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Flash fiction: good quick fun

© Mary Wilson

In the era BW (Before Web) literary magazines could only be found in specialty bookstores, university English departments or large libraries. Now these journals of new poetry, fiction and non-fiction are as accessible as tabloids, and just as varied.

If you're new to literary magazines, they can seem a bit daunting. Print budgets are usually low, so most are not printed in colour. Some contain Very Serious Fiction indeed, and may not be exactly a light read. Short fiction is a terrific way to introduce yourself to literary magazines, and the shortest of short fiction -- flash fiction -- is a fun start.

For me, a visit to a flash fiction magazine on the Web is a tasty break between more mundane chores. It's quick enough to be almost guilt-free: sort of like reading the tabloids in the supermarket lineup. Not that the stories don't linger in my memory -- some definitely do.

Flash fiction gets its name from the speed with which you can take it in. It's not meant to be read slowly, with long pauses, the way you might read short poetry. It is meant to be taken in all in a flash -- one quick read.

James Thomas, Denise Thomas and Tom Hazuka, the editors of the original Flash Fiction anthology (1992: W.W. Norton & Company) began by seeking stories that could be read 'without turning a page.' For online stories, 'turning a page' doesn't mean much, since a page can be any number of words. (Technically you could put an entire novel on one single web page, although you likely wouldn't!) But flash fiction has kept its meaning as very short fiction. Word length varies, from a low of about 250 words up to around 750. Most of the stories I've seen have been at most three screens or so.

Many literary e-zines feature some flash fiction. They might call it micro fiction, postcard fiction or short-shorts, but it will likely be there. The three e-zines listed here feature this genre exclusively. Enjoy!

The Case.com http://www.thecase.com/ This is an online flash-fiction site with a focus: a new mini-mystery every day, and options for reader interaction. Because these are mysteries, the plot is key and the stories are very approachable. If you're new to the idea of short-short stories, this is a good place to start if only because it proves that you can pack a whole story into a very small space.

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