Five Years of The Art of Flash Fiction: Reflections, a Prompt, and a Special Offer
Reflection in the closet doors of my study.
“The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery.” ~Mark Van Doren
Friends, this November newsletter goes out to all subscribers and contains a special offer, links to some of my most popular posts, and further down, a new prompt for you to try!
But first, a few thoughts as I close in on five years of writing The Art of Flash Fiction:
I began this newsletter on a whim on New Year’s Eve, 2020. It was borne from a feeling of restlessness, and a desire to do something new. I think the fraught loneliness of the pandemic had lots of us feeling a need to draw our people closer somehow. I wanted to forge new connections and community amongst those of us who love the unique power and beauty of the flash form. Also, by then I’d been writing and teaching flash for twenty years and I had some things to say about it!
To date, I’ve published 223 newsletters, I’ve reached well over 10,000 subscribers, and The Art of Flash has become a longtime Top 10 Fiction Bestseller here on Substack (thank you!). It’s been a fun and fulfilling endeavor for me and I hope, inspiring and useful for you as well.
Writing The Art of Flash has shown me the art of teaching. I love this quote by Mark Van Doren: “The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery.” I feel my role has primarily been that of showing writers their own unique gifts and helping them mine for the rich stories only they can tell. I was so happy to get this endorsement from a paid subscriber which speaks to all I aim for in my newsletter and teaching:
“Kathy, I support your work because it has moved me out of a stuck spot and given me a roadmap for the direction I’d like to steer my writing in the future. Your 3 classes really awakened in me a kind of confidence in what I already know and how much there is still to learn.”
Joan Didion famously said, “I don’t know what I think until I write it down.” This has been my experience, too. Writing these weekly posts has become a meditative practice for me. It’s forced me to get clear about what I believe flash is and is not, what I believe goes into good writing, and how best to convey what I know and have learned to all of you. It has certainly galvanized my beliefs about what works and doesn’t as teacher. And importantly, it has led me to some deep thinking on what it means to live as a writer/artist, especially now.
The joyful work of writing The Art of Flash Fiction represents hours and hours of planning, thought, and research each week. Paid subscriptions make it possible for me to keep this community going! I very much want to earn and keep your support for what I do. To that end, I have a special offer to encourage you to become an annual paid subscriber:
SPECIAL OFFER! DEADLINE NOVEMBER 30TH
If you’re currently a free or monthly subscriber and you switch to an ANNUAL plan you will get a FREE spot in my upcoming ninety-minute workshop, “Flash in Motion: Writing with Power and Urgency (a $60 value) to be held on December 13th, 2025.
The deadline to make the switch is November 30th. (If you’re already an annual subscriber, please make sure your subscription is still active to take advantage of this offer.) Note: This workshop is exclusive to annual paid subscribers and it will be recorded. If you wish to keep subscribing on a month-to-month basis, no worries! You’ll continue to get all the paid subscriber perks you have been receiving, including the popular and productive Flash Immersion Extravaganza events. And free subscribers will continue to receive substantive, inspiring monthly posts from me. I’m so grateful for all of you.
A SAMPLING OF POPULAR POSTS
Paid subscribers get full access to The Art of Flash Fiction archives. Here are three of my most popular posts:
“So much of writing is going back to get what we need. Or to gain understanding. Or, as Amy Hempel said, “to solve being alive.” Tap into these emotions. Mine their richness and complexity. Be specific. Make meaning from all the things you carry.”
“No matter what we’re writing, it’s always good to include strong sensory detail and specifics. No matter what we’re writing, we want to include something unexpected. No matter what we’re writing, it’s effective to slow down where it hurts or when shit gets real.”
“It’s best not to worry too much about deep meaning in the drafting phase. This can result in an overwrought, ham-handed story. But the difference between a good flash and a GREAT one is emotional depth and resonance. After the initial draft or two, it’s time to ask the hard questions. Make your story squirm under a bright light! Get the truth out of it, once and for all.”
YOUR PROMPT
Concepts & Skill Building:
subverting reader expectations
the unexpected detail
Write a story about one person sharing their knowledge, wisdom, or expertise with another. But let’s subvert expectations to make it more interesting, shall we? The “teacher” in this case must be much younger than the student. Sometimes children are wise beyond their years and this can be very moving. This is an opportunity to write a tender or funny scene, perhaps tinged with sadness or longing. Humor will keep the scene from being schmalzy or cloying.
Option to make your young teacher an animal!
Include a hilariously mangled quote shared by teacher or student.
Consider that something may be learned that wasn’t being intentionally taught.
I’d love to know how this one goes for you! Thanks, as always, my friends.
Stay strong…
Kathy
Wow 5 years, Kathy! Congratulations on such a successful publication. 🥳💙 What time is the 13th Dec workshop?