Historically, short stories were a rich source of successful movies and significant films. Classics such as Rear Window, High Noon, Psycho, All About Eve, and Blade Runner began as short stories. Unfortunately, many of the major venues for discovering new talent--The Saturday Evening Post, Colliers, and Mademoiselle--are gone. Today, short stories are again becoming an important basis for major motion pictures and television, with films such as Brokeback Mountain, Good Will Hunting, and Minority Report.

One reason short...