How to: Flash Fiction

What is flash fiction?

In the simplest terms, flash fiction is a term used to describe a short piece of fiction (under 500 words) that tells a story – it has some kind of a conflict and a small number of characters with complete character arcs.

How do I write flash fiction?

Flash fiction stories have some common characteristics. Follow and you’ll be a flash fiction faster than the time it takes to write a, well, piece of flash fiction…

A small word count

The clue is in the name: flash fiction. A flash fiction writer must be extremely economical with their words, using as few words as possible to tell a great story. This is often achieved by cutting out unnecessary words (imagine you’re writing using Twitter). Try using stronger nouns and verbs, rather than a multitude of adverbs and adjectives. Write concisely – because, quite literally, every word counts.

Focus on one main conflict or idea

You only need one main conflict or plot for your piece of fiction. Don’t try to do too much – be selective.

Make sure that idea is small, not big

Big ideas are for big stories, so make sure your idea is small and manageable within the constraints of a piece of flash fiction. Focus on the one key idea/emotion/image you want to portray, and work from there. Simple is beautiful.

Make it personal

Use your own experiences – imagination – fantasies to make your writing distinct. There’s more room for risk-taking in flash fiction – because you only have a tiny space to grab the reader’s attention.

Only a few characters

Flash fiction is short – so you can only accommodate a couple of characters. Even one is fine – it will give you more room for your story.

Make sure you have a character arc

Just like any longer story, a character in flash fiction needs to encounter some kind of conflict and develop or change in some way.

Use a limited number of scenes (again, one is fine)

Choose a small yet powerful scene in your character’s story and focus on it. Multiple scenes will eat your word count.

Start somewhere near the middle

This is perhaps the most important tip for writing your flash fiction! Don’t start at the beginning – you need to begin somewhere near the middle: the crossroads, the dilemma, the beginning of the conflict. Avoid backstories and character-building – it’s unnecessary.

End the story before the last sentence

End your story somewhere before the end, to allow your readers to consider the story’s implications along with the character.

An excellent title

Choose an effective title – but try not to give your story away.

An excellent last line

This is not the ending of your story – that should have come before. But you still need a fantastic closing line. It doesn’t need to be obscure or confusing – but you do want something that will stick on your reader’s mind.

An excellent first line

First impressions count and all that.

Write lots, then cut it down

If you struggle to write a concise story, don’t worry. Start with just writing – and once you’ve got down the story, you can focus on editing and cutting it down to craft it into flash fiction.

Do everything a short story does

Despite all the cutting-outs and you-don’t-needs, your flash fiction does (kind of) need to do everything that a short story – or any story, for that matter – does. It has to have (some kind) of a beginning, middle and end, characters and a conflict.

Be clever

Don’t give everything away – but don’t give away too less so that your reader loses interest. Foreshadow to build suspense. Leave some things unsaid. Layer. Be smart – because that’s what makes good flash fiction.

Read other flash fiction

Read all of these tips but still a bit hazy? Read other flash fiction, lots of other flash fiction, to give you a clearer picture (and ideas, of course). And even if you do know exactly what you’re doing – read other flash fiction anyway. It will help.

Examples of flash fiction:

http://www.smokelong.com/the-drive/

http://www.theshortstory.co.uk/featured-flash-fiction-a-square-of-light-by-catherine-finch/

http://www.theshortstory.co.uk/featured-flash-fiction-spines-by-paula-hunter/

http://www.flash500.com/index_files/finalq16.htm

Examples of crime flash fiction:

http://flashfictiononline.com/main/article-categories/crime/

https://flashbangcontest.wordpress.com/2016/05/20/winning-story-2016/

https://flashbangcontest.wordpress.com/2016/05/20/runner-up-2016/

http://smallcrimes-novel.blogspot.co.uk/2007/03/250-word-flash-fiction.html

Examples of BAME flash fiction:

http://brittlepaper.com/tag/african-flash-fiction/