Contemporary short stories often break away from traditional narrative structures and explore new ways of telling stories, including experimental use of language and form.

In contemporary short stories, the narrator can play a variety of roles, including providing an objective account of events, expressing the author's point of view, or serving as a character in the story.

Contemporary short stories often explore a wide range of themes, including love and relationships, identity and belonging, social and political issues, and more.

Contemporary short stories often use a variety of language techniques, including figurative language and symbolism, simple and direct language, and experimental and innovative language.

Experimental and innovative language in contemporary short stories can serve a variety of purposes, including creating a sense of realism, conveying a specific mood or atmosphere, and challenging the reader's expectations.

Contemporary short stories often employ a variety of techniques, including stream-of-consciousness narration, multiple perspectives, and non-linear narrative structure.

Symbolism in contemporary short stories can serve a variety of purposes, including adding depth and meaning to the story, creating a sense of mystery and ambiguity, and foreshadowing events.

Contemporary short stories often explore social and political issues through allegory and symbolism, direct commentary and criticism, and the experiences of individual characters.

Contemporary short stories about identity and belonging often explore themes such as the search for self in a changing world, the struggle to fit in, and the experience of being an outsider.

Contemporary short stories often use humor to lighten the mood and provide comic relief, satirize social and political issues, and create a sense of irony or absurdity.

Contemporary short stories that deal with magical realism often blend realistic and fantastical elements, use allegory and symbolism, and explore social and political issues.

Technology in contemporary short stories can serve a variety of purposes, including providing a setting for the story, exploring the impact of technology on society, and creating a sense of alienation and isolation.

Contemporary short stories often explore the theme of love and relationships through the experiences of individual characters, the use of symbolism and allegory, and the exploration of social and cultural norms.

Contemporary short stories often use multiple perspectives, non-linear narrative structure, and open-ended endings to create a sense of ambiguity and uncertainty.

Contemporary short stories often challenge traditional notions of genre by blending different genres together, subverting the expectations of a particular genre, and creating new and innovative genres.