Short Shorts

"The short short appears to rest on nothing more than a fragile anecdote which the writer has managed to drape with a quantity of suggestion. A single incident, a mere anecdote - these form the spine of the short short." ― Irving Howe

Flash writing blurs the lines between prose poetry and short story with pieces that reveal character, express emotion, and capture moments in fewer than 1,000 words. Pieces may even range anywhere from 500, 100, or even 50 words total. This sub genre has become wildly popular in contemporary literature, as it borrows from traditional scene construction and narrative arc found in novels and short stories, combined with the poetic depictions and precise language found in prose poetry.

The limits of this genre force writers to think of new and unique ways to convey image and story. Every sentence, every word, should reveal something to the reader, and every moment should focus on the narrative’s movement. The common thread in all flash writing is that the piece must have a moment of change. Together, we will examine how a writer can accomplish telling brief, complete, and urgent stories in this deceptively tricky, yet undeniably addictive form.

In this one-day workshop, we will read and dissect various works of sudden fiction and write our own flashes in response to a series of prompts to be given on the spot. Sharing with the group will be encouraged, but not mandatory. This course is open to writers of any level who are working in any genre of their choosing—literary fiction, creative nonfiction, memoir, horror, science fiction, fantasy, thriller, YA, and even romance.

*Readings will be provided beforehand in PDFs via email