How long should a one-shot be? · 7:47am Dec 10th, 2014
Just a simple question. I have no prospective right/wrong answer, I just want a practical range, maybe justified reasons. There are several identifiable factors involved, as far as I can tell.
Firstly, there is the depth of context. The wider context of 'common knowledge' is pretty negligible as far as fan fiction is concerned, because everybody knows it. The importance seems to be the situational context for before, during and after the events in the story itself. This may take many, many tedious words to explain, especially if it's a complex idea, or something that the reader cannot be expected to infer. A lack of adequate explanation would lead to a short, confusing story, something likely to be forgotten.
Secondly, there is the style of writing. Sometimes, it would be more appropriate to state information explicitly through the use of third-person explanations, while in other situations, contextual clues like imagery, dialogue, etcetera could be used to bury information succinctly in the progression of the text, leading to a shorter story with better flow/continuity. It all depends on what the author decides to place focus upon.
That's mostly what I can think of. Is there anything else I should be wary of?
Technically a one-shot can be as long as you want it, it can be twenty thousand words, just as long as you put it in one chapter and that's your only chapter.