Economy in the structure of a short story

The aim of a Short-story is to produce a single narrative effect with the greatest economy of means that is consistent with the utmost emphasis. This statement should be kept before one constantly as a guide in the study of structure. It means that everything which goes into a Short-story must be rigidly examined to see whether it is necessary, whether it adds anything to the whole, whether it fits perfectly into the place that has been made ready. Perhaps some other incident would be more harmonious; would make the story more complete. We quote Mr. Hamilton again at length: "The phrase 'with the greatest economy of means' implies that the writer of a Short-story should tell his tale with the fewest necessary number of characters and incidents, and should project it in the narrowest possible range of place and time. If he can get along with two characters, he should not use three. If a single event will suffice for his effect, he should confine himself to that. If his story can pass in one place at one time, he must not disperse it over several times and places. But in striving always for the greatest possible conciseness, he must not neglect the equally important need of producing his effect 'with the utmost emphasis.' If he can gain markedly in emphasis by violating the strictest possible economy, he should do so; for, as Poe stated, undue brevity is exceptionable, as well as undue length. . . . The greatest structural problem of the writer of Short-stories is to strike just the proper balance between the effort for economy of means — which tends to conciseness— and the effort for the utmost emphasis — which tends to amplitude of treatment."