Flash Fiction

Probably the shortest story ever written was allegedly by Ernest Hemingway and read: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn”.

Brevity in prose has now found its niche with the rise of a new literary genre – flash fiction. The name was first used back in the 90s as the title to an anthology of very short stories, and the label stuck.

It’s not an entirely new thing – Aesop’s Fables were very short narratives, written 600 years BC by a slave in ancient Greece- but with the Internet, and people reading on mobile phones, extremely short stories are growing in popularity.

To celebrate the rise of Flash Fiction, June 22 has been designated National Flash Fiction Day. Readings of flash fiction are being organized in UK venues.

So if you always fancied being a famous author, but can’t find time to write a traditional novel, why not try your hand at flash fiction writing?

You’ll be following in the footsteps of such great names as Anton Chekhov, Arthur C Clarke, Franz Kafta and Ray Bradbury.