I write fairytales with bite as short stories and novels but also as flash fiction. Flash is an ideal format for those incidents which are simply not long enough to make a standard length short story, yet can be a story in themselves. For example:-
THE MAGICIAN
I don't know how she does it. Whatever I put down, it vanishes in seconds. I stand there, looking at her and she just looks at me knowingly. I blink, I look again, it's all gone. She looks smug.
It must be a kind of magic. Certainly she's consistent with it. I don't know how she gets away with it though. If I tried her trick, I'd get chronic indigestion.
But then my border collie is a wizard at making her food and treats disappear...
ENDS
Copyright: Allison Symes, November 2016
I love writing stories like The Magician. All short stories are said to be a moment in time. Well flash is half a moment! I have sometimes taken a flash piece and expanded it for a standard length short story (1500 to 1700 words usually) so flash can be a good way of testing out an idea. If it's not sustainable for a long piece, it can remain as flash fiction, a very worthy form in its own right. And I'm not just saying that because I have a flash fiction collection due out soon.... honestly!
THE MAGICIAN
I don't know how she does it. Whatever I put down, it vanishes in seconds. I stand there, looking at her and she just looks at me knowingly. I blink, I look again, it's all gone. She looks smug.
It must be a kind of magic. Certainly she's consistent with it. I don't know how she gets away with it though. If I tried her trick, I'd get chronic indigestion.
But then my border collie is a wizard at making her food and treats disappear...
ENDS
Copyright: Allison Symes, November 2016
I love writing stories like The Magician. All short stories are said to be a moment in time. Well flash is half a moment! I have sometimes taken a flash piece and expanded it for a standard length short story (1500 to 1700 words usually) so flash can be a good way of testing out an idea. If it's not sustainable for a long piece, it can remain as flash fiction, a very worthy form in its own right. And I'm not just saying that because I have a flash fiction collection due out soon.... honestly!
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