A very short story. You won't get too much agreement as to exactly (or even roughly) how many words, but think 250-ish to 500-ish words. Someone will shortly post that I'm full of shit as to those number.
You're completely full of shit with those numbers, Okay I am sorry, I couldn't resist. All right, so there is short story and flash fiction is the Super Saiyan Short Story?
It's practically the same thing as flash fiction, as far as I know, although maybe micro fiction means even fewer words. Here's one I'm making up on the spot (31 words): "Jamie's home from school." "Already?" "Yes. He got in trouble." "Well then, I'd better talk to him." "You need to open up to me first." "Okay then." And I did. Freedom. Sorry the all-wise @Wreybies didn't reply first. I'm his foolish sidekick - or so I like to think.
It has a beginning - A husband and wife are talking about their child, Jamie. It has a middle - we realise one of them (probably husband) has difficulty opening up to people. How will this dilemma be solved? We realise this is now more important than speaking to Jamie. It has an end - The husband opens up. It seems like a simple solution to his problem, and maybe it is. That's for the reader to decide. All the husband knows is that opening up to his wife is liberating. The character's main dilemma is solved, and the minor dilemma of Jamie is left to the reader's imagination, which some readers like and some don't. Then again, I may just be stretching the point!
My first mistake is taking your word? Ha. For me it just doesn't seem at all like a story. And it only seems like a beginning. Maybe because I cannot think in micro, but macro only.
A lot of people hate flash fiction, and other people love them. Same goes for short stories and novels - some people I know pretty much only read short stories. I can't do that; I need my novels, and in a long series too, if possible. I'm just going back to the fundamentals, and I think in those terms it's a story. I haven't seen you around since I joined, by the way. Have you rediscovered the site, or am I just blind?
You are blind? No I kid, I'm sorry I couldn't resist. I just rediscovered WF, and um...managed to flood the chat with my narcissism. Every time you look, especially later, my name is plastered on every god damn thread. I killed the is Harry Potter Overrated thread with my sheer awesome, okay that's a lie.
I have it. Kitchen and I will be apart of a story about our awesomeness colliding into a beautiful rainbow of awesomesausome.
Thomas Kitchen opened up to J.P. Clyde, and it was freedom. Freedom like that experienced between two chocolate cookies, where we can be as creamy as we want to.
