How much time passes in your short stories?

A day or so. Sometimes just a few hours. Usually protags are confronting something urgent that requires swift resolution.

Whatever works, of course.

My favorite short story occurs in four days. Actually, that's the name of the story. "Four Days," by Vsevolod Garshin.

My shortest to date takes place over a matter of minutes. The longest takes place over a few months. But I've read great short stories that take place over 20+ years!

Brian

i have the easiest time writing short stories that take place over one scene, which I suppose last about as long as it takes the reader to read them. These restrictions in time and space save me any potentially awkward or difficult transitions and it's easy to keep them tightly focused around the plot.

That said, I've written short stories that take place over varied amounts of time with varied amounts of success. My favorite story I've ever written takes place over a ten year period, focusing on little significant sections of the protagonist's life over only a few scenes.

I've only written two short stories ever and they both take place over about eight hours. Didn't really plan either of them before starting and it seems they took similar shapes.