Clicking Our Heels - Writing or Reading Long or Short?

Writing or reading long or short? The Stiletto Gang members confess their personal preferences when writing and when reading. They also share what each are reading behind closed doors.

Linda Rodriguez - I prefer to write long and to read long. I'm a novel reader as well as writer. I admire the artistry of good short story writers, but whenever I come up with short story characters and situation, so much more starts to unfold for me. I'm just a natural teller of longer stories. And when I read, I want to be immersed in the entire world. This is something novels give me. I'm currently reading to Fear a Painted Devil by Ruth Rendell, Playing in the Dark by Toni Morrison, and The Collected Poems of Muriel Rukeyser.

Judy Penz Sheluk - Long, definitely long. I can write short, and love to read it, but it’s hard for me. Maybe because I’m such a pantser? Currently reading Laura Benedict’s The Stranger Inside.

Shari Randall - I like writing and reading both! My current read is One Night Gone by Tara Laskowski, who does fine short stories and now novels.

T.K. Thorne - For me, short stories are harder than a novel. Not sure why. Perhaps I feel more that I need to have the story laid out prior to beginning it,  and with a novel, I am more interested in who the character is and having the space to explore that. As a reader, I like having a thick, juicy book and the anticipation of more to come with a series.

Julie Mulhern - I am a short writer and prefer reading shorter books. Right now I'm reading Caimh McDonnell's Dublin Trilogy (there are four of them). McDonnell also works as a stand-up comedian.

No surprise, his books are funny and raunchy and filled with memorable characters.

Kay Kendall - I’m like the baby bear in the children's book who tried two beds--one too hard, one too soft--before she hit the third one that was just right. The story I’m reading or writing should take up just as many pages as it needs. It should not be so wordy that it goes way too long, whereas conversely sometimes a story can be too laconic and I want to read (or write) more detail.

What I’m reading now is the multi-award winning historical mystery, THE WIDOWS OF MALABAR HILL by Sujata Massey. At 400 pages (hardback version) it is just right.

Bethany Maines - I have been working on writing short.  I feel like so much of my early writing was packed with details that were important for me to know, but not necessarily important to either the story of the reader.  So I've been steadily trimming my word count on my first drafts which is making editing easier!  But in general I prefer novel length over short stories in both my reading and writing.

Dru Ann Love - Right now I’m reading an ARC of Forgiveness Dies by J.J. Hensley.

Debra H. Goldstein – “I love the one I’m with” because I write both long and short and my reading reflects that. Presently, I’m reading Fishy Business, an anthology of short stories by members of the Guppy Chapter of Sisters in Crime and Murder On Cape Cod by Maddie Day.

Lynn McPherson - I like both. Right now, I'm reading a really fun book called Survival of the Fritters by Ginger Bolton. 

Mary Lee Ashford - I write short because I write a lot of dialogue my first draft. I think that's because I'm mainly interested in the people in the story. I tend to have to go back and make sure I've included the right amount of setting and description. In reading, I also am mostly interested in the story people and so I prefer books that are very character driven. As far as reading, I read both short and long. I'm currently reading a non-fiction book called Atomic Habits by James Clear. 

 J.M. Phillippe - I do enjoy a single-sitting book (when I get those rare "spend the day reading" days). I think I tend to write something that I hope can be experienced in the same way -- something you get so into you don't want to put it down. 

AB Plum - I usually prefer writing longer, but I've found I can shorten my word count with a series. I've just finished AJ Finn's The Woman in the Window and Michelle Obama's Becoming.

Cathy Perkins - I prefer writing novels because subplots that enhance the main plot are fun to develop and reveal so much about the characters. Those subplots plus the usual twists and turns of a mystery generate word count. I recently finished A Man Called Ove and really enjoyed it.