“Writing is like playing golf – you have to keep working at your swing.” ~ Bill Simmons
Essays, fiction whether it be historical or a rom-com (yup I am a pretty diverse writer) I got it. I can even write a novel in a month, i may not be sane by the end of if but I can do it.
Short stories on the other hand I abhor. Seriously. Those novellas you see all the time whether it is a young adult anathology or a Harlequin one, I hate. You can NOT tell a short story in a thousand words.
Of course much like NaNoWriMo I am deciding that I am sadistical and like putting myself through torture.
Hello Flash Fiction.
Flash Fiction is a four round competition consisting of a thousand word or less short story. Each round has a different genre, setting, and object. So not only do you have to limit your word choice, you also have to write in certain criteria.
Oy vey! I feel like I am in high school again!
Even my New York Times Bestseller professor for Creative Writing at NYU wasn’t this strict.
Oh and I forgot to mention the best part. It gets better. Much better.
You have 48 hours to write each story.
And the first one (which starts next week! Eeeeek!) is going to occur when I am traveling. Thank God for trains!
I am just a glutton for punishment.
As much as I am grumbling about this, the thing with writing, with authors, it is good to go out of your creative zone (look at J.K. Rowling with mysteries or even James Patterson who writes Kids mysteries) and while I hate being told what to write just as much if not more then what to read, this will make my writing better.
Because aside from being told what to write, having a time limit, and being judged like something out of Mean Girls. We will also be critiqued and given constructive criticism – Which I adore and no I am not being sarcastic, I really do live for it – by an incredibly talented panel of judges.
So even if I crash and burn spectacularly, which let’s face it, I probably will, I will have still gone out of my comfort zone. I will get feedback from experienced writers. I will have pushed myself in ways I haven’t yet attempted – and no college courses do not count – and that is always a great thing. Because even if I end up hating it, I will still have pushed my own person boundaries as a writer and taken a leap.
Have you done Flash Fiction? Do you have any advice?
I have never tried my hand at flash fiction, but I’ve read plenty and to tell the truth, it reminds me of my parents and grandparents telling me stories from their past ~ or campfire stories ~ and most of the time they probably did this in 1,000 words or less … most of the time! The difference is, they were telling true tales from their past, but honestly I don’t think you’ll have a problem. In your blog article above, you’ve essentially told a story … and in how many words? All the best to you!
Thank you so much for your thoughts sweet words and encouragement! I really appreciate it. I totally understand. This is completely outside my comfort zone. I prefer stories that are 50,000😉 💗