Flash Fiction, A few words. Not too many. I promise.
Not too long ago, a time which should have been left for doing something else. I came upon the term Flash Fiction on the Internet. Faster than you can say, “Look a cat”, I was Googling* away, trying to learn all I that I could about flash fiction.
I’ve been anxious to step back into the published waters and this seemed the fastest way to go about it. I had some old stories, yellowing for sure, but just begging to be re-born as Flash Fiction.
My memory let me down in this instance. I thought that all that would be necessary would be a little dusting off of some old chestnuts and then off it would go to some flash fiction publication. But have you ever seen an old chestnut? They’re foul looking, sticky and just a little gooey. I would not eat one of those things. Re-reading my old stories did not bring joy to my heart. If you think I’m bad now, with the comma-splicing and all, you should have read me back in the day. Much worse.
The other area where memory failed to serve was in remembering just how short my stories actually were; not very. Well, they were short for novels, but most were several thousands of words too long for flash fiction. There would be some re-imagining and re-writing required in order to get any of my stories into the target range of less than 1,000 words, or better yet, less than 500 words.
Eventually I chose on old favorite, a shorter old favorite. I did some minor re-working of the story and sent it off for publication. I fully expected to be cashing a $60 check in just a few weeks’ time. It had worked that way for me in the past.
Anyway, the weeks came and they went and I heard nothing until… an email. Not a check, but a very polite rejection.
I have several theories as to why my story was not accepted for publication. All of them conveniently ignore any possibility that the writing itself may have been at fault. Although an almost total disregard for the rules of flash fiction does loom as a possibility.
Flash fiction should have a beginning, middle and end. I had a beginning, definitely had a middle, but the end? No one died, nothing was resolved, the reader could expect that the story would gone on mostly unchanged day after day. That’s a legitimate ending for some literature or even a frustrating stage play but not flash fiction. The story should come to a close; it is a complete story unto itself, not Chapter One of something else.
In order to be kind to your editor the genre should be definable. My story was written for young adults (seriously young adults, my eight-year old son) yet it featured ghosting and taunting, so it was sort of a horror story. An editor hoping to satisfy blood-lusting horror readers would only disappoint their subscribers with my YA-horror tripe. (In defense of all tripe writers: It’s not easy writing good tripe. Anyone up to eight-years old should love tripe while starting at around ten-years old, they're likely to be too embarrassed to admit they ever enjoyed it. Luckily for tripe-writers everywhere, readers over twenty-one can guiltlessly indulge in a nostalgic tripe-fest every now and then.)
That’s not to say that I’ve given up on the notion of writing some flash fiction. Although, it may turn out that the format is not for me. It’s a little like Haiku or Bernie Taupin lyrics, an acquired taste. Still, at only 300 words, more or less, the temptation is too great not to give it another try. Hacks like me just need to remember that this is not some throw-away format. Writing flash fiction is a serious business. You only have a few hundred words to get your tale out. You’ll need to zero in on the gist of your story quickly as well as exercise an economy of words that would make Hemingway look like a chatter-box.
I did consider peppering this space with many of the useful links that I’ve captured regarding flash fiction. But links in a blog can quickly grow stale, turning every link into a short hop to a 404 error message faster than you can say, “Look, a Cat!”
***
* I’m hoping that when using some variation of the word google to referencing any personnel web browser activity that use of an upper-case “G” will satisfy the trademark jitters of the legitimate owners of upper-case Google. Nevertheless, I would appreciate any single-word substitute for future reference that you could send my way - just in case.
That is -- if I may be brief -- a very nice cat.
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ReplyDeleteI thought that all that would be necessary would be a little dusting off of some old chestnuts and then off it would go to some flash fiction publication.
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It seems like you've had an interesting journey exploring flash fiction and adapting your old stories to fit the format. Your experience reflects the challenges and nuances involved in transitioning from longer narratives to the concise nature of flash fiction. The realization that the endings may not have been suited for the flash fiction genre and the need for a defined genre to cater to a specific audience are insightful considerations. contact
ReplyDeleteAnother hiccup surfaced as I realized my stories were not as short as I remembered. Far too long for flash fiction, my tales needed serious re-imagining and rewriting to fit within the target range of fewer than 1,000 words, ideally under 500. superiorconcreteandexcavation.com/
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ReplyDeleteThe narrative humorously captures the author's journey into the world of flash fiction, acknowledging the challenges and expectations of the genre while maintaining a lighthearted tone. projects
ReplyDeleteDespite the setback, the author expresses a continued interest in exploring Flash Fiction, recognizing it as a serious and challenging form of writing. They acknowledge the need for brevity, precision, and an economy of words inherent in the genre, comparing it to the constraints of Haiku or concise song lyrics. The author concludes by refraining from adding links to the blog, considering their potential obsolescence, and humorously addresses trademark concerns related to using the term "google" with an uppercase "G." https://citizenconcierge.org/
ReplyDeleteI'm intrigued! Bring on the micro-tales! The beauty of flash fiction lies in its ability to pack a punch with just a few carefully chosen words. So, take a deep breath, unleash your imagination, and paint a story on the canvas of brevity. I'm ready to be captivated by your literary brushstrokes.
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I can perfectly relate to your curiosity! "Flash fiction" might sound like a superhero power or a cooking technique, but its ability to spark fascination is real. And who can resist Googling* something that piques their interest as quickly as "Look a cat" (especially if it involves writing!).
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ReplyDeleteThe narrative captures the author's journey into the world of flash fiction, highlighting the learning curve, challenges, and the serious approach required for this concise storytelling format. https://ca-pools.com/
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ReplyDeleteReading about your journey into the world of flash fiction was an entertaining and relatable experience. Your candid reflection on the challenges of transitioning from longer narratives to the concise art of flash fiction is both humorous and insightful. Keep writing, keep refining, and keep embracing the challenges – your journey is a testament to the resilience and creativity of the human spirit. mountaincrossconsulting.com
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ReplyDeleteIn a world where time is precious and attention spans are short, flash fiction offers a perfect escape for readers seeking a quick literary fix. With just a few words, it has the ability to transport us to new worlds, challenge our perceptions, and ignite our imagination.
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