LETTERS

STAR LETTER

Simple and effective

I very much enjoyed Helen M Walters’ article Kick the (bad) habits (Masterclass, WM July) about O Henry’s story, to show how he used language to make the story a delight to read. As a writer who still considers himself to be a beginner (even after some years of writing) I was encouraged by the advice about keeping your short fiction simple but effective.

I often find myself striving for that standout profound sentence in flowery prose when a simple statement can have just as much impact. The most important thing about writing a story is to keep the reader engaged and immersed – not to show off and lose the reader. I sometimes forget this in favour of trying to show my skill.

The article also reminded me of the short, stark sentences (sometimes almost shorthand) so effectively used by Annie Proulx in . If O Henry and Annie can do it, I thought, then so could I.