FLASH FICTION

Current Work: Still Editing - never an easy job
On My Bedside Table: Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett and On Writing by Stephen King
Listening to: Cats licking their dinner plates clean...


Economical Words
Our next writing challenge for Writers Abroad is a piece of flash fiction of just 500 words for submission to a competition. Now the  theme is an open one, so the world is the writers oyster, so to speak. I've not done a lot of 'short' writing before. And flash is a lot shorter than short. However, it is, as always providing me with a few morsels of learning which I'm sure is good for my writing soul. Firstly it really is showing me how every little word counts. I don't think my style is flowery but I know that I often use words I don't need. Secondly and probably related to the first point, is that it makes you jump right into the action. No time for background or what was happening last Sunday. It's wham, bam!. Thirdly I think it helps with the beginning, middle and end thing. If you can't tie up the ends by the five hundredth word - cut off the ends! Finally I think flash fiction can really help with developing skills of short sentences and specifically when writing dialogue. I'm not saying that I've cracked it, but it made me think about all of these things. Having said all that, it's not my preferred style but then comfort zones are made to be invaded. Aren't they?
Don't Think Just Write