“Though the Short-stories of the beginner may not be good, yet in the writing of Short-stories he shall learn how to tell a story, he shall discover by experience the elements of the art of fiction more readily and, above all, more quickly, than if he had begun on a long and exhausting novel.”

What am I researching? Why am I researching it?
This was an interesting read, considering how one can relate short stories and novels, to short films and movies. This reading mentions that short stories have ‘limitless possibilities: it may be as realistic as the most prosaic novel, or as fantastic as the most ethereal romance’ (Matthews 1901). It makes me wonder how I might broaden my horizons and experiment with different genres.

What have I learned?
Short films have the ability to touch people in ways that movies cannot. Matthews (1901) noted that short stories have the ability to impress its readers with the belief that it’d be ‘spoiled if it were made larger, or if it were incorporated into a more elaborate work’ and I believe that that is the same with short films.

Where is this leading me?
I think it would be very beneficial for me to watch more short films, to grasp a better understanding of various stories by different directors. It would be a good source of both information and inspiration.

Possible future research directions:
It would be great to be able to develop my stories and characters in a way that would make my short film more meaningful, and I would like to venture into achieving that.

Reference list: 
Matthews, B 1901, The Philosophy of the Short-story, Longmans, Green, and Co., Cambridge, USA.

Questions/Topics/Ideas to follow on:
– The need to watch more short films
– Coming up with in-depth thoughts and ideas