--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The short story, its course plotted and…" description: "\"The short story, its course plotted and its form proscribed, has become too efficient... but efficiency is not the most, it is perhaps the least, impor..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20f/henry-seidel-canby-37685_books_the-short-story-its-course-plotted-and-i_1643130.jpg" --- # The short story, its course plotted and its form… ![“The short story, its course plotted and its form proscribed, has become too efficient... but efficiency is not the most, it is perhaps the least, important among the undoubted elements of good literature” quote by Henry Seidel Canby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20f/henry-seidel-canby-37685_books_the-short-story-its-course-plotted-and-i_1643130.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20f/henry-seidel-canby-37685_books_the-short-story-its-course-plotted-and-i_1643130.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20f/henry-seidel-canby-37685_books_the-short-story-its-course-plotted-and-i_1643130.jpg) > “The short story, its course plotted and its form proscribed, has become too efficient... but efficiency is not the most, it is perhaps the least, important among the undoubted elements of good literature” [Henry Seidel Canby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-seidel-canby/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The short story has become overly focused on structure and efficiency, neglecting deeper literary qualities. **In simple terms:** Efficiency dominates short stories, reducing depth. Key Takeaway Prioritize depth over mere form. Themes literature form efficiency depth quality Mood reflective critical analytical Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - creative writing - literary criticism - teaching - publishing - reading Key Concepts narrative structure artistic intent literary value Questions to Reflect On - How can writers balance form and substance? - What elements make a story truly good? A Different Perspective Efficiency alone cannot convey the richness of human experience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Courses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courses/) [Efficiency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/efficiency/) [Efficiency Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/efficiency-important-585792/) [Efficient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/efficient/) [Efficient Efficiency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/efficient-efficiency-585793/) [Elements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elements/) [Form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form/) [Good literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-literature/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature/) [Productivity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/productivity/) [Short story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short-story/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [“While efficiency is important, it is secondary. 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It is not an efficient way of meeting human needs if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-henrik-robert/fairness-is-an-efficiency-parameter-if-we-look-at-the-whole-global/) [Karl-Henrik Robert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-henrik-robert/) > [In fighting, in evolution, in life, efficiency is the key,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-st-pierre/in-fighting-in-evolution-in-life-efficiency-is-the-key/) [Georges St-Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-st-pierre/) > [Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/management-is-efficiency-in-climbing-the-ladder-of-success/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Make yourself an efficient spark plug, igniting the latent energy of those about you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-seabury/make-yourself-an-efficient-spark-plug-igniting-the-latent-energy-of/) [David Seabury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-seabury/) ## More by Henry Seidel Canby > [The London 'Academy' has seen fit recently to scoff at the critics who have been exercising themselves ove rthe so-called art of the Short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-seidel-canby/the-london-academy-has-seen-fit-recently-to-scoff-at-the-critics-who/) [Henry Seidel Canby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-seidel-canby/) > [Flatulency today consists in saying simply in several different ways the same thing over and over again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-seidel-canby/flatulency-today-consists-in-saying-simply-in-several-different-ways/) [Henry Seidel Canby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-seidel-canby/) > [If the bell of intolerance tolls for one, it tolls for all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-seidel-canby/if-the-bell-of-intolerance-tolls-for-one-it-tolls-for-all/) [Henry Seidel Canby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-seidel-canby/) > [Live deep instead of fast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-seidel-canby/live-deep-instead-of-fast/) [Henry Seidel Canby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-seidel-canby/) > [A short story is simplification to the highest degree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-seidel-canby/a-short-story-is-simplification-to-the-highest-degree/) [Henry Seidel Canby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-seidel-canby/) > [While the novel-writer aims at an eminently natural method of transcription, the author of the short story adopts a very artificial one](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-seidel-canby/while-the-novel-writer-aims-at-an-eminently-natural-method-of/) [Henry Seidel Canby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-seidel-canby/) > [“There must always be a fringe of the experimental in literature--poems bizarre in form and curious in content, stories that overreach for what has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-seidel-canby/there-must-always-be-a-fringe-of-the-experimental-in-literature-poems/) [Henry Seidel Canby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-seidel-canby/) > [The function of the Short Story is to be interesting, to convey vivid impressions, an therefore it must, to a degree, work with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-seidel-canby/the-function-of-the-short-story-is-to-be-interesting-to-convey-vivid/) [Henry Seidel Canby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-seidel-canby/) > [Live deep instead of fast. I think this is what Thoreau meant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-seidel-canby/live-deep-instead-of-fast-i-think-this-is-what-thoreau-meant/) [Henry Seidel Canby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-seidel-canby/) > [“Good writing is always a breaking of the soil, clearing away prejudices, pulling up of sour weeds of crooked thinking, stripping the turf so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-seidel-canby/good-writing-is-always-a-breaking-of-the-soil-clearing-away/) [Henry Seidel Canby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-seidel-canby/) > [Reading for experience is the only reading that justifies excitement. 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