QUICK FLASH
Try your hand at writing flash fiction with advice from writer and editor Alex Davis
Flash fiction is a term that is often bandied around, and typically refers to stories weighing in at under 1,000 words. While the form certainly has some things in common with short stories, writing it is a unique task and skill in its own right, and requires a unique approach to deliver well. And it’s certainly true to say that writing something with fewer words doesn’t necessarily mean it’s any easier – in fact many writers find quite the opposite! Sure, the ‘finish line’ may be a bit closer, but with so few words it’s important to use them carefully and make sure they are all achieving something for the story you are trying to tell.
But how do you go about doing it right? In this article we’ll look at some of the key principles to writing your own flash fiction.
One size doesn’t fit all
While that ‘below 1,000 words’ tagline is a pretty reliable one for flash fiction, as always, it is crucial to remember if and when you are sending work out that magazines, webzines or websites might have their own definition in terms of preferred length. Below 500 is a fairly popular length as well, and there are also a few other terms you might just see floating around to describes particular brands of flash fiction.
The drabble is an often-seen type, and covers stories of 100 words – usually exactly 100 to boot. This can pose a fascinating challenge to authors in terms of exactness and precision in word count, as can the dribble – a spin-off form of precisely fifty words.