by Kate Flaxx

Created on: August 03, 2010

When writing a short story, there are certain restrictions put on the writer.  The writer needs to create a story line and balance that with a number of characters that need to be squeezed into a reasonable short story length.

In addition to the actual story itself, the writer has to create a certain number of characters and limit the number of places their short story is set in. 

Writing a short story and condensing characters, places and storyline is a very difficult thing to do especially within the boundaries of a short story.

Writing a novel, on the other hand, does not have as many boundaries as a short story does.

In writing a novel, the writer can create more characters, both main characters and the characters that move the story along but don't necessarily linger.  The main characters can be described in more detail because there isn't a certain amount of words that are needed compared to a short story. 

Topics and storyline in a novel is more explained and has more detail.  The novel can also have more than one or two places that are concentrated on.  New characters can be added later if the writer feels they need to be and can be easily incorporated without upsetting a balance or going over a certain word limit. 

In addition, a novel may contain many different short stories about particular characters that all roll into one.

Although writing a short story may seem easier because it is less time consuming, it's difficult for some writers to not want to add more people or an extra place here and there or take more time describing a particular event. 

Shortening the story from beginning to end leaving out some of the things they want in the story, can be a very difficult task for a writer.

Writing a novel can take up an extremely long amount of time, which is one of the only set backs of writing a novel.  But apart from that, the writer can explain feelings and emotions and different occurrences in more detail and tell a story without cutting it in any way.

On a personal note, writing a novel is easier because it doesn't have as many restrictions and although it may need to still be cut a little, the amount of writing and part of the story that does have to be cut is no where near the amount of a short story.

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