Flash Fiction is one of my favorite genes to read and write and has been dramatically growing in popularity since the 90's. What are everyone's thoughts on it? Do you like it? Hate it? What are some reasons why? Have you tried it and how did it go? How do people mess it up or do it well? What's critical and what can be left out?(You don't have to answer all these) I'd like to hear some opinions since I don't usually get the chance to talk openly to lots of fellow writers.
I like it. My first fiction sale was a piece of flash fiction, so that was nice. I think the biggest problem I see with such short pieces is that authors don't manage to tell a complete story with their submission. It has a sort of unfinished feel to it, like they weren't able to compress everything into 1000 words or less and just did as much as they could.
It's a challenge because everything has to be kept so terse and still read like fiction. I haven't made my way down to 1,000 yet, but I'm getting there.
Most flash fiction is too vague and doesn't offer a complete scene. There are definitely good ones out there, and it's wonderful! It's like the rewards of reading a full novel in thirty seconds.
I've heard from some people that writing flash for too long has inhibited their ability to write with flowery language. Whether that's a good or bad thing I'm not sure. It definitely helps with conciseness, although a lot of would-be flash authors have the problem of either not saying enough or saying too much. It can be difficult sometimes to find a strong middle ground.
I like flash, but it's very hard to do well. Good flash should encapsulate a moment in time, and be able to use implication for a lot of the story. It's a very difficult art, which is partly why I love it so much. I'd also recommend it as a good source of training for new writers. It teaches you to strip down your writing, and to really appreciate what is actually necessary. Beginners tend to overcomplicate their writing, which you just cannot do with flash.
