What are the characteristics of 'the best of the year short stories'?

The best short short stories usually have a tight plot. Take 'An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge' for instance. The events are carefully crafted to build suspense and surprise. They also tend to have well - drawn characters despite their brevity. In 'Hills Like White Elephants', the two main characters' personalities and relationship are subtly revealed through their dialogue. Moreover, they can often make a big impact with just a few words, like 'The Lady, or the Tiger?' which leaves you pondering long after reading.

They probably have engaging plots. Since they are short stories, they need to grab the reader's attention quickly. So, there could be unexpected twists and turns, like in a mystery - themed story where the solution is not what you initially expect. In addition, the use of vivid language is common. With limited space, the authors need to create a vivid world. They might use unique descriptions of settings and characters to make them come alive in the reader's mind. This helps to make the short story memorable despite its brevity.

The short stories in 'best 2019 short stories' may also be known for their ability to evoke strong emotions in a limited number of words. They can make you feel joy, sadness, or surprise in just a few pages. Take a story about a child's first encounter with loss. It can be so poignant that it stays with you long after you've finished reading, even though it's a short piece.

The 10 best short stories often have a unique narrative voice. In 'Hills Like White Elephants', Hemingway's sparse style gives the story a certain tension. They also tend to be very focused. 'The Necklace' focuses on the consequences of one woman's pride and it doesn't deviate from that central idea. Moreover, they can create a strong emotional impact in a short amount of time. 'The Yellow Wallpaper' manages to evoke feelings of claustrophobia and madness in a relatively brief story.

The 5 best short stories often have strong characters. For example, in 'The Gift of the Magi', the couple's selfless love makes them memorable. They also usually have a clear theme. In 'The Lottery', the theme of blind tradition is very prominent. And most of them have a unique plot structure, like 'An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge' which has a twist at the end.

Well, the 15 best short stories tend to be very impactful despite their short length. They can convey deep emotions. Take 'The Yellow Wallpaper' for instance, it makes you feel the desperation and frustration of the main character. They also are good at creating a certain atmosphere. 'The Cask of Amontillado' creates a very spooky and tense atmosphere in the catacombs. And many of them have a twist or a surprise ending. 'The Lottery' has a shockingly unexpected ending that makes you reevaluate the whole story.

They are likely to be very diverse. Some might have strong character development in a short space, like creating a vivid character in just a few pages. For example, a character who goes through a life - changing realization.

Most of the stories in '2022 best short stories' are known for their engaging plots. They start with an interesting hook that grabs the reader's attention right away. Then, there are twists and turns throughout the story that keep the reader on the edge of their seat. The endings are also often thought - provoking, leaving the reader with something to ponder long after they've finished reading.

They are likely to have concise yet impactful plots. Since they are short stories, they need to get the point across quickly.

Many of them are concise yet impactful. They can convey deep emotions and complex ideas in just a few pages.