power of the short story.