They are likely to be concise. With very little space, they have to convey a clear message or tell a complete story arc quickly. For example, they might focus on one key event or emotion.
The stories in 'a list of very short stories' probably have a strong central idea. Since they are short, they can't afford to be meandering. They often have to grab the reader's attention right away and hold it with a powerful concept, like a sudden revelation or a unique character trait.
They are concise. For example, they can quickly set a simple scene like 'A fish in a pond wanted to see the ocean.' without much detail.
They leave a lot to the imagination. Consider 'The empty swing moved by itself.' It doesn't explain why, and that's what makes it so terrifying. Your mind fills in the blanks with all kinds of horrible possibilities, and that's the power of very very short horror stories.
They often have a strong central theme. For example, many deal with human nature, like kindness or greed. The short length forces the authors to focus on the key elements of the story and make every word count. Also, they are diverse in terms of genre, ranging from love stories to horror stories.
Very short short stories are often concise. They usually focus on one main idea or event. For example, they might tell a brief encounter between two people that reveals something about human nature in just a few sentences.
Very short scary stories often rely on common fears such as the dark, the unknown, and being alone. They use vivid but minimal descriptions to create a sense of unease. For instance, a story could say 'He walked into the empty house. The creaking floorboards were the only sound. Then he saw a shadow move.' This builds tension without a lot of extra words. Also, they can play on superstitions like ghosts or curses to make the reader feel scared.
One characteristic is their brevity. They convey a complete idea or story in just a few pages or even paragraphs. For example, they often have a single, focused theme, like love in 'The Gift of the Magi'.
Many of them have strong themes. For example, they often explore human nature, like greed, love, and pride.
Well - developed characters are also common. In 'The Yellow Wallpaper', the main character's descent into madness is vividly portrayed. You can really feel her frustration and the slow erosion of her sanity as she is confined by her situation.
Many of the short stories in the list often have strong themes. For instance, they might deal with love, like in 'The Gift of the Magi'. They also can be quite thought - provoking, such as 'The Lottery' which makes you question society. Another characteristic is concise yet vivid character descriptions. In 'Hills Like White Elephants', the two characters are described subtly through their dialogue.
Great very short stories often have a concise yet powerful plot. They can convey deep emotions or complex ideas in just a few words. For example, Hemingway's six - word story 'For sale: baby shoes, never worn.' It packs a huge emotional punch in a very short space.