While doing a little research on Flash Fiction I came across other terms for short-short stories; microfiction, 55fiction, drabble and nanofiction. What they have in common is that they are all under 2,000 words and must have a protagonist, conflict, obstacles, and some kind of resolution, with the exception being nanofiction. I’m not sure I understand what nanofiction is exactly but Here is how Wikipedia describes it.

Microfiction is usually 300 words or less and 55fiction must be a maximum of 55 words. Flash Fiction can apparently be anything under 2,000 words as long as it’s a complete story. However, I’ve also read that it must be 1,000 words or less in order to be classified as Flash Fiction. I’ve decided that it’s just another term for short-short story. However, the idea that it could be a short-short story developed from a “Flash” of inspiration is appealing to me, even if that inspiration came from a story prompt or from something else.

I found an interesting list, Ten Reason to Try Flash Fiction, that provides a good overview of the benefits a writer can get from writing Flash Fiction.

My first introduction to Flash Fiction was on a writes forum, Scrawl: The Writers Asylum, where they have a Flash Fiction challenge every Saturday evening. The challenge is timed and the subject to be written about is posted just before the challenge start time. Those who participate post their stories immediately after the deadline and then everyone gives feedback. Participants also do a chat after all the stories are posted and commented on. The challenge isn’t meant to produce a finished piece of work. It’s meant to get the writers creative juices flowing. There’s not enough time to edit, which keeps the internal editor from participating and often a raw story will emerge and be developed further after the challenge. For me this would be the place to start exploring Flash Fiction, probably because it lacks any kind of expectation.

I’ve added a few articles on Flash Fiction to a new category in my resource directory. There is a growing marketplace for Flash Fiction and I will be adding some of them to that category as time permits.