"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter..."

~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain

“Speak your mind, even though your voice shakes.” ~Eleanor Roosevelt

A year ago, on Inauguration Day, I wrote the following from my residency at Jack Kerouac’s house in Orlando:

I still believe we need to preserve our collective sanity and well-being for the long haul, but more and more, I understand we must sacrifice some of that in favor of speaking out, even (especially) when it’s uncomfortable to do so.

I wonder lately at those who are staying silent in the face of all this. Their social media presence says, “Nothing to see here! All is well!” and it’s almost funny. I mean, I understand on some level. By speaking out, one risks alienating readers, subscribers, customers. I feel strongly that now is not the time for silence. But not everyone feels that way. Asked in an interview if one of his bits on Curb Your Enthusiasm might alienate some viewers, Larry David said, “Alienate yourselves!” I love that.

But I get it. There is such a thing as balance. We need pictures of puppies, too.

I’ve been thinking, too, about what makes some writing stand above others.

We talk about the elements of craft, but I’ve read many a well-crafted story, seriously perfect in every way, that left me cold. Left me wanting. It’s difficult to describe but you know it when you see it? It’s not teachable, but I do believe it’s learnable. The learning comes from listening to yourself first. But more than listening, believing what you hear. Then letting that knowledge flow through every thing you write. Lack of conviction generally comes through specifically in your writing.

I’ve talked about this before…

What’s all this to do with flash fiction?

Truth may be spoken with a whisper. Or a shout. But always it must be spoken with conviction. The power of flash lies in its brevity. Flash writers do not mess around. They know they only have so much time and space with which to work. Voice and character, movement and tone, must make their impact on fewer than 1,000 words.

Your Prompt - An Act or Image

There is a life force to great writing that is undeniable. No matter what the story or genre. You feel the writer believes in their own words, so you, the reader, believe too.