How to Write Flash Fiction

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Categories: How Tos

  • Flash fiction is a short story told in micro fiction form, between about 50-2000 words. Though the word count in flash fiction differs between publications, and some consider anything over 1000 words excluded from the flash fiction category. read on to learn how to write flash fiction.

  • Tips

    1. Lower word count by using allusion.
    2. Contractions can help reduce word count, as can leaving out unnecessary words.
    3. The title isn't included in the final word count, but it shouldn't be overly long.

  • Introduction

    Flash fiction writings are short short stories, told in very few words, eliminating anything unnecessary or descriptive, and getting down to the bare bones of the story. The elements of a flash fiction story are the same as any story--a main character, a conflict (plot) and resolution (the ending)--but the space allowed for telling the story is greatly reduced. One of the positive aspects to writing flash fiction is learning how to get down to the nuts and bolts of what a story is about.

  • Step 1: Think Small

    Flash fiction doesn't allow for a writer to explore all the dynamics of any given situation or conflict, so instead of thinking on a grand scale, the writer has to narrow down one specific sect of a larger plot and focus on that for the short story.

    For example, a romance story might encompass an entire relationship, from before the couple meets, the beginning of attraction and desire, development of the relationship, conflicts in the relationship, and ultimately concluding with the happily ever after or the end of the relationship. Flash fiction can't include all of these aspects. In fact, it's unlikely flash fiction could cover even one of these aspects in the length allowed.

    Flash fiction writers have to consider one small segment of the whole story and focus on that. Instead of writing about how the couple started dating, a flash fiction writing could more likely write about just their first date.

    When selecting a concept to write a piece of flash about, you have to narrow down the big story to find one small story inside of it. That's step one: find the small story inside the bigger story.

  • Step 2: Skip the Descriptive

    With flash fiction, the writer has to show the entire plot of the story in very few words, and that means a lot less 'setting the scene'. While it might be nice to know that the walls of a restaurant are painted a certain color, or that the character's hair is black, unless that is a very integral part of the story itself, there's really no reason to include this in the story.

    Also, flash fiction doesn't provide for back story much if at all. It's impossible to introduce the reader to the character through descriptive text. All the reader can see in the writing is the character traits based on the actions the character takes.

    Descriptive text is wonderful for novels and even some for short stories, but in micro fiction has to leave the descriptive up to the imagination of the reader.

    When you start your flash story, skip the background and don't tell the reader about the setting unless it's absolutely necessary for the plot.

  • Step 3: Start With Action

    One of the great things about flash fiction is that we get down to the plot, the action, of the story right away and stay with it through to the end. Find a part in the bigger story in your mind where the action of the short story you're about to write really begins. That is where to start your story.

    It's a good idea to start the story with some dialogue, an action scene, or with one of the characters doing something, and then follow that action with more action, until you come to the end of the scene.

  • Step 4: Refer to Other Events


    If you refer to historical events, popular culture, or things the reader can instantly relate to and use those events as your descriptive, you can set the background and setting of the plot without spending word count to describe things. For example, if your setting is at an outdoor rock concert, you could say, "It was like Woodstock, but with better clothes and hair." This will instantly give the reader an image into which they can set your story.

  • Step 5: Twist at the End


    One of the most common elements of flash fiction is that the reader is kept guessing until the end of the story, and then is surprised by a sudden plot twist that was unexpected. With little room for foreshadowing, the twist, will likely come as a complete surprise, but be sure it doesn't break the readers suspension of disbelief not unbelievable based on the information you can relay in the short word count.

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