If you’ve ever been bitten by a story idea, an idea that seems compelling and interesting but could never be grand enough for a novel, try condensing it into a bite-sized flash. Take that story idea, build it as you would, then burn and carve away anything unnecessary. The basic structure should remain. Choose words and sentences that say much more than what’s written. Every word must be essential. The fewer the words, the greater the impact.
The purpose of flash fiction is to deliver the basic elements of a story—main character, conflict and resolution—all with an economy of words and a punch at the end. This final punctuation can be a twist, a chord of irony, a humorous note. The story can appear to be one thing only to be illuminated in the finale as quite another.
This blink-of-an-eye exercise forces you to create a snap shot in time and build suspense and the element of surprise with harnessed language. If you can wield tension powerfully in a flash fic piece with 500 words or less, just think what you could do in long fiction.
Try it out, be creative, have fun and aim for a knockout. The bloodshed and thrashing of your work, though brutal, will produce a beautiful piece of art.
I love flash fiction. It’s amazing what can be done with just a few well-chosen words.
i know. It’s fun to write.
Flash fiction can be amazingly powerful. Well-chosen words do wonders.
http://writingsanstrees.blogspot.com/
This is the best metaphor I’ve come across so far with regards to flash fiction – it is definitely that POW effect – a tussle with language -where every word matters more because there are less of them.
Also recalls an earlier fight with the desire to write a novel, perhaps?
well, like anyone who writes, i’d hate to turn into a butcher and chop up my own little darling… but you do make a good point. sometimes the idea can only take you so far and by making it more effective and less wordy, the whole concept gains a new kind of existence
))
thanks for the interesting article… and i loved the boxer holding the teddy bear
cheers!
http://whimsieland.posterous.com/