An article in today’s NY Times discussing short stories struck me, mostly because it was a sharp reminder of how my reading habits differ from the habits of “the general public”, and how the genre I love best (fantasy) seems strangely separated from the rest of the world.

Almost no one makes a living from writing short stories anymore. The story has to a large extent been severed from its traditional roots – from popular, large-circulation magazines, that is – and it has been transplanted into the greenhouses of the academy.

As I’ve mentioned before, I love short stories. There’s just something about the form that fascinates me. They’re quick to read, and you have to get to all the important stuff in just a few words. Everything is there, in just a few pages.

Not that I dislike novels mind you. There are times when you just want to read more about a character, and only a long novel or (I read lots of fantasy) a nice trilogy will do.

But as far as publishing short stories, if you look through the science fiction and fantasy section at the book store, you’ll find several quality anthologies, including the “Year’s Best in Fantasy and Horror” which is a huge book, collecting some of the best stories and poems from the previous year. And you can also find various collection on different subject, or collections by specific authors. (I love all of Charles de Lint‘s short story collections, probably more than I love his novels.)

So if Science Fiction and Fantasy can produce so many quality short stories, then why not elsewhere?