You want a story that gets reactions like “Wow!” and “How did you do that?” and “Do you have more like this?”

Each of these story collections isn’t simply an assembly of great stories, but a thoughtfully curated mix of phenomenal ones that add up to beautiful arrangements you’ll want to revisit.So, you want to write a short story - and not just a mildly entertaining short story but one your readers can’t put down until they’ve finished it. Some true gems were published in 2022, so it was hard to narrow this list down to ten (and there are at least ten 2022 titles still on my TBR-which is soon to be bursting with forthcoming 2023 books). And wow, what a year for story collections. In an effort to better understand the form-both as a reader and writer-I read more short stories this year. No, the best collections are an orchestrated treasury where each story builds off the previous ones-almost like an album that hits different notes and moods, but each track is indispensable. And the best collections aren’t simply a compilation of great stories. A short story isn’t a mini-novel, but the best ones often hint at expansion while masterfully using compression to zero in on what’s essential about these characters and the moment we meet them. But short fiction requires more attention to each line, each carefully crafted detail.

Novels are more forgiving, their expansiveness allows for meandering. Short stories demand more of the reader (and writer) than a novel, which is why I’ve long preferred the latter.

Best short stories to write about