Image by Lindsay Ann Learning 2020
Microfiction: Tips & Tricks
Writing flash fiction may seem like a walk in the park, but it's definitely a lot harder than it looks. Fitting an impactful story into a couple hundred, 100, or even 50 words can be troublesome, frustrating, or just downright inconceivable. Therefore, in honor of Microfic May starting soon (AHHHH), we thought we'd share some useful advice for helping you write the best microfiction possible. Why use more words when few words do trick?
For sale: baby shoes, never worn.
—Ernest Hemingway
He showered her with roses, but never asked her favorite flower.
—Dandelions, Actually by R. Gatwood
“Holes. You were supposed to make holes in them.”
—My One Day at the Donut Factory by Bart Van Goethem
Exactly like her mother, who taught her the secrets of the profession, she patches together the cracked axles of their obsolete time machines, and listens to all of their tall tales, and raises her daughter alone in the house on the hill. Maybe a day will come and she’ll say to one of them—maybe the one who doesn’t remember that he already recited a Cummings poem to her, maggie and milly and molly and may went down to the beach to play one day; or maybe the one who always cuts himself more than once while shaving; or maybe to someone else, who still hasn’t arrived at her time—“If time travel were possible, nobody would stay in this time.”
—The Woman Who Repaired Time Machines by Alex Epstein
Pick 1 primary emotion. Readers want to feel something, and with such a limited word count, that can be difficult. It's best for microfiction to just pick 1 emotion and extrapolate from there.
Start in the middle of the conflict. In microfiction, there isn't time to go into a long back-story with side plots and descriptions galore. Cut right to the chase and start in the middle. Narrow down the conflict as much as possible. Information can always be implied instead of explicitly stated.
Limit the number of characters. No more than 2 characters is recommended. Remember, the more characters you have, the more words you need to add to describe them. Speaking of character description, give them a defining attribute (ex: a physical trait, peculiarity in the voice, enigmatic attitude). Make them memorable. If you name your character, keep it short to save on length.
Use strong imagery. We've all heard the phrase Show Don't Tell, but it is particularly import for microfiction. For such a short story, it's also better to pick 1 or 2 scenes instead of multiple. Use emotion and conflict to set the scene(s). Paint a picture for the reader.
Stick to one point of view. We suggest 1st person or 3rd person limited because they stick tightly to the protagonist, the better for conveying emotion or inner thoughts.
Utilize your title. Relate it back to the story without giving away the ending. Try thinking up a couple of options on the spot. Usually the first option is not the best option.
Make the last line count. At the end of the day, this is what the reader is left with to remember your story, and you want them to remember. Maybe it's a plot twist. Maybe it's a description of stunning imagery. Just make it resonate. Similarly, if your story is only one sentence long, you can still give the reader something to think about long after they finish reading.
Don't worry about length on the first draft. Get it all out, however many words that may be, then go back and edit edit edit.
2. Adjectives and Adverbs
Be critical of adjectives and adverbs. Do you really need them? Can you replace them with a stronger noun or verb instead? For example, change "she screamed loudly" to "she screamed." Since screaming is already a loud action, we can delete the adverb. Another example, change "he walked angrily" to "he stomped." Find out more about writing with strong verbs HERE.
Cut articles (a, an, and the) from your story. Most of them are unnecessary and don't add anything to the overall plot. If you can find ways to cut them out, you free up a couple of extra words.
Similar to articles, consider cutting filler words from your story. Some examples are that, really, very, then, just, and any version of seemed, thought, realized, or felt.
Once you have the main ideas down, go sentence by sentence and see what you can edit. Paying attention to the bigger picture is great and all, but let's be honest. Your story isn't that big, so each sentence is vitally important. Try going line by line to polish it up.
We hope some of these tips and tricks are helpful. Many of them can even be useful when writing longer works of fiction. Because isn't a novel really just a collection of shorter scenes woven together?
If you're interested in trying out those microfiction writing skills, Microfic May is only 5 days away!!! You can view this year's Prompts or check out the Guidelines and FAQ for more info.
And if that's not enough, here are 62 more flash fiction story prompts for inspiration.
Sources:
Flash Fiction: How to Write Mini Short Stories
How to Write Micro-Fiction
Stories in your pocket: how to write flash fiction
13 Tips for Writing Flash Fiction
How to Teach Micro Fiction Like a Pro
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