I’m fairly active (some might say “over-involved”) in the flash fiction writing community that nests on Twitter and it’s been a delightful place to follow other writers and make virtual friends. As a relative newcomer to flash fiction, it has also been a trove of information about workshops, books to read on the subject, collections of flash stories, etc… I have learned so much, and I believe my writing has improved as a result.

Last weekend, National Flash Fiction Day was celebrated online. It’s a writing festival based in the UK that has been happening since around 2011, with contests, writing workshops, story sharing, and writing prompts all focused on honoring the abbreviated form. For folks interested in reading a selection of works to get an idea for what can be done in under 1000 words, the website includes a substantial archive available made up of stories featured during the weekend celebrations. For the last few years, they have also published anthologies that are available in their bookshop.

I hope you’ll take a look at their website and read some of the stories they shared during Saturday’s Flash Flood (the 24-hour period on Saturday, when they publish a piece of flash fiction each hour). You’ll be amazed at the emotional depth and resonance that a brief story can communicate in the hands of writers who have become masters of saying a lot in a small space.

If you’re interested in trying to write some flash fiction for yourself, do read through the prompts they shared for The Write-In. I submitted a few stories based on the prompts and you can read them here, here, and here.

As always, I’d love to see what you come up with! And feel free to follow me on Twitter!