Charles Raymond Barrett

Born in Saratoga Springs, New York, in 1874, Charles Raymond Barrett was an American author whose name is most closely linked with Short Story Writing: A Practical Treatise on the Art of the Short Story. The book was published in 1900 and later circulated widely enough to remain available through major public-domain collections.

Barrett wrote in a clear, instructive way, focusing on plot, structure, characterization, and the practical problems faced by beginning writers. That straightforward approach has helped his work endure as an early handbook for anyone curious about how short fiction is made.

He died in Chicago, Illinois, on June 21, 1936. Although he is not as widely known today as some literary critics and novelists of his era, his writing remains of interest to readers studying the development of creative-writing instruction in the United States.