Short Fiction for Poetic Souls
Don’t blink – flash fiction can be over quicker than you’re ready for it to be.
I have such a fondness for short stories. The term conjures memories of favorite literature courses where I marveled at classics like Kate Chopin’s “The Storm” and shivered after concluding Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s horrifying “The Yellow Wallpaper.”
The beauty of short stories (surprise!) lies in their brevity. They can be read in one sitting. Their concise nature means that every word carries more weight. The short plots pack a punch. Many tend to incorporate a twist of some kind, often at the end.
The short story and its subgenre, flash fiction, lend themselves well to our hurried, distracted culture. For a few moments, the reader is immersed in a mind-altering work of art. And just before there’s an impulse to reach for the smartphone, the reader’s eyes are skating over the last sentence.
What is flash fiction?
We’re all familiar with the short story since it’s been a popular writing form for a few centuries. But flash fiction seems to have exploded onto the literary scene more recently.
As it turns out, the term was coined only about 30 years ago by James Thomas who helped put together the first anthology of flash fiction.
Flash fiction is very short narrative fiction. Sometimes referred to as short-short fiction, flash fiction stories are usually no more than 1,000 words. Then there’s flash fiction that only consists of a few lines or a handful of words. In this case, flash fiction can almost feel like poetry.
Think of flash fiction as a bolt of lightning—distinct, vibrant, and over in an instant.
Writing Inspo
Bold claim—there are few things better than short stories for creatives. Short stories are master classes in writing because they are these carefully crafted microcosms where each element must work together seamlessly to create a specific effect.
If you want to enhance your writing skills, READ short stories! Here are a few of my favorites to get you started:
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- Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart”
- Henry’s “The Gift of the Magi”
- Richard Connell’s “The Most Dangerous Game”
- Daphne du Maurier’s “The Birds”
- Tobias Wolff’s “The Bullet in the Brain”
Also, writing in the flash fiction and short story mediums is an excellent creative exercise. The challenge: compose a compelling story by compressing each of the facets of a full-fledged narrative into a single-sitting read.
Flash fiction is a great warm-up before starting a larger writing project. You might also consider journaling by turning your day into a work of flash fiction.
If you want to take your writing to a new level, WRITE short stories!
Must-Read Short Story and Flash Fiction Collections
Here’s a curated list of the best short story collections and the best flash fiction collections:
Table for Two
The New York Times-bestselling author of A Gentelman in Moscow and The Lincoln Highwayshares some of his shorter fiction: six stories based in New York City and a novella set in Golden Age Hollywood.
“A knockout collection. … Sharp-edged satire deceptively wrapped like a box of Neuhaus chocolates, Table for Two is a winner.”—The New York Times
Better in Black
Ten original love stories by the reigning queen of romantasy, featuring fan-favorite couples from her #1 New York Times-bestselling Shadowhunter Chronicles.
A love letter to every fan of the Shadowhunter Chronicles, this riveting story collection also includes a sneak peek at The Wicked Powers, the majestic trilogy that will be the grand finale of the entire series!
You Like it Darker
A magnificent new collection of 12 stories that delve into the darker part of life. King has, for half a century, been a master of the form, and these stories, about fate, mortality, luck, and the folds in reality where anything can happen, are as rich and riveting as his novels, both weighty in theme and a huge pleasure to read.
“He knows what we like, and he delivers. This collection proves King is still king.”—The New York Times Book Review
Dear Life: Stories
Fourteen stunning short stories from Nobel Prize-winning author Munro. In this brilliant collection, Munro pinpoints the moment a person is forever altered by a chance encounter, an action not taken, or a simple twist of fate.
Her characters are flawed and fully human: their stories draw us in with their quiet depth and surprise us with unexpected turns. This collection of stories illuminates the moments that shape a life.
Roman Stories
The first short story collection by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author and master of the form since her number-one New York Times bestseller Unaccustomed Earth.
Rome—metropolis and monument, suspended between past and future, multi-faceted and metaphysical—is the protagonist, not the setting, of these nine stories.
Flash 50: Stories
This book features an eclectic mix of 50 finely crafted, very short stories. Fifty unique takes on life and the human condition. Each is sure to captivate, move, and nourish.
“These stories will draw you in and surprise you.”—Kathy Toerner Kennedy
Flash Fiction America: 73 Very Short Stories
The 73 stories collected here speak to the diversity of the American experience and range from the experimental to the narrative, from the whimsical to the gritty.
This brilliant collection radiates creativity and brings together some of the most compelling and exciting contemporary writers in the United States.
Sometime this week, read something short that lingers long. Then get creative! Try your hand at blending genres with some poetic short stories. Tag us and share your discoveries!
