Discussion → Why do you like/hate flash fiction?

  • Markbudman.thumb
    Mark Budman
    Sep 15, 12:00pm

    I hate it when people think it's too easy.

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    Richard Cooper
    Sep 29, 01:33pm

    I like flash fiction because I crave the instant gratification of a vivid emotion. I hate flash fiction when it is unnecessarily dense.

  • Daviderlewine.thumb
    David Erlewine
    Sep 29, 02:34pm

    I love flash fiction b/c all of my long stories have horrific dialogue, too much coughing, and goofy subplots.

    I think I am destined to write flash so for that reason I love it. Incidentally, I do have a 4000 word story upcoming in FRiGG that started off as a 200-word flash from a Zoetrope flash factory prompt. It's a series of interrelated pieces that all tie in together, and really I wouldn't have ever turned it into a longer piece without insight provided from Steven McDermott. He also suggested a 450-word flash needed some buffing out and it ended up being about a 1000 word (stronger) piece that ended up in Prick of the Spindle. I say all this to say that sometimes I hate flash when I don't know if I can write a lot more but don't feel like it...or if what I have is enough (and adding to it only weakens). To me, these two stories are exceptions...as my flashes tend to weaken when I lengthen. Look at this response. I'm not editing just to show how wordy I can get and how my point gets muddled.

  • Selfport-filter_thumb.thumb
    Hobie Anthony
    Oct 13, 12:33am

    I really love flash. I love playing with poetry in my short stories, but with flash I can go even further with that. It's a very difficult form to write in, just because no one really understands what it is.

    So many feel it's merely a really short short story. That it must obey the same rules. I do not agree.

    I find it's really about two things - focus and compression. The focus is really the hard part. So many writers want a multi-layered short story, which I love writing. But that's not flash.

    I am rambling. I must go write more flash.

  • Selfport-filter_thumb.thumb
    Hobie Anthony
    Oct 17, 01:42am

    Instead of flashing, I wrote a craft essay on flash:

    http://redneckzen.blogspot.com/2009/10/thoughts-on-craft-of-flash.html

    Let me know what you think.


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