If you think you don’t enjoy reading short stories, try Mavis Gallant’s advice:
“Stories are not chapters of novels. They should not be read one after another, as if they were meant to follow along. Read one. Shut the book. Read something else. Come back later. Stories can wait.”
When I started to read stories like this, I finally began to enjoy them.
Now, if I allow too much time pass without reading a short story, it’s like allowing too much time to pass between rich desserts. Eventually, I must have one.
I collect thoughts about my short story reading regularly, both here on BIP and on Pinterest.
Often I cover collections in depth, devoting an entire post to a collection, or, even, to a single story (often the case with my Alice Munro, Mavis Gallant, and Alistair MacLeod reading projects).
But sometimes I gather my thoughts in quarterly posts, like these:
Autumn 2022 | Winter 2022
Winter 2021 | Autumn 2021 | Summer 2021 | Spring 2021
Winter 2020 | Autumn 2020 | Summer 2020 | Spring 2020
Winter 2019 | Autumn 2019 | Summer 2019 | Spring 2019
Winter 2018 |Autumn 2018 | Summer 2018 | Spring 2018
Winter 2017 | Autumn 2017 | Summer 2017
Winter 2016 | Autumn 2016 | Summer 2016 | Spring 2016
Summer 2015
Winter 2014 | Autumn 2014 | Summer 2014 | Spring 2014
Winter 2013
Here are some links to some of the literary prizes awarded to the form.:
Commonwealth Short Story Prize / Danuta Gleed Literary Award / Frank O’Connor Award / Journey Prize / Story Prize / Rea Award
You don’t love every novel you read either, so take some time and explore and sample and see what kinds of stories you enjoy!