Thought you guys might get a kick out of this: http://www.wiltgren.com/2016/02/29/45-reasons-to-write-flash-fiction-right-now/
What do you think?
What do you think?
45 reasons to write flash fiction
- Thread starter filwi
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Here's my problem. I keep hearing you can do it in an hour. Well I can't. 1000 words takes me a week. I need to wait until inspiration strikes, then kind of roll around and develop the characters. Then I can write 2000 words. Then I can decide I can cut the introductory scene and start farther in, and do some vicious editing and get it down to 1250. Then I kill off a beloved secondary character. Finally it's 1000 words.
I love the list, great post. Flash and the challenge of it are what get me going. Depending on the inspiration I can knock out a solid draft of more than one at a time - yep, highly distractible over here so working on multiple stories is comforting. Other story ideas sit in my idea list for months without any attention. I do have to walk away from what looks like an umayzing first draft because it never is (I hear you morngnstar, I think getting it right in such a short time can happen but is pretty rare).
I hear what you're saying. I have been reading several craft books about inducing a state of mind more receptive to inspiration. I know that greats like Sylvia Plath simply scheduled time for writing, sat down and wrote even if she hated the results later. But I still haven't exactly figured this out. Let me know if you get any closer.
mochabeans
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A long list for such short writing, but I agree. I love flash fiction and it's very satisfying to try many pieces of fiction in a short period of time. I don't have to commit to one big idea for a novel for months or years.
Yeah, it's more difficult for me to write a 1,000 word story than a 100,000 word novel but less painful. It's a kind of quality versus quantity thing?
I love flash because of the process. Doesn't matter if the story is 66 words, or if it meters into the short-story realm at 3000, and I've done both. You can learn to draft faster, and see the benefits of doing so. You can enhance your editing and writing with every critical pass. You can ship it off to a publisher and get a response back in weeks, instead of waiting 3 months on a literary agent to respond. You can publish and market your own work to spread your name and find people that like your writing style.
Don't know about you guys, but if someone really loves my story, I'm happy to give it away. I don't need the money, I have the job for money. I don't need recognition or someone at NYT telling me what they think. I just love it when my stories resonate with someone, and my flash pieces make it easy to find people who like my work. Should be in the toolkit for any author. For the people posting about how "long" it takes, try hammering out a story quick and putting it through 4 fast revisions. Time yourself, then give yourself the same time to put out an equally long piece with one draft. Compare the two. Just saying. Everyone has their own writing style, but myself, I'm constantly experimenting and changing. I will write standing on my head and balancing bananas on my toes if there's the slightest chance that I can learn a new writing trick. Flash lets you carry out those experiments without trying them for months on a novel. It's not just experimental story development, it's experimenting with different writing practices to find the tiny hints that will help you improve.
Don't know about you guys, but if someone really loves my story, I'm happy to give it away. I don't need the money, I have the job for money. I don't need recognition or someone at NYT telling me what they think. I just love it when my stories resonate with someone, and my flash pieces make it easy to find people who like my work. Should be in the toolkit for any author. For the people posting about how "long" it takes, try hammering out a story quick and putting it through 4 fast revisions. Time yourself, then give yourself the same time to put out an equally long piece with one draft. Compare the two. Just saying. Everyone has their own writing style, but myself, I'm constantly experimenting and changing. I will write standing on my head and balancing bananas on my toes if there's the slightest chance that I can learn a new writing trick. Flash lets you carry out those experiments without trying them for months on a novel. It's not just experimental story development, it's experimenting with different writing practices to find the tiny hints that will help you improve.
Lapidar
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Since I am a person, who likes to flog explanations to death, flash fiction is a great challenge for me. 
But i do need some sort of hook to start with. I have by now 4 part novels and 10 short stories/novellettes in different stages of completion hanging out in my computer and they all started as flash fiction attempts
But i do need some sort of hook to start with. I have by now 4 part novels and 10 short stories/novellettes in different stages of completion hanging out in my computer and they all started as flash fiction attempts
My career in technical writing (the requirement to explain in great detail) was a stumbling block to creative writing until I learned how tell the technical writer in me to sit down and shut up. Word play (free writing) was the solution for me. Sit down at the keyboard, turn the monitor off and start typing. The monitor is off so I am not tempted to look up at the words and start judging them (editing). Play first then work. Trying to compose and polish at the same time almost always results in a block. BTW, you might think about clearing your inbox of so may writing projects and focus on just one?
Lapidar
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Basically you are right yportne, but I am actually steadily working on one biggish project. Focusing on just one ist sort of a bit - boring.
But I am getting a bit more disciplined. At present, I have put aside all but the big project (a cosy mystery, which is nearly ready in the first draught) and do for recreation flash stories in German and English.
I am a bit like the white queen out of Alice. (and I do mean the book, not the film)
But I am getting a bit more disciplined. At present, I have put aside all but the big project (a cosy mystery, which is nearly ready in the first draught) and do for recreation flash stories in German and English.
I am a bit like the white queen out of Alice. (and I do mean the book, not the film)
I completely agree with that link... all good reasons, #2 being most pertinent. It's just rapid fire goodness and there's so much about yourself you can learn when trying to construct a scene with a short amount of words. Basically it's a low investment for a (possibly) high reward.
This was a very interesting list, especially the parts where they mention there's a market for flash fiction.
I always though you would either go with a full length book (with many chapters), or you would do a book that has a collection of short stories (of course, I've never heard of flash fiction, or the different types of short fiction before).
I always though you would either go with a full length book (with many chapters), or you would do a book that has a collection of short stories (of course, I've never heard of flash fiction, or the different types of short fiction before).
I liked that list! I have recently come to really love flash. After years of writing novel-length works and feeling like I never finish anything (I do, it just feels that way), finishing a piece of flash fiction in a day is very rewarding. Reading it is quick and easy, and I love the pieces that just feel like snatches of time, like a peek into another life. I love how I can just sit down and write whatever comes out. Flash is introspective and full of interpretation. Love it.
I started writing 100 word stories and I really enjoyed the process. I think it helped with my writing and realizing what is important and what isn't. Less is Better for me.
Thank you for sharing this! I actually did not know flash fiction was a thing. I can not imagine completely finishing a story in 300 words. Some of them are even less than that! I think I would like to give it a try but then I do also struggle with wanting to elaborate or delve more into character or world building. It looks like a fun challenge though and I can definitely see the benefits when it comes to practicing writing.
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