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Flash Fiction

edited June 2015 in Writing
Hi everyone

I am a newbie here, and really new to trying to write for publishing. I am trying to get experience and have been working hard to try to improve my skills and feel I am ready to try and write to enter comps or submit for publication.

I am coming across some terminology I'm not familiar with and certain things I am unsure of but hopefully practise and constant reading will get me up to speed!

I am looking for some guidance on flash fiction. This is something I've not really done before (though I know a lot of women's magazines print that kind of thing...I've just never been a reader of women's mags!) and I am wondering is there a formula for flash fiction or a certain way of doing it?

Sorry if it seems stupid, I just don't want to embarrass myself by doing something outwith my comfort zone and messing it up!

Caroline

Comments

  • *feels erotic*
  • Hello, Caroline.

    I wouldn't associate flash fiction with the Women's magazine market except that one page stories would fit a flash fiction length.

    If you're interested in the women's magazine market have a look at the womag blog, run by our own PM. The latest guidelines are there.

    http://womagwriter.blogspot.co.uk/
  • edited June 2015
    Flash fiction is a very broad term which can include a huge range of genres. Sometimes it means stories written in a short period, but more usually it refers to quite short stories. Lengths vary according to market or competition. So no - no formula and no one right way.
  • Hi

    I have no interest in women's magazines I am afraid. I don't read them ever, but as I say I've been reading these things online so I assumed that the one page stories were classed as flash fiction. A lot of flash fiction I have read is about fairly normal things, I'm quite into horror and sci fi and stuff like that. So I know that it definitely wouldn't be of interest to women's magazines anyway!!

    Caroline
  • Are you on Facebook and Twitter? If you put Flash into the FB search bar there are quite a few groups and pages that come up which might be useful in your search for info.

  • Hi Monkey Lady, our monthly competition - the One Word Challenge - will give you a taste of flash fiction written by members of this forum. The latest comp is at the top of the page - and you can read stories from previous challenges if you click on 'One Word Challenge' in the Categories list on the right hand side of the page. As Phots Moll said, the term is very broad and the One Word Challenge stories will show you that these mini stories can be written in any genre you care to name.
    There are no hard and fast rules for flash fiction - even the length varies, it all depends on the rules of the competition or magazine.
    :)
  • Flash fiction can be as short as a 50 word story. Woman's Weekly used to run a weekly comp for 60 word stories - I don't know if it's still going. The online comp run by Café Lit asks for 100 words stories. Always decide upon and check your target market before writing your story. Read what they are publishing - genre, tone, word length, request or obtain the mag's guidelines. Then go for it and I wish you good luck.
  • Thank you for the responses. The particular publication I am looking at doesn't seem to have a particular theme or style of writing. Genres are broad so I hope that what I do write and post in is acceptable.

    Thanks for the info re the One Word Challenge. i'll certainly give it a go :)
  • There is also an online group called Friday Fictioneers to which I belong. There are about 100 of us and we write a 100 words story each week prompted by a photograph.

    A fellow TBer introduced me to it and I post weekly on my blog. If you follow the links you can read lots of flash fiction by us all.

    This is mine http://lizy-expat-writer.blogspot.com.es/
  • When Dan Purdue was judge of a flash fiction competition organised by Erewash Writers' Group, he provided a few tips which you may find useful

    http://www.danpurdue.uk/2012/12/a-free-flash-fiction-competition.html

    There's a free entry competition on the EWG website, closes in August. Theme is 'Summer Loving' you may like to give that a go. It'll be a bit more experience for you and won't cost you anything to try.

    http://erewashwriterscompetition.weebly.com/2015-summer-loving-themed-short-story-competition-with-andrew-campbell-kearsey.html
  • Thanks dora, I'd forgotten I'd written that. I hope it's useful to MonkeyLady69 (and anyone else who follows the link).

    Another good source of flash fiction examples is to have a look through the past winners of the Flash 500 competition (http://www.flash500.com/index_files/allwinnersflash.htm). I like Flash500 as they seem to attract a broad range of styles and themes and - because the judge changes each time - you don't get the same type of story winning all the time.
  • Our local writing group has a 300-350 word Flash Fiction internal competition at least once a month. Maybe there is a local group near you, MonkeyLady 69. These competitions are an ideal way to keep the imagination flowing and provides a constant stream of entries to external competitions.
    In fact one of our comps was ' A Three-Line Horror Story'. Challenging!
  • That sounds fun, Noodle - I might have to try it!
  • My effort was:-
    Should he slice its head off or smash it to pieces?
    There was no time to decide; he sliced it off.
    The egg stood no chance.
  • Thank you everyone for your help. I'm looking at a lot of different competitions and places to submit. Been writing non stop this year, it feels good :)
  • If you like writing SF, Fantasy and Horror take a look at http:www.ralan.com. It has pages for short stories, poetry, audio, books and flash fiction with categories for professional, semi-pro and token markets, and includes links to all of them.
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