Will This Story Please Be Quiet, Please?

The issue of stories and novels not selling for being “too quiet” came up a while back over at Literary Rejections on Display.

I’ve heard the same feedback about my story collection.

What does this mean? I’m assuming it means my stories:

  • Are more character-driven
  • Are more internal
  • Do not (usually) feature topical, timely, flashy subjects
  • Do not (again, usually) feature car chases and knife fights and/or bat fights

I suppose the preference for “loud” stories and novels (and films, too) is no doubt a sign of the times. Publishers want a book that will sell.

But where would we be without “quiet” stories and “quiet” writers? No Carver. No Grace Paley. No… who else?

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3 Responses to Will This Story Please Be Quiet, Please?

  1. Ravi Mangla says:

    where would fiction be without spontaneous bat fights? i think wharton was the best at capturing the ballet of it all. forster wrote some damn good bat fight scenes as well.

  2. Andrew Roe says:

    True, true. But my personal favorite has to be the infamous tea party bat fight scene in Henry James’ “The Golden Bowl.”

  3. Ethel Rohan says:

    No William Trevor or John McGahern. Good luck with your short story collection. I know I don’t have to tell you to stay true to your stories, quiet or otherwise.

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