Made popular by writers like Stuart Dybek, Lydia Davis, and Amy Hempel, very short fiction or “flash fiction” is one of the newest and fastest growing literary genres. With many new writers leaving their mark on flash fiction every year, it’s an exciting time to get involved. Walking the line between fiction and poetry, writers of all genres will find themselves on equal footing since flash fiction has elements of both, but is neither.

Flash fiction can be poetic, fantastic, realistic, experimental, or anything in between. There’s only one rule: keep it short (1000 words or fewer). Learn how to create fully realized, complex stories in a single page or two that compress, skip, hint, tease, surprise, and amaze.

Writers of flash fiction frequently find their longer work refreshed and inspired by practicing this form. It is a playground for risk taking, wild ideas, and innovation. Write whatever you want, so long as you keep it short and memorable.