We recently asked some authors what is their advice for writing flash fiction. Flash fiction is often described as a story that is less than 1,000 words (some magazines describe it as less than 800 words). Flash fiction is definitely a different animal than a short story, and it needs to have a different approach. Here’s some of the advice authors offered us:

• Don’t add un-necessary details or lofty description. If something is red, tell us it’s red. Don’t tell us that it “as red as a tomato’s skin”. If you take too long with the description, you won’t have enough words to tell the story.
• Flash fiction is often all about shock value. You don’t have a whole lot of time to tell a full story, so shocking or ambiguous endings are often a go-to.
• Start the story in the middle of the action.
• Use words that have a strong connotation. That way, you won’t have to describe things in as many details.