A
short story is a piece of
prose fiction, which can be read in a single sitting. Emerging from earlier oral
storytelling traditions in the 17th century, the short story has grown to encompass a body of work so diverse as to defy easy characterization. At its most prototypical the short story features a small cast of named characters, and focuses on a self-contained incident with the intent of evoking a "single effect" or mood. In doing so, short stories make use of plot, resonance, and other dynamic components to a far greater degree than is typical of an
anecdote, yet to a far lesser degree than a
novel. While the short story is largely distinct from the novel, authors of both generally draw from a common pool of
literary techniques.