Multiple Storylines
Laura Spence-Ash argues that while short stories often focus on a single storyline due to their brevity, adding a second storyline can enrich the narrative, making it more complex, engaging, and emotionally layered. She adds that short stories gain depth and nuance when writers experiment with additional storylines—through POV shifts, backstory, or parallel narratives.The key is ensuring these layers ultimately connect, enhancing the story’s meaning rather than distracting from it. The article includes several practice exercise.