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Some of the most powerful sentences in the world are only a few words that hold and insane amount of meaning.

"I love you," someone could say, and inspire so many emotions.

"It's a boy," a doctor could announce, and you could laugh in joy.

"Goodbye," and a heart is broken.

The authors of flash fiction realise that words are very powerful, precise tools. They utilise these words to their every meaning, to their every potential. Each word is a carefully chosen personality that could change the reader's thought of the piece. Too many words and it's not a flash fiction, but too little and you can't get enough plot or character development. It's a carefully crafted art that too little people appreciate.

Flash fiction is normally centred on a second worth of time- a flash, sort of like one from a camera, something that happens in a fleeting moment of emotion or peril. The moment is something poignant, strong, with a lot of character. A back story is often not needed in a flash fiction, because there's simply not enough time to lay out an entire history of a character in so few words. The moment is captured, set to paper, and left with an ending that satisfies the reader.

But flash fiction is no simple task. To the most extreme levels, flash fiction can be as little as fifty words- that's less words than the paragraph before this. To the more lenient levels, flash fiction can near five-hundred words, and rarely does it ever go past a thousand.

Flash fiction stories are basically a novel in a paragraph or two- they have plot, character development, a story, suspense, conflict, and every other element of a novel. But the protagonist's actions must be quick, not drawn out, and must instantly capture the reader's attention. Since the piece is short, there is no time for a dramatic build up- the action must be captured right away, and it must finish in a satisfying manner that leaves the reader happy.

However, this style of writing is not for everyone. For a person who is used to using epic metaphors and writing long things, flash fiction is a daunting task. However, there are some people who survive on flash fiction- it's a simple way to get out a fast idea. Flash fiction is, in essence, like brainstorming- it's a quick idea, written down, and then it's gone. There's no need for long plot twists or continuity errors- in fact, flash fiction is often simple with no hidden meanings or over moralising.

So how does one get started writing flash fiction? Often, flash fiction pieces are centred on one idea or word, so once you have that, go for it. Just remember to keep it simple and less detailed than normal, and try to keep the plot within a certain word count. If it sounds hard, practice makes perfect. Besides, many people are used to writing flash fiction already, without even knowing it- drabbles' in the fan fiction community are examples of flash fiction, as are haikus. It's the same idea- fitting a large idea into a small bout of text.

Flash fiction is becoming insanely popular, but it is a defined art that is hard to master. If you master it, however, you could easily become well-known for your great works of being able to put a powerful message in a small amount of words. These skills are great for practical use- debates, speeches, and other such things are often centred on getting a point across in a small amount of time.

Even though it's not for everyone, flash fiction is a growing art that needs to be appreciated. So whether you love to write flash fiction or if you're just an avid reader of it, appreciate the art very much- after all, it takes a lot of talent and skill to fit something into just a few, powerful words.

Learn more about this author, Katie Lane.
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