Writing Flash: How to Craft and Publish Flash Fiction for a Booming Market

by Fred White

Overview

Writing Flash is a fast and informative guide to developing your writing skills and your career in one of fiction’s most challenging genres.

Flash fiction—the art of the ultra-short story—is a challenging skill-building exercise for any writer. Learning how to compress a story to its most essential elements will make your writing vigorous, evocative, and full of emotion. In Writing Flash, acclaimed writing teacher Fred D. White gives an in-depth introduction to a fascinating genre, complete with exercises to develop and strengthen your flash-writing techniques.

Writing Flash presents a complete guide to the writing techniques and creative possibilities of writing flash fiction, plus tips on publishing and marketing your own flash fiction to build your writing career. White also shows how the writing techniques of flash fiction are invaluable tools for any kind of writing, including writing novels and longer short fiction. Writing Flash won’t just help you become a better flash fiction writer; this book will help you become a better writer, period.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781610353175
Publisher:	Linden Publishing
Publication date:	07/01/2018
Pages:	150
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Fred D. White received his Ph.D. in English from the Universityof Iowa. He has taught courses in writing and literature in Minnesota and, since 1980, at Santa Clara Universityin Northern California, where he is now Professor of English, Emeritus. In 1996 White received the Louis and Dorina Brutocao Award for Teaching Excellence. White has published several books on writing, as well as dozens of stories, essays, poems, and plays. He lives with his wife in Rancho Cordoba, California.

Table of Contents

PART ONE: THE FOUNDATIONS OF FLASH Chapter 1: Introduction The Basics of Flash Fiction Origins of Flash Fiction I: Parable, Fable, Fairy Tale, Allegory Origins of Flash Fiction II: The Sketch The Influence of the Short Story on Flash Fiction Writing Flash Fiction as Preparation for Writing Traditional Short Stories and Novels Shaping a Flash Tale: A Quick Overview Resources for Flash Fiction Writers Another Invaluable Resource: Your Writer’s Notebook Time To Pick Up Your Pen Chapter 2: The Possibilities of Flash Fiction Literary Flash Fiction I: Character-Based Literary Flash Fiction II: Theme-Based Genre Flash Fiction Humorous or Satirical Flash Fiction Experimental Flash Fiction Time to Pick Up Your Pen Chapter 3: Tools for Analyzing Flash Fiction Analyzing Flash Fiction Analysis of a Literary Flash Story Analysis of a Genre Flash Story Analysis of a Humorous Flash Story Analysis of an Experimental Flash Story Time to Pick Up Your Pen PART TWO: THE NUTS & BOLTS OF WRITING FLASH Chapter 4: Writing Genre Flash Fiction How Traditional Story Structure Works in Flash Fiction Crafting a Genre Flash Story Anatomy of a Genre Flash Story Time to Pick Up Your Pen Chapter 5: Writing Literary Flash Fiction What is Literary Flash Fiction? Creating Character Profiles Describing Settings Crafting a Literary Flash Story Anatomy of a Literary Flash Story Time to Pick Up Your Pen Chapter 6: Writing Humorous and Satirical Flash Fiction Defining “Humor” and “Satire” The Humorist’s and Satirist’s Toolbox How to Create a Humorous Flash Piece How to Create a Satirical Flash Piece Time to Pick Up Your Pen Chapter 7: Writing Experimental Flash Fiction Types of Experiments with Flash Fiction Experimenting with Length Experimenting with Subject Matter Experimenting with Character and Viewpoint Experimenting with Time Experimenting with Metafiction Experimenting with Language and Style Some Thoughts on Hybridity Time to Pick Up Your Pen PART THREE: MARKETING FLASH Chapter 8: Marketing Your Flash Fiction Building Readership Using Social Media to Fine-Tune Your Flash Fiction Benefitting from a Writer’s Group or Workshop Studying the Flash Fiction Market Volunteering as an Editor-at-Large Maintaining a Submissions Record Editorial Reporting Times A List of Periodicals that Feature Flash Fiction Writing the Cover Letter Time to Pick Up Your Pen Chapter 9: Preparing a Volume of Flash Fiction: Chapbook or Full-Length Collection Basic Suggestions How to Give Your Book or Chapbook a Competitive Edge Writing a Query Letter Writing a Cover Letter What about Prize Money or Royalties? Time to Pick Up Your Pen PART FOUR: WRAPPING IT UP Chapter 10: Concluding Reflections, and a Self-Interview Flash and the World of Story Flash and the Writing Life On a Personal Note . . . Self-Interview A Flash Fiction Checklist Time to Pick Up Your Pen Further Reading Anthologies of Flash Fiction Anthologies of Short-Short Stories Anthologies of Short Humor Individual Author Collections of Flash Fiction or Humor Novels or Novellas Containing Flash Fiction Episodes Periodicals That Feature Flash Fiction References Stories Appearing in This Book Works Cited

Editorial Reviews

"There is more to Flash than just its brevity, and White provides discerning writers with many lenses through which to understand and explore the diverse range and multiple styles of Flash. This insightful text, a welcome contribution, captures the essence of this important genre." —Opal Palmer Adisa, author of Love's Promise.

"In Writing Flash, Fred White has compiled a wonderfully compact resource for writers." —Chris Tusa, editor, Fiction Southeast, and author of The Yellow Girl

"Provides a modern course in all the techniques of notable flash stories to provide writers with all the basics they need to build a reputation on flash fiction." —Midwest Book Review

"This is a thoughtful book that covers flash fiction from Aesop to podcasts. White analyzes his own writing as well as others' to find those quintessential elements of storytelling that may particularly shine in abbreviated form." —Hannah Voskuil , flash fiction writer and author of Horus and the Curse of Everlasting Regret

"A well-composed manual for aspiring writers ... White's exercises and advice should also serve as a good spring board for anyone interested in teaching themselves creative writing or wanting to try out a new genre." —Manhattan Book Review

From the Publisher