The star of the first weekend of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature was Jeffrey Archer.
The British bestselling author discussed the complexities of short story writing in a sold-out interactive session to about 500 people.
Archer also debuted the cover and read a story from his short story collection Tell Tale, to be published this year.
The 76-year-old author of blockbuster novels Kane and Abel and First Among Equals shed light on some of his favourite writers and how aspiring authors can improve their work.
Not every novelist can write a short story well
“The full novel requires two completely different skills. It is about as different as someone who plays the guitar and the violin. Yes, they are string instruments but they are completely different.
“There are writers who are far better writing a novel than a short story and there are short story writers who are not the best at writing novels.
“For example,when it comes to novelists Scott Fitzgerald is so brilliant he can do both. But then you get someone like Somerset Maugham who is far better short storyteller than a novelist. His novels never quite captured the magic of his shorter works.”
How to start your short story collection
"Saki (H H Munro) is the best one of them all. If you haven't heard Saki, then your visit to hear me tonight is worth it alone. I think Saki's Sredni Vashtar is a masterpiece. Any human being who wants to learn how to write a short story should study Sredni Vashtar.
“I also add to that list Bénigne Poissenot and O Henry – both wonderful short story writers who never wrote novels of the same quality. That lot should keep you going for a long time.”
How to critique your work
“Give it the cruellest test and let someone read it. Don’t bother with asking your husband, wife, mother, father or close friend. They will lie.
“They will tell you it is wonderful.
“What you have to do is give your work to a friend and tell them to please show it to someone without [your] name on it. Ask him or her to read it.
“They should report back to your friend and they to you. Then you may get the truth.”
sasaeed@thenational.ae