Top 107 Contemporary Short Fiction Writers

Richard March 9, 2019 2 min read

Here are 107 contemporary short fiction writers I feel you should read. I’ve looked around the web, and I didn’t see a large list of short story writer recommendations. I would really like to add to this list. I have picked contemporary short story writers who are “the best” of today or of at least the last 50 years. It’s not comprehensive of course, but if you are looking to read some short fiction writers who are at the top of what they do, here they are:

Adam Desnoyers
Alexi Zentner
Alice Adams
Alice Monroe
Alice Sebold
Andrea Barrett
Ann Beattie
Anne Tyler
Ann Harleman
Annie Proulx
Anthony Doerr
Barbara Kignsolver
Ben Fountain
Bradford Morrow
Brittani Sonnenberg
Caitlin Macy
Carolyn Ferrell
Charles D’ambrosio
Cynthia Ozick
Dale Peck
Dan Chaon
David Malouf
Denis Johnson
Dorothy Parker
Douglas Light
Edith Perlman
Edwards P. Joines
El Doctorow
Elizabeth Stuckey French
Evan S Connell
Flandry Oconner
Fred G. Leebron
Gail Godwin
Gail Joines
Gish Jen
Gordon Lish
Ha Jin
Hortense Calisher
Jane Smiley
Joan Silber
John Barth
John Edgar Wideman
John Gardner
John Updike
Joyce Carol Oats
June Spence
Junot Diaz
Kevin Brockmeier
Lee K Abbot
Liza Ward
Lore Segal
Lorrie Moore
Louise Erdrich
Margaret Atwood
Marjorie Kemper
Mark Helprin
Mary Gaitskill
Mary Swan
Michael Chabon
Michal Parker
Michel Faber
Molly Giles
Nancy Reisman
Nell Freudenberger
Olaf Olafsson
Pam Durban
Pam Huston
Paula Fox
Peter Ho Davis
Ray Bradbury
Raymond Carver
Richard Ford
Rick Bass
Rick Moody
Robert Stone
Robyn Joy Leff
Roger Mcdonald
Ron Rash
Rose Tremain
Ruth Prawer
Salman Rushdie
Saul Bellow
Shannon Cain
Sheila Kohler
Shirly Jackson
Stanley Elkin
Stephen King
Steven Millhauser
Sue Miller
Tc Boyle
Ted Solotaroff
Tessa Hadley
Thom Jones
Tim Gautreaux
Tim Johnston
Tim Obrien
Timothy Crouse
Tobias Wolff
Tony Tulathimutte
Walter Mosley
Wendell Berry
Wendell Mayo
William H. Gass
William Kittedge
William Trevor
Yiyun Li
Zz Packer

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Richard

Richard Everywriter (pen name) is the founder of EveryWriter and a 25-year veteran of the publishing industry. With degrees in Writing, Journalism, Technology, and Education, Richard has dedicated two decades to teaching writing and literature while championing emerging voices through EveryWriter's platform. His work focuses on making literary analysis accessible to readers at all levels while preserving the rich heritage of American literature. Connect with Richard on Twitter Bluesky Facebook or explore opportunities to share your own work on ourSubmissions page. For monthly insights on writing and publishing, subscribe to our Newsletter.

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7 thoughts on “Top 107 Contemporary Short Fiction Writers”

There’s an authority/trust problem with a list of when you don’t spell Flannery O’Connor’s name correctly. The Barbara Kingsolver misspelling looks like a mere typo, but how’s someone who doesn’t already know of her supposed to know that? Same might be said for E.L. Doctorow–sure, for whatever reason you’re not capitalizing the second initial for authors who use their initials (curious choice, that), but for someone not familiar with Doctorow they may go off looking for El Doctorow (“The” Doctorow?).

In short (I realize we’re well past that), despite the fact that I generally agree with your list, the moments of sloppiness and inattention to details seriously degrades whatever authority with which you might’ve started.

And really? Junot Diaz wins the 2008 Pulitzer and you take away his only “n”? Come on…

And who’s Pam Huston? Is she new? I’ve not heard of her, nor can I find her, but then I’m only using the internet, so maybe she’s just not listed there.

Pam Houston, on the other hand, is great. I definitely think she deserves a place on this list.