Flash fiction varies in definition, but it generally refers to stories of fewer than 1,000 words. Some publishers may accept flash fiction pieces up to 1,500 words. Flash fiction can be as short as 300 or even 100 words.
Writing Flash Fiction
It takes quite a bit of skill to write a short fiction piece. Flash fiction is harder to write than it would seem. Writers who have a knack for thinking up ideas quickly do best at this brief form of fiction.
Because of its brevity, there is there is little room for story development. Even though flash fiction is very short, it still must be a complete stories which includes all the elements of plot and characterization. This type of story usually centers around a single happening or incident. Flash fiction also often relies on a twist or surprise ending.
Selling Flash Fiction
Flash fiction is frequently purchased as fillers for print magazines. One popular form is the mini-mystery. Mini-romances are also often sold in women’s magazines. However, there are flash fiction markets for every genre ranging from literary to horror.
In addition to print magazines, there are a number of online magazines that accept flash fiction submissions. Some, such as Everyday Fiction,send a short story a day to subscribers in their inbox.
Flash Fiction Markets
The pay for flash fiction is usually nominal, though there are markets that pay from ten dollars to up to fifty dollars for a story. Below are some current flash fiction markets:
- Everyday Fiction: Looking for stories of 1,000 words or under. Even 50 words is acceptable. Pay is currently $3.00 per story.
- Flash Fiction Online: This paying market offers top dollar at $50.00 per story. They are seeking stories between 500 and 1,000 words, and accept a variety of genres.
- 10Flash Quarterly : A paying market, 10Flash accepts science fiction, fantasy, horror, and similar genres for its quarterly themed issues. They are seeking stories between 800 and 1,000 words and pay $20.00 per story.
- Flashquake: Accepts flash fiction up to 1,000 words. Pays in copies.
- Brain Harvest: Online magazine that publishes speculative fiction from between 100 and 750 words.
These are just a few of the many flash fiction markets that can be found online. For a long listing of flash fiction markets, check out the Flash Fiction Chronicles maintained by Jim Harrington on Everyday Fiction.
Readers may also enjoy the articles Writing Tips: Best-Selling Short Story Word Lengths, Writing and Marketing the Contemporary Novella or Novelette, and Writing Tips: Finding Plot and Theme in a Novel or Short Story.
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