Literature is a large table with many legs, one of which is children's and adult stories. In this article, we will discover the best short story writers.
As we will see, many of these authors have focused on writing medium-length stories, although a few have opted for a more varied approach by writing short stories for children or long stories that could almost be considered novels.
The best short story and children's writers
We present a list of the best and most recognized children's and adult writers of all time. All of them have worked in other areas of letters and literature, but they are considered the best authors of short stories.
10. Juan Rulfo
We begin our list with one of the greatest writers in Spanish-language literature. Born in 1917 and passed away in 1986, Juan Rulfo is one of the great representatives of Mexican letters.
Among his works, the following stand out: El llano en llamas. This work is a collection of stories (16 in total) that was published in 1953.
Two years later, he published another of what would be his most important and significant works: Pedro Páramo.
9. Ernest Hemingway
Being one of the most influential intellectuals of the 20th century, of American origin, this short story writer not only dedicated himself to this area of literature and letters but also stood out simultaneously for his work as a journalist.
His numerous works made him one of the most important short story writers in history, earning him a Pulitzer Prize in 1953 for his work titled: The Old Man and the Sea.
But that's not all. Just a year later, this magnificent writer won the Nobel Prize in Literature as a reward for his complete works. Unfortunately, all this recognition did not prevent the magnificent short story writer from ending up committing suicide at the age of 61.
8. Alice Munro
This short story writer is one of the few people on this list who has a Nobel Prize in Literature, won in 2013.
Born in Canada in 1931 (and still alive today), she has managed to climb to the top ranks among the best writers in the English language and has a wide selection of high-quality stories.
According to her, her vocation for stories began when she started writing them at an unbelievable speed from a very young age, managing to complete two full collections of stories and novels at an early age.
She stands out mainly for her short stories that she published every few years in her collections (2001, 2004, 2006, 2009, and 2012).
7. Franz Kafka
Almost certainly, Kafka is one of the most famous writers in the world. Many of his works and the images he managed to convey in his short stories resonated in the imagination of his readers.
While we can't say he is a children's story writer, given the characteristics of his works, it is true that there are adaptations for younger audiences and children.
Some works like: The Trial, The Metamorphosis, and his collection of short stories will go down in history, although it is evident that they already have.
6. Anton Chekhov
This is one of the authors on our list who performed the most jobs and functions throughout his life.
Although what interests us most is his life as a writer and playwright; especially as a master of short stories, he worked as a doctor for much of his time.
Of Russian origin, he wrote works of a psychological nature such as The Seagull, Uncle Vanya, or The Three Sisters. All of them under a technique called (by himself) "indirect action."
5. Julio Cortázar
One of the most recognized and important Argentine and Latin American writers. He has a Médicis Etranger Prize and a Konex de Honor Prize.
Without a doubt, he fully deserves his fifth place as one of the best short story writers of all time. Works like Bestiary, Octaedro, and A Certain Lucas have established him as one of the most outstanding short story authors.
4. Margaret Atwood
Atwood has written practically everything; poetry, novels, literary criticism, etc. Additionally, she works as a human rights advocate at Amnesty International and is a professor in Canada as well as a politician and activist.
Regarding the topic that concerns us, she is one of the best for children and not-so-children. Some of the most important short stories for children have been: For the Birds and Bashful Bob and Doleful Dorinda.
For a more adult audience, her most notable short stories are: Murder in the Dark, Good Bones, The Tent, and her latest work in this field called Stone Mattress, from 2014.
3. Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe is for many the number one. While his work focuses on certain themes such as fiction, detective environments (which served as a guide for Arthur Conan Doyle and his Sherlock Holmes), and horror/supernatural stories, his quality and impact are universally acclaimed.
2. Brothers Grimm
The so-called Brothers Grimm are actually Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm. Of German origin and living between the late 18th and early 19th centuries, they are today great representatives of short story and tale writing.
Without a doubt, if they stood out for anything, it was for children's stories and fairy tales, as well as for their German Dictionary, although that is another topic.
Children's and Household Tales, German Legends, and German Mythology are some of their most renowned works. Many of them have been adapted to the big screen and even to video games.
Surely you know: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Bluebeard, Puss in Boots, Hansel and Gretel, Rapunzel, Tom Thumb, Fearless John...
1. Antonio Dal Masetto
Perhaps not as famous as the Brothers Grimm or Edgar Allan Poe, but with truly overwhelming literary quality. Of Italian origin and having lived much of his life in Argentina, he was one of the most influential writers of the late 20th century and the beginning of this one, having passed away in 2015.
He is the best short story writer for works like: Lacre, Ni perros ni gatos, Gente del bajo, and Señoras y señores.
The style of this short story writer is sober and effective, while narrating unbelievable fiction stories touching on mature themes such as immigration, which he experienced firsthand.