Contemporary short stories often reflect the social and political concerns of the time in which they are written.

Short stories can be written to entertain, inform, or persuade the reader.

Stream of consciousness, flashback, and symbolism are all examples of contemporary short story techniques.

Short stories are typically shorter than novels, have fewer characters, and are set in a single location.

Jhumpa Lahiri, Junot Díaz, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie are all examples of contemporary short story writers.

The narrator in a short story can tell the story, provide commentary on the story, and interact with the characters.

Identity, loss, and love are all examples of contemporary short story themes.

Setting in a short story can create a sense of atmosphere, provide context for the story, and symbolize something.

Minimalism, realism, and magic realism are all examples of contemporary short story styles.

Short stories are typically shorter than novellas, but there is no strict definition of what constitutes a short story or a novella.

Dialogue is a technique that is often used to create a sense of realism in short stories.

The reader in a short story is responsible for interpreting the story, evaluating the story, and enjoying the story.

Foreshadowing is a technique that is often used to create a sense of suspense in short stories.

Fables are typically short stories that have a moral, while short stories do not.

Situational irony is a technique that is often used to create a sense of irony in short stories.