Tundra
May 8th, 2010, 01:09 PM
From the staff of Flashfictionforums.com (http://www.flashfictionforums.com)
Why Flash?
Is quantity all there is to fiction? Contemporary novels can range from 40,000 words to 300,000. Epic fantasies are given wider berth, stretching beyond 350,000. Certainly, the modern reader expects a wide spine and fine print. But writers cannot sell a work without having quality content. Quality and content go hand in hand.
For years, short stories have been the breakthrough market for fiction writers. They serve as the proving grounds in the independent market. It’s easier for smaller publishers to consider short for a single dollar amount than committing to royalties, advertising and advances. Similarly, it’s easier for the writer to sell their work if they’re able to demonstrate their own merit with previous publications, both in print and online.
There's an advantage to starting small. Short fiction can be written and edited quickly, resulting in a finished product significantly faster. More importantly, they can be read quickly, and with ease, allowing a writer to attract a regular audience. The writer can get their works seen in magazines, collections, and online publications. The more their name gets seen, the more likely it is that a reader may recognize it in bookstores.
And now, short stories have become even shorter. Flash fiction is certainly known among writers and readers, yet still holds only a fraction of the printed market. However, it’s become the craze among readers on the internet, a exponentially growing market, due to the ease of access and readability. Flash fiction can be read in minutes, rather than days or weeks. Word counts rarely break 1,000. And quality content reigns.
While this may sound simple to aspiring authors, the limitation can quickly become cumbersome to those more accustomed to larger pieces. There is no room for roaming descriptions, prosaic language, or epic plotlines. "Vigorous writing is concise," says The Elements of Style by Strunk & White. "A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts." By limiting the word count, the writer is forced to be brief, making for a more potently written story.
Flash format also lends itself well to forums. A writer can submit their work to workshops via online forums, where other writers can share their wisdom, quickly and earnestly, potentially identifying and resolving common problems. Each iteration polishes the writer as well as the work. Writers learn from others: what is strong, what should be avoided, what shines.
By reducing content as much as possible, writers are forced to squeeze quality into every pore of a story. When they bring that mindset back to novel length works, their stories become compelling, driving, and powerful. Every sentence bears quality, and every word is used to its utmost potential. Writers who strive to learn how to be concise know how to draw the most out of their stories. Indeed, when it comes to identifying the power of concise writing, all you need is three words: size isn't everything.
Why Flash?
Is quantity all there is to fiction? Contemporary novels can range from 40,000 words to 300,000. Epic fantasies are given wider berth, stretching beyond 350,000. Certainly, the modern reader expects a wide spine and fine print. But writers cannot sell a work without having quality content. Quality and content go hand in hand.
For years, short stories have been the breakthrough market for fiction writers. They serve as the proving grounds in the independent market. It’s easier for smaller publishers to consider short for a single dollar amount than committing to royalties, advertising and advances. Similarly, it’s easier for the writer to sell their work if they’re able to demonstrate their own merit with previous publications, both in print and online.
There's an advantage to starting small. Short fiction can be written and edited quickly, resulting in a finished product significantly faster. More importantly, they can be read quickly, and with ease, allowing a writer to attract a regular audience. The writer can get their works seen in magazines, collections, and online publications. The more their name gets seen, the more likely it is that a reader may recognize it in bookstores.
And now, short stories have become even shorter. Flash fiction is certainly known among writers and readers, yet still holds only a fraction of the printed market. However, it’s become the craze among readers on the internet, a exponentially growing market, due to the ease of access and readability. Flash fiction can be read in minutes, rather than days or weeks. Word counts rarely break 1,000. And quality content reigns.
While this may sound simple to aspiring authors, the limitation can quickly become cumbersome to those more accustomed to larger pieces. There is no room for roaming descriptions, prosaic language, or epic plotlines. "Vigorous writing is concise," says The Elements of Style by Strunk & White. "A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts." By limiting the word count, the writer is forced to be brief, making for a more potently written story.
Flash format also lends itself well to forums. A writer can submit their work to workshops via online forums, where other writers can share their wisdom, quickly and earnestly, potentially identifying and resolving common problems. Each iteration polishes the writer as well as the work. Writers learn from others: what is strong, what should be avoided, what shines.
By reducing content as much as possible, writers are forced to squeeze quality into every pore of a story. When they bring that mindset back to novel length works, their stories become compelling, driving, and powerful. Every sentence bears quality, and every word is used to its utmost potential. Writers who strive to learn how to be concise know how to draw the most out of their stories. Indeed, when it comes to identifying the power of concise writing, all you need is three words: size isn't everything.