Stories in a Flash

This week, I met up for lunch with writing friends I made at a short story course run by Lynne Barrett-Lee almost ten years ago. We meet every few weeks and this time we looked at our flash fiction entries for a competition. I rarely write short stories or flashes these days so it was good to return to a genre I enjoy. 

What is flash fiction?

Here is a blog post I wrote back in 2018 and it was good to be reminded of what the judges of a flash fiction competition may be looking for: 

Flash Fiction goes by many names including micro fiction, short shorts, nanofiction. At my very first lesson on a short story course, I learned that a 'drabble' is a story in just 100 words and one of the most famous examples of flash fiction is a mere six words, attributed to Ernest Hemingway. 'For sale: baby shoes, never worn.' The reader is left with so many images and interpretations that are left unsaid. Flash Fiction appears to have gained in popularity over the last few years and there are plenty of opportunities to submit your stories. In fact, there is now a National Flash Fiction Day, held this year on Saturday June 24th. So what are the main characteristics of a Flash Fiction?

• Brevity. It doesn't matter what the specific word count is, Flash Fiction condenses the story into the fewest number of words possible. You have to ask yourself if every word is essential to the story. This 'paring to the bone' is an excellent discipline for me as I tend to be very wordy when I start writing a story. 

• A beginning, middle and an end. In spite of its concise form, the story structure and plot need to show a complete story. 

'For me, the basic fictional elements, such as character, setting, conflict, and resolution, still need to be present.'  Lindsay Stanberry-Flynn, Competition Founder and Judge of Worcestershire LitFest Flash Fiction competition  

• A twist or surprise at the end. Not all stories have to have one but it makes the reader think, long after reading. Other people say that the last line of a flash fiction can take the readers elsewhere, to a place where they can ponder about the ideas in the story, making re-reads inviting. 

Every year since I began submitting in 2014, I've been delighted to see one or more of my flashes published in the annual Worcestershire LitFest Flash Fiction competition anthology, having come second once and short-listed on a number of occasions. This then means I'm invited to the launch of the book each to read out one or sometimes two of my flashes. Fingers crossed that they will enjoy reading the three pieces I've sent off today

Do you like to write Flash Fiction? If so, how do you go about writing it? Do you start with a longer piece and chip away until all the superfluous words have gone or start writing with the tight word count in mind?

Thank you for reading. I'd love to read your comments about Flash Fiction. 

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