Sydney Avey
Dynamic Woman — Changing Times
365 Short Stories (Flash)—Week Thirty-Four
The Rim Fire
Photo by Velo Steve
I intended to focus on flash fiction this week, but the Rim Fire forced us from our home for a few days. Now our community is reassembling and praying for our neighbors to the east of us, and Yosemite National Park to the north.
Groveland, CA
Photo by Velo Steve
Smoke bellowed over and around us, touching core emotions of fear and wonder. Man continues to battle nature with a full arsenal of courage and technology, but this fire bullies a dry forest that stands mute in its path. We know how this story ends; a charred landscape from which new life will spring, but not in our lifetime.
Pine Mountain Lake
Photo by Velo Steve
I don’t have seven stories this week, but here are some links to websites that feature flash fiction.
Flash fiction compresses the elements of story so readers experience a complete narrative in a range of less than a second up to ten minutes (word count can range from 6 to 1000 words). Micro fiction often moves a reader to a realization or epiphany.
Narrative Magazine introduces iStory, a genre they describe as a short, dramatic story up to 150 words long that gives readers a strong sense of having read a full and complete story in a brief space.
Try this: Edit a short story you’ve written down to 150 words. You will be surprised at the kernel that emerges when you strip away all nonessentials. Your story will pop!
Other websites that feature flash fiction:
“Smoke bellowed over and around us, touching core emotions of fear and wonder. Man continues to battle nature with a full arsenal of courage and technology, but this fire bullies a dry forest that stands mute in its path. We know how this story ends; a charred landscape from which new life will spring, but not in our lifetime.”
Sent shivers down my spine. Powerful!