The Literary Story or the Pop Story?

There’s an interesting essay by Laura Miller of Salon, about the plight of the short story, here:

http://www.salon.com/2013/02/21/sorry_the_short_story_boom_is_bogus/

Laura Miller misses one point though. The general public doesn’t want “finer” short stories. Give them stories that are fun and exciting and they’ll come back to them. Slow-paced, overwritten literary stories have killed the art, and the market for the art. In its heyday, the short story was a popular art form—THE popular American art form, from O. Henry through Scott Fitzgerald. It’s a gateway to the novel for readers—a gateway to reading in general. The short story needs to be as readable and entertaining as possible.

Which is what this blog is about and what my ebook Ten Pop Stories is about. Buy it and find out!

The Pop Formula

A POSTMODERN WRITER has accused me of pushing formula writing with my new pop story ideas. (See my ebook, Ten Pop Stories.) There's truth in what he says.

Of course, the sonnet is a formula. Berry Gordy's Motown was a formula. Generic literary stories have their own formula. The trick is what can be done within a formula. Once put into place, a formula becomes a jumping off point for new creativity.

My theories of pop fiction are based on a few key points.
1.) The Opening.
2.) The Close.
3.) Readability.
4.) Pace.
5.) The Kick.
("Kick" meaning that the tale have a kick to it; a moral or idea or revelation or punch or point.)

A simple formula, right? Yet most short stories being written today fail it.

Pop Fiction Is New Art

Pop fiction is a different way of viewing the short story. The premise is that writing can be quick, readable, exciting-- yet relevant and topical at the same time. We live in a hectic, fast-paced society. A new model is needed for short fiction to reach the mass public once again.

Pop is the answer.