Question: what do readers look for in a fantasy short story today?

[HalaxyGigh]

What do readers expect, and what do they want? Broad question/s, but what are your thoughts?

 

[Gonk the Insane]

Well, the short (and not very helpful) answer is readers expect different things. There's so much variation that the answer's probably "depends on the reader". However:

the good news is that there'll always be someone somewhere who'll read what you write (maybe more than one person), so perhaps a better approach is to write the book/story that you want to write, and worry about who'll read it later.

And welcome, @HalaxyGigh - you can find a lot more by browsing some of the earlier threads in the writing and other forums (stickied ones at the top are particularly useful). Welcome to the gang!

 

[goldhawk]

Readers expect the underdog to win. They want secrets, especially secret powers. (I hope these answers are broad enough. )

 

[Cathbad]

Readers expect the underdog to win. They want secrets, especially secret powers. (I hope these answers are broad enough. )

Do they really? I see a lot of people wanting to see the bad guy win...

 

[goldhawk]

Do they really? I see a lot of people wanting to see the bad guy win...

I did say underdog, not hero or villain.

 

[night_wrtr]

A story that doesn't get bogged down in backstory or buildup. Something that starts in medias res that shows the conflict early. Characters that are real and flawed, and something with a constant sense of progression that moves the story forward.

 

[AlexH]

To be moved, and wonder - whether that comes from the setting, the character(s) or another aspect of the story.

 

[X Equestris]

When I'm looking at shorts from an author I haven't read before, I want something eye-catching in the first page or two. It needn't be super explosive or anything, but there needs to be some sort of conflict or tension very close to the beginning. As already mentioned, a sense of forward movement is important too. I recently read a story in a prominent, pro-rate anthology written by the anthology's editor and a coauthor, and the overwhelming majority of it had no conflict. Without meaningful conflict, the story seemed to stagnate. It could've been significantly parsed down, though even then the stakes and characters didn't manage to pull me in.

 

[J-Sun]

"What do readers expect, and what do they want?" I think this is well put. Whatever readers "expect," it's probably different from what they "want." I agree with Gonk in that writers should write what they need to write and readers may be surprised by reading something they didn't even know they wanted.

I don't expect or want anything in particular going in other than "greatness." However, looking back on what I have liked, I can at least mention some features. (And I should say that I'm actually primarily an SF fan, so may be an outlier when it comes to fantasy in general).

It seems I was looking for stories that were fiercely imagined and had a vivid intensity to them. If not that, or in addition to it, the stories which stuck out had human feeling or "philosophical" depth or vivid characters. Another important thing is tricky to pull off. I like fantasy stories that are different - stock wizards and stock dragons don't generally do much for me. But I'm also really tired of "postmodern" fantasies which "cleverly" up-end the stock furniture or make fun of it or say, "Look what I'm doing." Rather, come at it sideways and make it new or just come up with fresh stuff in general. And this gets back around to writing what you want. If an author is writing stories with their own imagination and their own voice, it'll be like a fingerprint which will set them apart. And those will appeal to some and not to others but at least the story won't fail by being one too many of someone else's stories. A lot of the success of a lot of stories depends on the stray words, almost between the lines, that the reader never even singles out and whose positive effects the reader may not be able to consciously articulate. This is not a mannered "style" (which often turns me right off) but an innate style which, as I say, precedes the words and springs from the imagination and thoughts and "soul."

Got a little carried away there, sorry. But, yeah, I'm also looking for a lot more action. I'm reading a lot of stories in list form or that involve surrealistic watercolors or which kind of moan and flop about or otherwise just don't really move. Fantasy short fiction really needs to be buckling more swashes.

Anyway, if you're curious about concrete examples, you might be interested in this list of links to my favorite short fantasy on the web in 2017. Most exemplify at least some of what I was talking about. For instance, "Remote Presence" is just another (yawn) ghost story. Except it's not at all - it's not a trite ghost story with sheets and chains, nor a mocking "postmodern" ghost story, but is a very modern ghost story which takes the concept seriously and pulls real humanity out of it. "When We Go" and "The Garbage Doll" and others are intensely imagined. "Crossing the Threshold" is inimitably Pat Murphy and nobody writes like brand new Ashley Blooms. Few, if any, of the linked stories are overtly mannered in style but few, if any, lack style.

Just this month, I've read several fairly good to very good stories. I don't put "Mother's Rules for a Burned Girl" in the very top drawer but it is pretty good and nicely illustrates the "make it new" element in that it features a dragon but not in the usual way. "After the Story Ends" is another worth a mention for twisting the fairytale by perhaps taking a page from Darryl Gregory and being set after the usual story. "An Aria for the Bloodlords" is one I recommend and is vividly imagined. One of the three best of the young year (the others being SF) is "The Substance of My Lives, the Accidents of Our Births," which, among other excellent aspects, is exactly what I mean about some of the magic being in this word or that word or between the lines and which develops a unique character with a true voice.