Have you heard of Flash Fiction?
Flash fiction is any story that has a maximum of 1,000 words. It is also known as micro fiction, postcard fiction, short short story (though that is a mouthful!) and sudden fiction.
The last one describes flash fiction well. The word count means you must get straight into the “action” so can hardly avoid being sudden!
There is even a National Flash Fiction Day.
Long established short story competitions such as The Bridport Prize now feature flash fiction as a category. Great news for me – I put in an entry for both categories though, alas, no success here to date.
I write 100 words stories, 500 words stories and sometimes as many as 750 words stories! I met a lovely writer at Swanwick Writers’ School recently who wrote 75 words stories (including the title) and that is a challenge!
A complete story
Each flash fiction piece must be a complete story with a beginning, a middle and an end. Every word must count and a good title can convey much information about the type of story to come.
Flash fiction is easy to read. It is ideal for reading on mobile phones and tablets. For anyone who feels they don’t have much time to read, bite sized fiction like this could appeal. Flash fiction covers all genres and there are a number of online magazines which take them.
I’ve been published in one online magazine, Cafelit, and one of my flash pieces, Telling the Time, will be appearing in their Best of annual anthology this year. The book should be out in December.
One example of my Flash Fiction: Job Satisfaction
Thud!
The fairy returned to what she’d wrongly sworn was an open window.
Damn! Every bloody window was shut. Her scowl curdled the street’s milk. She fired a spell at the letterbox to keep it open. Many fairies narrowly escaped being sliced in half by a clanging letterbox but nobody cheated her of an overdue incisor yet alone a snoring bully…
Outside her client’s bedroom, the fairy rummaged through her pockets. When humans made her work harder than necessary, she returned the compliment. The fairy grinned at her pliers. There were times she really loved her job.
Despite the limited word count, you know enough to know here is a character best not crossed!
In my next post, I’m going to share with you my book publication news, my publishing tools, my inspirations, and why I have roses on my writing desk.
Related Posts:-
Read interviews with Chandler’s Ford writer Allison Symes: Part 1 and Part 2.
Read blog posts by Allison Symes published on Chandler’s Ford Today.
Never miss out on another blog post. Subscribe here:
Excellent! Allison. So pleased to hear your flash fiction is in print. Thanks for the introduction of flash fiction. I think the shorter the story, the more challenging it is to do well, so well done for you. Writing flash fiction – you’ve got to be so succict and to be a great storyteller. I think ‘flash’ (flashing what?) is now getting so popular. I’ve also enjoyed another kind of flashing, ‘flash mob’ dances / songs / concerts around the world. Totally surprising and enjoyable.
Many thanks, Janet. Flash, in terms of flash fiction, I believe refers to the fact the story is over in a flash, rather than to anything flashing! (Just as well really!). And with the advent of social media, phones capable of doing all manner of things, the Kindle etc, flash fiction fits in really well with all of that. I can also see why, with so many demands on people’s time, flash mob dances etc could be really popular. There’s also spontaneity (or at least a sense of it) with these things.
We are taught a story must have a beginning, a middle and an end. Also should contain some mystery, some religion and some sex. Here goes:
Oh my God. She’s pregnant. Who done it?
Is that flash enough? I could have left out the ‘Oh my.’
Love it, Mike. Well done! Still don’t think you can beat Hemingway’s six word classic:-
For Sale. One pair baby shoes.
Definitely got the mystery there but works even without the religion and sex!