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flash fiction?

JenJen
edited February 2017 in Writing
I've never really looked into this as I assumed that I'd never be able to write something that short. But a while ago I wrote a story which is about 350 words and I wondered if I'd have any luck if I could find somewhere to submit it, like a competition or a small press magazine like Scribble maybe.

But I'm not sure what standard it needs to be. I wrote it for an exercise doing a free novel course on future learn I think. I've been working on the many stories I need to rewrite, deciding to do this rather than write anything new for competitions. (I'm hoping to finish them and then look for places to send them, or just keep them for future opportunities rather than working on new stories to send to competitions, work on what I've got.)

I keep reading online about flash fiction and I think it's worth looking at if it means I'll be able to finish something quickly as it takes me a long time to write and rewrite. I means I'll feel productive as even though I'm work through a backlog of started stories I can do one of these and I'll feel like I'm writing something new.
So my questions are what makes flash fiction? Does my short story have any chance if I sent it out? Surely writing flash fiction is harder than short fiction and I am just making more work for myself. I think I'd like to have a go but I'm trying to avoid anything that diverts me from actually finishing the stories I've had in the first draft phase for ages.
Thanks for reading my post.

Comments

  • edited February 2017
    Like all forms of storytelling, Flash Fiction is an art that improves with progress. General advice is to see what is written/submitted to the type of magazine/competition to which you want to submit. The story must still have basic elements (though some might disagree) of beginning, middle, and end, though what I see from fellow TBers, the end is generally VERY strong.
    You would benefit by having an independent person read one or two of your stories to give you 'feedback' about where you your story might currently sit as to its 'successability'. Yes, we even invent words on here!!
    You will note some 100 Word Flash Fiction linked from Talkback; they are well worth reading. Look for 'Lizy'.

    No one can offer an opinion on whether your short story has 'any chance' if you send it out. Surely, you must accept that one has to read it first, but even so, each judge is different to the extent that one story might win a competition, yet in another, it would not even be shortlisted.

    Don't overly concentrate on editing/revision at the expense of generating new material.
  • edited February 2017
    I think flash fiction is regarded as anything up to 500 words, so your 350 is well within the genre. It is a very different skill to novel writing, and great fun. I must have over 100 on file by now!
    Thank you Pet for your endorsement of my blog!
    Writing one mini-story does provide (almost) instant self-gratification. Though I can sometimes spend hours on my 100 word stories, at other times they flow quickly.
    As for standard - do the best that you can, always.
  • Look for 'Lizy'.
    Speak of the devil!!

  • But I'm not sure what standard it needs to be
    As good as anything else you'd write for anywhere else :)
  • Flash fiction can be up to a 1000 for some places.
  • The link below takes you to some winning entries for the Flash 500 quarterly comp, to give you an idea of 'standard'.

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

    Be aware though that this is just one competition, one set of judges, one type of flash etc etc, not a 'rule' as to what flash should be. There are loads of other flash comps, websites and anthologies available online that you could look at.
  • As BR said, your standard for any story should be "the best fiction I've written so far". Daily Science Fiction is mainly a flash fiction market of up to 1000 words. Professional pay.
  • Look for 'Lizy'.
    Speak of the devil!!

    >:)
  • It's interesting to read what judges are looking for in flash fiction. I couldn't find the judge's comment which I read recently, but this one is similar:


    'My favorite flash fiction pieces are those that stop my heart from beating or make me gasp! Unusual characters that grab you, setting details that seem fitting, sensory touches that are illuminating. A certain amount of tension to hold interest, and the element of surprise. Also a balance of white space- what is “left out” of the piece is as important as what remains on the page. Typically, there is a haunting or lasting element that stays with me beyond the brevity of the work.'
  • The thing about flash fiction is you have to make each word work really hard to stay in the story.
  • I think I should have explained myself better. I wasn't sure if my story is a good enough standard as in I wasn't sure what the difference was between a normal short story and flash fiction. If they are different in form not just word count. I was thinking that flash fiction is probably very strong and like mike oiley said you have to make each word count. So just having a regular story it probably won't be good enough. The stories I've written I mean. I will definitely take a look but I'm thinking flash fiction may be harder to perfect. You can't just take a regular story and say it's flash fiction just because it's shorter I'm thinking. Thanks for all the advice I really need to read over and think what I write in forums.
  • JenJen
    edited February 2017
    ...
  • JenJen
    edited February 2017
    Sorry multiples posts was using my phone and it plays up
  • Also a balance of white space- what is “left out” of the piece is as important as what remains on the page.
    Mmm . . . I had a husband with a lot of 'white space' and there was nothing important there at all!


    :|
  • A lot say short shorts have to be extra punchy to leave a lingering effect, just be careful not to rely on twists for that to happen. A second read through will be disappointing if that's the only thing that makes the story stand out - write as beautifully and critically and sparingly as you would if you were writing a quadrilogy :D
  • So just having a regular story it probably won't be good enough.
    That kind of depends on how good the regular stories are!
    Flash fiction can be different from a longer short story in its form, as has been said above. But that doesn't mean a 'regular' story that is short shouldn't be considered flash, depending on where you send it and what they are looking for.
  • I don't think they're that good, one was just an exercise and I thought 'what can I do with that' but I think it's just a whim, I should always wait for these whims to decide to petter out. Best focus on what I'm working on now than find myself more work.
  • edited February 2017
    Jen, you might like to look at the submission guidelines at Flash Fiction Online: http://flashfictiononline.com/main/submission-guidelines-flash-fiction/#

    They give you a brief on what flash fiction is, and what they look for. There's a link in there to a good article on FF. And Flash Fiction Online pay pro rates.
  • Some places call the very small word counts micro fiction.
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