But over the years, he gains the requisite polish. He knows that the short story creates life's images with words set stylistically, which means seeking words and setting them, like gems, in an intricate pattern that gets best out of them. He befriends words, makes them serve him and help him scale new peaks in literature. Unwanted words are carefully held back, firmly taken by the collar and thrown out if they try to force their way in. He also learns, through experimentation, how far he should go.
Every story needs a quantum of words.
Too few words force too many quick leaps and jumps that the reader gets confused. And where they abound, they churn out much chaos and confusion, fudge the narration and leave the story unsatisfactory and hence unacceptable. The length that a story should acquire is something that comes instinctively to some people. They are the ones who turn out brilliant short stories. But the art can be learnt and made near perfect by those who are willing to work their way through the obstacles and refuse to give up the quest despite grave hazards.