Hi friends, I’m often asked to define flash fiction in interviews and almost out of a sense of duty, I provide the standard answer (flash fiction is a story of 1,000 words or fewer), but it feels so dissatisfying to say this. Yes, that’s flash at its most basic but to those of us who read, write, and teach it, it’s so much more than that! To say flash is a short story, only smaller, feels much too, well, reductive.
This post I feels like a GIFT right now. I’m teaching intro to fiction to high schoolers this semester and next week I’m starting a unit on different forms of short fiction and I’ve been wrecking my brain trying to articulate what flash fiction IS. Furthermore, it’s hard to breakdown why/how a piece is successful. (It just IS!) great post. :)
Thank you Kathy, your post is a gift indeed. I am a poet experimenting with story and wondering which form. I somehow found my way here and recognised something which felt true for me. I love your Joy Williams quote too. All this gives me hope there is a genre I can embrace between poetry and story :) I will dig further.
your lessons are always so good, robust, succinct. I look forward to buying your flash craft book!
This post I feels like a GIFT right now. I’m teaching intro to fiction to high schoolers this semester and next week I’m starting a unit on different forms of short fiction and I’ve been wrecking my brain trying to articulate what flash fiction IS. Furthermore, it’s hard to breakdown why/how a piece is successful. (It just IS!) great post. :)
A few minutes ago, with others, we pledged to ignore our inner critic and to write once again.
Your post woke something in me and I scribbled a few lines on your Tomorrow /but tonight.
First time I’ve done any flash fiction for over three years. Thank you
Thank you Kathy, your post is a gift indeed. I am a poet experimenting with story and wondering which form. I somehow found my way here and recognised something which felt true for me. I love your Joy Williams quote too. All this gives me hope there is a genre I can embrace between poetry and story :) I will dig further.