Flash Fiction – Make It Up and Make It Snappy by Annmarie Miles
Please welcome back Annmarie Miles for another month with Writer’s Fun Zone. In today’s article she discusses important keys to consider when writing flash fiction. Enjoy!
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I’m not the most economic with words I’ll admit. I come from an Irish family who talk a lot, often all at the same time! There are so many of us that if we all took our turn saying what we wanted to say – we wouldn’t get it all said.
So as you can imagine, flash fiction – keeping it short, is an excellent discipline for me.
Flash fiction has quite a broad definition but it’s generally somewhere between 300 and 1000 words. Anything shorter than 300 words is often classified as micro fiction. However you’ll find that every competition and journal tend to define their own guidelines for entry.
There’s lots of debate as to whether Hemmingway really did write the six-word novel “For Sale: Baby’s shoes, never worn.” But whoever wrote it, you have to admit that those few words do tell a full and attention grabbing story. Don’t you want to know… Who? Why? How?
THAT’S what flash fiction does. It tells a long story in a few words.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when giving flash fiction a go…
- Don’t include too many characters
Think of Downton Abbey. The only reason it is interesting to have Carson or Thomas standing silently in the corner is because we have met them and know them from other scenes – our insight to their character means that even in their stillness and silence, they have a purpose in the scene.
There is not time to develop many characters like that in flash fiction – so leave out the silent & story-less bystander.
- Start in the middle of the story
Flash fiction only has time for one or two scene max, so start when the action is already happening. If I were to use a section of Pride and Prejudice for flash fiction it would be the scene where Darcy asks Elizabeth to marry him for the first time. It would have to be topped and tailed properly, but that conversation sums up their relationship to date and when they part it leaves the reader wanting to know what happens with their relationship.
- End with a twist
One of the strengths of flash fiction is the power of surprise. The nature of flash fiction keeps the reader up close to the story, no room for background or setting the scene too much. You bring them to a ‘zoomed in’ view of the story, then towards the end you zoom out a bit and the new perspective on the story surprises and hopefully delights J
After using two of my favourite creations to watch and read as examples I am going to lower the standard a little and leave you with a piece of my own micro-fiction which I hope demonstrates the impact of a twist in the tale…
Lovers by Annmarie Miles ©2013
Across the park he could see them, sitting in the glow of the moonlight. They seemed so connected, as if they never wanted to be apart.
He watched them silently court each other. He imagined the sweet nothings they were hoping to communicate with just a look. He carefully moved closer to them, to catch some of their conversation.
It was banal. They were holding back, hiding what they really felt.
It was tantamount to lying. And lies made him feel really uncomfortable.
He took aim and pointed at the man. Right at his heart. Then he moved slightly so that he was now aiming at the woman. He couldn’t decide who to shoot at first. He figured he was a good shot and could shoot, reload and shoot again before either of them knew what was really happening.
They didn’t even hear the whip of the wind as the arrows headed towards them. The man felt a pain, like his heart was on fire – he’d never felt anything like it before. With sharp intake of breath he looked at her and said,
“I love you.”
She felt it. “I know! And I love you too.”
They kissed.
Cupid ticked them off his list and flew away.
If you’ve got fiction posted online somewhere be sure to let us know where.
And please do add any other tips you have for writing flash fiction – but make it snappy eh?
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Editor’s note: Annmarie, I loved your flash fiction! So fun!
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Annmarie Miles is 40 something, Irish, Christian, married, and proud to be all of those things. She loves words, music & chocolate. She mostly writes about the things that life has thrown at her and how she has tried to learn, love and laugh at it all along the way!
Where to find Annmarie:
Email: amowriting@gmail.com
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/amowriting Google+ auntyamo
Twitter: @amowriting
Personal Blog: www.auntyamo.com
Fiction Blog: www.ficticiousamo.wordpress.com
