Well, the Torque Control Short Story Club is over (for now) and I’ve found it an enjoyable journey into analysing my own short story tastes.
I’ve read stories that I never would have read (those Fantasy ones) and whilst I don’t think my tastes have changed, I think I now have a clearer idea of what I do like. And looking at that smallish chunk of taste makes me want to push the boundaries a bit and find something surprising.
There’s so much choice when it comes to reading a short story that it was quite nice to be told what to read, and when. Having Niall pick the stories was like skiing around a resort with a guide: less time looking at the piste map and worrying whether you’ll get lost, and more time looking at the wonderful scenery and enjoying the thrill.
The regularity has also been a pleasant surprise. Usually I read short stories in bursts: an anthology, or an award short list. Reading at least a story a week has been a very good habit to get into, and, as is the way with habits, has resulted in positive feedback. I’ve found myself reaching for a short story to read these past few weeks more than reaching for a novel.
And also one can’t underestimate the enjoyment of discussing the story with others (even if that discussion only involves reading others comments). It’s the sort of discussion that doesn’t really happen online with novels, because everyone reads them at different speeds and times. There’s no deadline like in real world book clubs. Which is why conversation seems to congeal around TV episodes rather than literature. It seems like it takes an award short list to galvanise a discussion of novels.
Anyway, a success!
I think I’ll stick to reading at least one short a week.
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