I'm kind of curios about this. Do you find writing short stories easier or harder than writing novels? Do you have to have the 'knack' for telling a story in fewer words?
A short story is easier for me, because its length tends to hold my attention for longer. I usually write most of my short stories in a day or so, and I can concentrate on it much better. An novel, for me at least, tends to drag on and I lose interest after a bit. That's what's happened to my two previous attempts two write novels anyway (I'm crossing my fingers that my NaNo will turn out better.)
I actually find novels easier to write as I can span an idea out over a good dozen chapters or so. I tend to try and cram a lot of ideas in too little space when I try to write a short story. But yes, short stories keep my attention more than novels, but there are some fanfictions out there that are like 20 chapters or so that have kept me hooked.
I agree with Plushoriam. With novels, you can span out the whole story over lots of chapters. I think novels keep my attention more as long as the chapters end with a cliffhanger, or I care about the characters, etc. It just has to be a well written novel. I know I don't have a knack for writing a story in fewer words. I just can't do it. It always starts getting longer and longer and I'm not good at getting to the point.
