Why a Short Story?

What's In A Name?: Tales from the Lost Horizon

Over the past few weeks, a few posts/reviews of my short story What's In A Name? expressed the sentiment that this short story should be expanded and written as a novel.

Of course, such responses to an epic fantasy short made me think about why I love short stories and chose to wrote this piece as a short, rather than a novel.

I cut my teeth as a kid reading Robert E. Howard, Michael Moorcock and Ray Bradbury short stories. These shorts were at times epic in nature - full of world building, fantastic situations, monsters, lore, etc. Some were set in far future worlds, others in the more mundane present or realities scattered across the multiverse. The decision to write What's In A Name? as a short story began with the very conception of the tale.

The story started for a college class. The challenge at the time was to create a character in which growth would be seen throughout the short story arc. Vondrall of course became that central character who grew from an unseasoned officer to someone who would inspire his comrades by the end of the short story. The short story format provided a focused palate where he could shine. Thus the nature of the quest, the selection of the company, the journey across the world, etc. really are just background for the growth of the character which occurs in the pages of the short story.

I rewrote the short story extensively over the last year. This time, there was another layer to the short story that developed in a very focused sense. The journey of a young, inexperienced leader who finds faith and light while struggling against ultimate darkness. Again, as a short story, this element becomes a contrast with the character who, by his own acclamation, should have emerged victoriously from the quest.

Short stories are very different than novels. They are intensely polished for story arc, character development and word selection. Each element woven into the story serves a purpose because the length inherently doesn't always provide page space for novel length explorations. What's In A Name? immerses you into a world as ambitious as those contained in Howard's Cimmerian or Moorcock's Eternal Champion shorts. The journey is much more focused than a novel. On purpose. Elements that stand out in the current story may have been lost or muted in a novel. Writing this short piece actually allowed me great freedom to tell Vondrall's tale. Because of the length, I could focus on humor, character interactions that filled in back story and drove the narrative ahead. Then with streamlined construction, I hope the comparison between two lead characters comes into sharp focus by the end of the tale.

I like to think I'm a capable storyteller, able to take the material and write a novel from it. I've done that with Annwyn's Blood, which also began as a brief vampire short story then exploded into a fully developed novel. However, I'm not sure I will do that with this tale. I am very flattered with the desire to expand the story. At present, I'm already sketching a follow-up short story, set in the same world and re-examining the impact of the events chronicled in What's In A Name?

Would the story be better served as a novel? I'll leave you to be the judge of that.

Thank you to everyone who has downloaded and enjoyed this short story. For those of you who haven't read it yet, here is the link!

What's In A Name?

My daughter, who encouraged me to start this, is cheering me on to release another short from Tales of the Lost Horizon so stay tuned. I am excited to share them with you.