What Is Flash Fiction? New 2024 Guide
Today, I’ll be covering one of my favorite ways to write—flash fiction. It’s fun and one of the best ways to improve your writing quickly. Perhaps you’ve heard of it but aren’t sure exactly what it is. The simplest definition of flash fiction is a very concise story that is between 300 and 1000 words. But there are some other important factors too.
While flash fiction is short, it differs from regular short stories because it doesn’t always have a traditional beginning or end. Instead, they’re sometimes like a snapshot that packs a powerful punch in a small package. A classic example is the six-word story “For sale: baby shoes, never worn” often attributed to Ernest Hemingway.
Below, we’ll discuss more about what makes flash fiction what it is and why it works so well for making you a better writer. Then, I’ll give some other flash fiction examples and resources where you can read/submit your FF stories. So, without further ado, let’s get started.
What Is Flash Fiction?
In essence, flash fiction is like a picture—a snapshot or snippet of a moment that can be very telling. Imagine you see a very thought-provoking image; It can invoke questions and intense emotions and tell a story without you being told what came before or after. This is why flash fiction doesn’t always have a beginning, middle, and end.
That said, it can have all three. There is some variance when it comes to flash fiction guidelines. Even on word count, some magazines set a maximum of 300 words; Others allow as many as 1000. However, that’s usually the cut-off. So, despite the rather large range, anywhere from 300 to 1000 words is considered normal for flash fiction.
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The Hemingway “story” above is only six words and perfectly captures the brevity and powerful emotional impact at the core of flash fiction. Despite the name, “flash” fiction isn’t always always off the top of your head. While certain pieces may feel spontaneous or improvised, others are carefully crafted and planned.
The key to successful flash fiction is the ability to convey a complete story or idea in a limited number of words. Whether that’s achieved through spontaneity or careful planning, the end result should be a powerful and memorable piece of writing.
How to Get Better With Flash Fiction
Flash fiction is a fantastic way to improve your writing fast. Such short works allow you to pick a fundamental skill or story essential and practice it. You can focus on one skill while you write and put a magnifying glass on it.
Struggling with “Show, don’t tell?” write a flash fiction story with active writing and “showing” as the goal. Aren’t good at deep pov, isolate it and write a story. If you can do it in the mini-model, you can do it in a bigger novel, and it’s easier to analyze on a small scale. It also makes reading the entire work out loud, with an eye on your chosen fundamental.
Flash Fiction Examples
Flash fiction comes in many shapes and sizes (under 1000 words, of course) and reading them is the best way to get a feel for the medium. So, below I have included 10 flash fiction examples that I like and feel represent it well. I hope you enjoy them; As short as they are, they’re certainly worth your time.