Loving Flash Fiction

I've discovered that flash fiction is a lot of fun to write. I've been writing it for several years now during my "writing practice" time of day. I like to write fictional situations, as wacky and far out as I can get it... and my little stories manage to resolve themselves within about five hundred words, which is perfect for flash fiction.

Flash fiction is generally defined as being less than 1000 words. I prefer less than 500. Some people like flash fiction that's considerably shorter. It is an art to pack as much emotion and action into as few words as possible.

When I write my flash fiction I focus on characterization. I like to develop characters that are slightly odd but very believable. I don't try to sell these stories - they are mainly for my own entertainment. I think perhaps someday I'll put them into a chapbook or anthology. Something I can sell at the local market without ever having to stress about trying to make a huge profit.

For me, flash fiction is for writing practice. It helps me grow as a writer and sometimes I meet characters in flash fiction that I like enough to keep around for much longer stories.