Pocket size Flash Fiction

Flash Fiction: 

More Than Just a Flash in the Pan!

What is flash fiction all about?

Flash fiction is a small pocket size read piece of fictional writing. It still offers character and plot development, but in a very concise way, using no more than 1000 words. Although the label might be modern, flash fiction has roots that go back to when writing began, with traditional fables and parables morphing into the uber-short fiction we read today. Twist endings and sudden violence are hallmarks of the form, causing many people to view it as sensationalist.

Flash fiction has the ability to hint at a much larger story and imply that there is more to the plot than is mentioned. It can therefore teach us a very important creative lesson that writers should draw inspiration from:

Sometimes what is unsaid is more powerful than what is said.

Varieties of flash fiction:

- 280 character story, known as ‘twitterature’ for sharing the same character count as a tweet

- The ‘dribble’ - a 50 word story

- The ‘drabble’ (also known as micro-fiction) - a 100 word story

- ‘Sudden fiction’ - a 750 word story

- And the most extreme example: the six-word story

The history of flash fiction

Although its roots go back to prehistory, with Aesop’s fables and other parables, the modern form was popularised in the West in the 19th Century. In the United States, these early forms of the prose style include that of Walt Whitman, Ambrose Bierce, and Kate Chopin.

In the 1920s flash fiction was actually referred to as the "short short story" and was associated with Cosmopolitan magazine. It was often critiqued as sensationalised and experimental, making it the underdog of prose.

Fast forward to now, with the popularity of social media, shortening attention spans and convenience being hailed as king, and flash fiction has found its natural home. Its headline-like titles and quick read time are perfect for grabbing the attention of readers in the social media age.

*Flash…. Ahh ah… literature of the twitterverse*

How to write flash fiction

Writing flash fiction is an exercise in creative restraint - a creative challenge if you will. Some writers even use flash fiction as the starting point for their novel, since it forces you to think critically about one particular subject. So, whether you want to solely write flash fiction or just use it as an exercise before writing longer form stories, here are a few tips to get you started:

1. Stick to one scene or one particular moment in time. As Steve Jobs said: “Don’t try to do everything. Do one thing well”

2. Don’t include too many characters. Only talk about the people that are integral to the plot or you might spread yourself too thin. If you find yourself needing more than two characters or two scenes, it might be better to use the short story format.

3. Using first person will help you connect with the reader in a flash! It also allows you to convey feelings quicker and with fewer words.

4. Make sure your story ends on a different emotional note than the one you started on. Flash fiction is meant to surprise - so make sure your reader goes on a journey - no matter how short that journey is!

5. Titles are even more important for flash fiction. When you have so few words to play with, titles can really pack a punch.

6. Don’t worry about the word count until the end. It's often easier to edit down than bulk up, so get your ideas down and distil them later.

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⭐ NEWS FLASH ⭐

Want to get your story published? 

We’re running a short story competition that will help you do just that!

We’re offering 20 lucky winners the chance to see their work published in a beautifully illustrated book and have a professional podcast made of their work. They will also receive extensive coverage across our social media channels.

Sound good? To find out more, simply check out this web link below and it will show you how to enter the competition: 

Hi2020.co.uk

This is your chance to showcase your skills. The story must be original and between 1000 and 1500 words, written in English from among the following given topics：
- Adventure/travel
- Thriller/Dark
- Romance
- Science/Fantasy

YIPPEE! We now have three special new categories for the competition; 

• Three County Challenge (Bucks, Herts & London)

• UK Challenge (British Isles & Northern Ireland)

• 11yrs - 18 yrs Challenge (UK- British isles and Northern Ireland)

Not sure where to start?... check out our helpful magazine -
How to write short stories - we even have writers’ aids - especially to help you through the knotty plots and character building.

<<<Purchase your entry form here >>>

⭐HURRY! ENTRIES DUE BY 20TH JULY⭐

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How does flash fiction differ from a traditional short story?

Firstly, it differs in length. Flash fiction is up to 1,000 words, whereas short stories can be from 1,000 to 10,000 words. Flash fiction is therefore much punchier and to the point, whereas short stories can be more fluid and descriptive and can take a couple of sittings to read. 

With flash fiction, if you were to take away even one word, the meaning is lost, since each word is critical to the story.

With short stories superfluous words are used to create deeper meaning or a more vivid mental picture. They even have room to contain a subplot and develop multiple character arcs. Flash fiction only has one plot and tells it in the most economical way possible.

Flash fiction examples:

Lydia Davis - “Fear”

“Nearly every morning, a certain woman in our community comes running out of her house with her face white and her overcoat flapping wildly. She cries out, “Emergency, emergency,” and one of us runs to her and holds her until her fears are calmed. We know she is making it up; nothing has really happened to her. But we understand, because there is hardly one of us who has not been moved at some time to do just what she has done, and every time, it has taken all our strength, and even the strength of our friends and families too, to quiet us.”

Joy Williams - “Clean”

“A child in the south side of town was killed in a drive-by shooting. He was not the intended victim, he was only seven. There really was no intended victim. The gunman just wanted to spook some folks, the folks in this specific house. It wasn’t even little Luis’s house. But he was there, visiting a friend who had a pet iguana, and the iguana was sort of sickly, no one knew why, more yellow than green, maybe someone had fed it spinach by mistake. Hearing a ruckus, the boys ran outside and Luis was shot in the chest and died.

The family held a car wash to pay for the funeral expenses. This is not uncommon. It was announced in the newspaper and lots of people came, most of whom had nice waxed cars that didn’t need washing, and the family appreciated this.”

Etgar Keret - “Asthma Attack”

“When you're having an asthma attack, you don't have any breath. When you don't have any breath, it's hard to speak. You're limited by the amount of air you can spend from your lungs. That's not much, something between three to six words. It gives the word a meaning. You're searching through the piles of words in your head, picking the most important ones. And they have a cost. It's not like the healthy people that take out every word that has accumulated in their head like garbage. When someone, while having an asthma attack, says "I love you" or "I really love you", there's a difference. A word difference. And a word is a lot, because that word could have been "sit", "Ventolin" or even "ambulance".”

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⭐A Flash of Inspiration⭐

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