5 Tips for Writing Flash Fiction

Everyone loves some good ole flash fiction, right? I sure do! I love to read it as well as write it! Well . . . I sometimes have a hard time writing it. 😐 My problem is that they usually get too long, which isn’t terrible, but it’s harder to write a longer story in one sitting, and if it’s not long enough, I don’t feel motivated to come back to it.

So yeah.

At this point, you’re probably wondering why I’m giving tips on flash fiction when I . . . can’t actually write flash fiction, right?

Well, I never said I can’t write it. I just said it was hard. 😂 And I have found some tips that make it easier! These are the tips I’ll be sharing with you.

(Oh, and for those of you who are wondering what exactly flash fiction is, it’s basically a short story that’s even shorter than a short story. They can be super short, like 300-500 words, or a little longer. But usually they don’t get longer than 2,000 words, because that’s when it turns into a short story. 😜)

Tip 1: Use Prompts

You don’t have to do this, but it’s worked pretty well for me in the past. I’ve had times where I’ve just come up with an idea suddenly and voila! It works. But other times I know I want to write something but can’t think of anything . . . and that’s where prompts come in handy.

You can use Pinterest for prompts, or ask friends to give you some. Or perhaps you’re in a writing group that is really good at making them up!

A side tip related to this is to write them down! I know that seems self-evident, but there have been too many times that I’ve found a good prompt and then forgotten what it was because I didn’t save it or write it down. I have a document on my computer completely devoted to prompts!

Tip 2: Don’t Edit as You Write

This applies to writing your novel as well, but especially for your flash fiction. When you stop to edit, you lose momentum! This can be hard when you’re playing around with a different tense or writing style, and when you lose concentration to look back and edit, it can be difficult to pick up where you left off.

I’m of the opinion that flash fiction should be written quickly, like the name suggests. It’s a thought. A snippet. A scene. It doesn’t have to be longer than a thousand words, so it’s best to get the idea down all at once.

This ties in to my next tip:

Tip 3: Don’t Overthink It;

Go With Your First Idea

I see the prompt. I have an idea for how it could work. I start to write . . . and then I question my decision. I delete what I’ve written and start over. But then I have another thought. Maybe I should outline this first?

You get the idea. If you want to write something quickly, then changing your mind on how it will go halfway through will mess it all up.

I’m not saying outlining a flash fiction is a bad idea, if done correctly. But be careful how much you hash it out! Make sure your outline isn’t longer than the story itself. 😉

Of course, as a side note, you can definitely save your other thoughts as well and write those stories too!

Tip 4: Experiment

I use flash fiction as a way to experiment with new writing styles, genres, or characters. I love to play around for a little while in a new setting to refresh my mind. 

For instance, I mostly write contemporary fiction. But when I write flash fiction, I have fun with it and write some sci-fi or fantasy! I don’t do this for all my flash fiction, but it’s nice to get out and try something new once in a while.

Tip 5: Have Fun!

This is the most important, of course. It’s also extremely cliche, I know. All writing tips tell you to have fun. They also try to explain why and how.

I’m not going to do that. I think you know what I mean, so I’ll leave you there! Enjoy the process! 😀

Have a blessed day,

Janet 😊