Dramatic? Me? Never.
So, I'm sitting at my desk looking pale and tragic when I stumble upon Les Floyd's flash fiction post. I keep hearing people ramble on about this flash fiction non-sense, so I check it out.
It's quite clever, really. A story in 200 - 500 words. How does one do that? I can't write a short story to save my life. Novella, ok. But anything less than 35k words? No.
But this flash fiction thing has really piqued my interested. It's sort of a challenge, I guess. Plus it would be a great post for Sample Sundays.
Have any of you, my lovely readers, written any flash fiction?
If you have, why don't you post a link below so we can check it out. And also if you have any "tips of the trade" for flash fiction, please share. Inquiring minds need to know...
I've written a few short stories - the thing to remember is that you are just taking a "slice of life", as my middle school teacher used to call it. You don't write about many different ideas or themes or conflicts. You just take one.
ReplyDeleteThen you expand it, you put it in a setting and create a few characters. And you use those characters and setting to portray the idea.
I've just started to write a few flash fiction pieces actually. I was like you Shea. I didn't think I could write shorts because I felt like I was horrible at them. A couple of weeks ago someone asked for flash fiction for an anthology on a forum and I decided to try it out.
ReplyDeleteI found out I love them! L-O-V-E! They are a lot of fun and much less stressful than most storytelling.
What I find helpful is to remember you're not really telling a whole story, you're trying to show a scene. One quick snapshot in someone's life that has something interesting going on. That's all.
I decided to do a self-imposed challenge where I post one a week. I do minimal editing and I try not spend more than two days working on them, but I have really enjoyed the process so far. If you want to see the two I have up on my blog so far they are here: http://www.chaosandinsanity.com/?page_id=853
Nick - Thanks for the comment. "Slice of life" - great way to think of it!
ReplyDeleteCoral - Based on your tips (and Nick's) I started writing my first flash fiction this morning. :-) You're right. It's quite fun when you get going.
Well hurry up and write a Pink Bunny story and you can still make it for the anthology deadline on the 15th! :)
ReplyDeleteOhhh... now there's an idea. :-) Will have to work on it today.
ReplyDelete