Some Advice on Flash Fiction

Let's just say that I've spent some time living under a very large slushpile of flash fiction. 

If you're not sure what a slushpile is, let me explain.

*Slush - the unsolicited submissions received by a magazine; like the weather, it's a mix of everything: good, bad, amazing, dire, profane, cringeworthy, and ready for publication*

My non-Prose life is spent running a professional, paying flash fiction market. Let's just say I read a LOT of slush. I can't even begin to calculate how many thousands of flash fiction submissions I've read. I'm also the one who sends out the contracts and the paychecks. So yes, I know what sells. In my own author-life, I do write flash fiction and I have sold quite a bit at a professional level. 

IT IS HARD AS CRAPOLA TO WRITE FLASH FICTION WELL. 

Never let anyone tell you that because flash fiction is short, it is easy. If anything, it is the opposite. Because you have so few words with which to convey your story, every single word has to work towards the intended effect. 

I've been cruising around on the Flash Fiction portal and there's some good work over there. So to all of your flashers, well done. Let me clarify one point: I'm not talking about prose poetry or free verse. I'm talking about narrative story--either traditional or experimental (ie email/text/reddit/grocery list, number sequences, alphabets, whatever). Prose poetry is, for me, an entirely different creature and one that I'm not all that qualified in.

However, flash, I know. Usually I can tell within the first paragraph if a story is sellable or  not. That sounds brutal but it's true. And if the first paragraph is fabulous, I look at the last paragraph. You have to stick that ending like Simone Biles off a vault. No wobbles. Stick it. Bam.

I promise to write more tidbits and tips about flash fiction. Right now my dog is snoring on the couch beside me and it's a good sign I should call it a night. Feel free to leave questions you'd like answered in the comments section and I'll try to answer them for you in later posts. 

Now go write something! 

Except me...I'm going to bed. 

All my best,

Ree