Examples of Short Stories

Short stories are some of the first pieces of literature that children become acquainted with in their lives. However, as we age, sometimes we forget what these stories are about, their key elements or the ways that they continue to shape our lives as we grow.

While "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" is certainly one of the most famous examples of short stories; however, tales such as Edgar Allen Poe's "The Tell Tale Heart" and "The Lottery Ticket" by Anton Chekhov also fall into this category.

Short Stories for All Readers

Children's Tales

Let's return to the idea of children's tales, since people are generally familar with these stories.

Here's some examples of titles of short stories. They are available in book formats, but people also tell these stories by word-of-mouth.

• "Goldilocks and the Three Bears"
• "Little Red Riding Hood"
• "Hansel and Gretel"
• "Peter Pan"
• The Bernstein Bears series
• Goosebumps series
• "The Boy Who Cried Wolf"
• "The Tortoise and the Hair"
• "The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing"
• "The Little Match Girl"
• "The Little Mermaid"
• "The Princess and the Pea"
• "The Emperor's New Suit"
• "The Gingerbread Man"
• "The Night Before Christmas"
• "The Ugly Duckling"
• "Rapunzel"
• "Beauty and the Beast"
• "Cinderella"
• "Rip Van Winkle"
• "The Prince and the Pauper"
• "Jack and the Beanstalk"
• "Goodnight Moon"
• "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs"
• "Three Little Pigs"
• "Where the Wild Things Are"
• "The Cat and the Hat"
• "Green Eggs and Ham"
• "Love You Forever"
• "Corduroy"
• "The Tale of Peter Rabbit"
• "The Little Engine That Could"
• "The Rainbow Fish"
• "Stone Soup"
• "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"
• "Madeline"

Whether contemporary or classic, all of these tales fit the description of a short story - they tell a complete story in a small number of words.  Many of these stories have morals or teach a lesson in a relatively short span of words.

Adult Short Stories

Short stories are not just for children. According to Princeton University, a short story is technically defined as "a prose narrative shorter than a novel."

Here are some works of literature that fall into the category of short story:

• "The Cherry Orchard" by Anton Chekov
• "The Dead" by James Joyce
• "The Fall of the House of Usher" by Edgar Allen Poe
• "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allen Poe
• "The Scarlet Ibis" by James Hurst
• "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens
• "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry
• "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant
• "The Lady with the Little Dog" by Anton Chekov
• "Souls Belated" by Edith Wharton
• "About Barbers" by Mark Twain
• "The Garden of Paradise" by Hans Christian Andersen
• "Leave it to Jeeves" by P.G. Wodehouse
• "Out of Nazareth" by O. Henry
• "Politics and the English Language" by George Orwell
• "Portrait of King William III" by Mark Twain
• "Two Boys at Grinders' Brothers" by Henry Lawson
• "What Christmas is as We Grow Older" by Charles Dickens

Reading some of these short stories will better acquaint you with the short story form and the challenges of the author to develop an interesting plot and detailed characters in a minimal amount of words.

Creating Short Stories

Choosing an Audience

As with any story, you must be prepared to write for your audience. Choose to write a clear and concise tale with illustrations for little ones, or focus on a more complex theme for adults that can still be written in a compact amount of space.

Focusing on an Idea

While O. Henry's "The Gift of the Magi" has a couple of different happenings, Henry was able to focus on one central idea that comes together at the end of the story.

Figure out where your story is going, and work on having most of the other details come together to support that main point. This tactic will help to keep the short story at an acceptable length, while still fulfilling thematic and creative requirements of a work of literature.