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The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Writing Flash Nonfiction: Advice and Essential Exercises from Respected Writers, Editors, and Teachers
Unmatched in its focus on a concise and popular emerging genre, The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Writing Flash Nonfiction features 26 eminent writers, editors, and teachers offering expert analysis, focused exercises, and helpful examples of what make the brief essay form such a perfect medium for experimentation, insight, and illumination. With a comprehensive introduction to the genre and book by editor Dinty W. Moore, The Field Guide is perfect for both the classroom and the individual writer’s desk—an essential handbook for anyone interested in the scintillating and succinct flash nonfiction form. How many words does it take to tell a compelling true story? The answer might surprise you.
“The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Writing Flash Nonfiction, edited by the invaluable Dinty W. Moore, is a lot more than flashy. These thoughtful, thought-provoking essays and exercises have the paradoxical effect of slowing down our attention and encouraging an expansion of the moment, while seeming to be saving writing and reading time. A very useful compilation.” ~Phillip Lopate , The Art of the Personal Essay: An Anthology from the Classical Era to the Present
“The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Writing Flash Nonfiction, edited by the invaluable Dinty W. Moore, is a lot more than flashy. These thoughtful, thought-provoking essays and exercises have the paradoxical effect of slowing down our attention and encouraging an expansion of the moment, while seeming to be saving writing and reading time. A very useful compilation.” ~Phillip Lopate , The Art of the Personal Essay: An Anthology from the Classical Era to the Present
208 pages, Paperback
First published September 15, 2012
176 people are currently reading
658 people want to read
About the author
Dinty W. Moore
33 books193 followersDinty W. Moore is author of the award-winning memoir Between Panic & Desire, the writing guides The Story Cure and Crafting the Personal Essay, and many other books. He has published essays and stories in The Georgia Review, Harper’s, The New York Times Magazine, The Southern Review, Kenyon Review, Creative Nonfiction, and elsewhere. He is founding editor of Brevity, the journal of flash nonfiction, and teaches master classes and workshops across the United States as well as in Ireland, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland, Canada, and Mexico.
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October 1, 2012FIVE THINGS I LIKE ABOUT TWO BOOKS
By Erika Dreifus
‘Tis the season to focus on nonfiction. For me, anyway. As I struggle with essays of various stripes (and lengths), I’m infused with ideas and lessons gleaned from two new books: Lee Gutkind’s YOU CAN’T MAKE THIS STUFF UP: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO WRITING CREATIVE NONFICTION FROM MEMOIR TO LITERARY JOURNALISM AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN (Da Capo Press/Lifelong Books, Paperback, $16.00 US) and THE ROSE METAL PRESS FIELD GUIDE TO WRITING FLASH NONFICTION: ADVICE AND ESSENTIAL EXERCISES FROM RESPECTED WRITERS, EDITORS, and TEACHERS, edited by Dinty W. Moore (Rose Metal Press, Paperback, $15.95).
Time pressures do not permit me to write full reviews of each book. But there is much to admire in them. I’d like to share with you five strengths that I believe apply to both texts.
1. EXPERTISE
Both Lee Gutkind and Dinty W. Moore are recognized experts in the subjects their books treat. Gutkind, whose titles include editor of the prominent quarterly CREATIVE NONFICTION, has been nicknamed the “godfather” behind the genre (the source of that reputation is explained in the book’s early pages). For his part, Moore’s name is similarly familiar in the world of brief nonfiction, exemplified by the work published in BREVITY, the online magazine that he edits. Contributors to the FIELD GUIDE TO WRITING FLASH NONFICTION include acclaimed writers and teachers: Bret Lott, Philip Graham, Lee Martin, and many others.
2. CONTEXT
Each book provides a sense of historical context. One of the most interesting sections of YOU CAN’T MAKE THIS STUFF UP is an appendix – credited to CREATIVE NONFICTION’s managing editor Hattie Fletcher – which summarizes “Great (And Not So Great) Moments in Creative Nonfiction, 1993-2010.” If you need a refresher timeline for les affaires Binjamin Wilkomirski, James Frey, and “Margaret B. Jones,” you’ll find it here. You’ll also find reminders of how recent some of the best known books of creative nonfiction – not to mention journals, programs, and other institutional markers – truly are.
For its part, the FIELD GUIDE TO WRITING FLASH NONFICTION features a useful introduction (by Moore) that traces the evolution of “the myriad ways in which authors over the centuries have embraced the very short form of thoughtful, artful nonfiction.” Moore is also careful to cite significant developments in our own times, including the growing popularity of brief *fiction* (manifested in several notable anthologies published in the 1980s and 1990s) and a series of “fine brief nonfiction anthologies,” beginning with IN SHORT (1996), edited by Judith Kitchen and Mary Paumier Jones.
3. SAMPLES
Both books provide not merely excerpts, but rather full-text examples of essays that illustrate key craft points. Gutkind’s choices are interspersed throughout his book. In the FIELD GUIDE TO WRITING FLASH NONFICTION, each contributor focuses on a specific aspect of craft, whether it has to do with image and detail or voice or point of view, and presents an exemplary essay (sometimes the contributor’s own, sometimes not). And the quality of these readings is simply outstanding.
4. EXERCISES
Each of Moore’s contributors also includes a complementary prompt or exercise. That means there are about two dozen exercises in the book – enough to keep any of us going for quite some time. Although they’re less numerous, exercises also appear sprinkled through Gutkind’s book.
5. TEACHABILITY
Here I refer not (only) to the books’ potential usefulness for the classroom, but also – and perhaps even more important – to their potential usefulness for the individual writer-learner. These are books that I know that I – with an MFA in fiction and four online poetry courses behind me – will turn to again and again as I seek to improve my skills as a writer of creative nonfiction. There’s no way I have possibly absorbed all that they have to teach me in the initial readings I’ve completed so far. But – thanks in large part to their aforementioned qualities - I am confident that I will return to both books. Often.
(These remarks first appeared in the October 2012 issue of THE PRACTICING WRITER. Complimentary copies of both books provided by the respective publishers.)
By Erika Dreifus
‘Tis the season to focus on nonfiction. For me, anyway. As I struggle with essays of various stripes (and lengths), I’m infused with ideas and lessons gleaned from two new books: Lee Gutkind’s YOU CAN’T MAKE THIS STUFF UP: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO WRITING CREATIVE NONFICTION FROM MEMOIR TO LITERARY JOURNALISM AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN (Da Capo Press/Lifelong Books, Paperback, $16.00 US) and THE ROSE METAL PRESS FIELD GUIDE TO WRITING FLASH NONFICTION: ADVICE AND ESSENTIAL EXERCISES FROM RESPECTED WRITERS, EDITORS, and TEACHERS, edited by Dinty W. Moore (Rose Metal Press, Paperback, $15.95).
Time pressures do not permit me to write full reviews of each book. But there is much to admire in them. I’d like to share with you five strengths that I believe apply to both texts.
1. EXPERTISE
Both Lee Gutkind and Dinty W. Moore are recognized experts in the subjects their books treat. Gutkind, whose titles include editor of the prominent quarterly CREATIVE NONFICTION, has been nicknamed the “godfather” behind the genre (the source of that reputation is explained in the book’s early pages). For his part, Moore’s name is similarly familiar in the world of brief nonfiction, exemplified by the work published in BREVITY, the online magazine that he edits. Contributors to the FIELD GUIDE TO WRITING FLASH NONFICTION include acclaimed writers and teachers: Bret Lott, Philip Graham, Lee Martin, and many others.
2. CONTEXT
Each book provides a sense of historical context. One of the most interesting sections of YOU CAN’T MAKE THIS STUFF UP is an appendix – credited to CREATIVE NONFICTION’s managing editor Hattie Fletcher – which summarizes “Great (And Not So Great) Moments in Creative Nonfiction, 1993-2010.” If you need a refresher timeline for les affaires Binjamin Wilkomirski, James Frey, and “Margaret B. Jones,” you’ll find it here. You’ll also find reminders of how recent some of the best known books of creative nonfiction – not to mention journals, programs, and other institutional markers – truly are.
For its part, the FIELD GUIDE TO WRITING FLASH NONFICTION features a useful introduction (by Moore) that traces the evolution of “the myriad ways in which authors over the centuries have embraced the very short form of thoughtful, artful nonfiction.” Moore is also careful to cite significant developments in our own times, including the growing popularity of brief *fiction* (manifested in several notable anthologies published in the 1980s and 1990s) and a series of “fine brief nonfiction anthologies,” beginning with IN SHORT (1996), edited by Judith Kitchen and Mary Paumier Jones.
3. SAMPLES
Both books provide not merely excerpts, but rather full-text examples of essays that illustrate key craft points. Gutkind’s choices are interspersed throughout his book. In the FIELD GUIDE TO WRITING FLASH NONFICTION, each contributor focuses on a specific aspect of craft, whether it has to do with image and detail or voice or point of view, and presents an exemplary essay (sometimes the contributor’s own, sometimes not). And the quality of these readings is simply outstanding.
4. EXERCISES
Each of Moore’s contributors also includes a complementary prompt or exercise. That means there are about two dozen exercises in the book – enough to keep any of us going for quite some time. Although they’re less numerous, exercises also appear sprinkled through Gutkind’s book.
5. TEACHABILITY
Here I refer not (only) to the books’ potential usefulness for the classroom, but also – and perhaps even more important – to their potential usefulness for the individual writer-learner. These are books that I know that I – with an MFA in fiction and four online poetry courses behind me – will turn to again and again as I seek to improve my skills as a writer of creative nonfiction. There’s no way I have possibly absorbed all that they have to teach me in the initial readings I’ve completed so far. But – thanks in large part to their aforementioned qualities - I am confident that I will return to both books. Often.
(These remarks first appeared in the October 2012 issue of THE PRACTICING WRITER. Complimentary copies of both books provided by the respective publishers.)
August 1, 2014
Just used this text to teach a Flash Nonfiction course this summer and I decree success! The structure (short craft lecture, essay, and prompt) works great for teachers and students. The book progresses in a way that helps students build their skill set as they fold in new techniques. I found that working in the flash form is effective because everyone gets to write a ton and share a ton. Also, (as a good text should, I think) Moore's guide leaves plenty of room for instructor personalization. I have found it easy to add readings or embellish lectures as suited the class. I chose to have a longer assignment (8-10) pages for the end, which I had them workshop in sections, i.e. mini flash essays, which then (viola!) created a longer one.
In short, highly recommended for teachers, or anyone who wants to teach themselves a course. I wrote the prompts along with my students and wound up with tidy collection.
In short, highly recommended for teachers, or anyone who wants to teach themselves a course. I wrote the prompts along with my students and wound up with tidy collection.
January 19, 2013
Still not able to define flash non-fiction, and slightly allergic to too much "advice to beginning writers" tone, and I completely disregarded the prompts and exercise, but the essays collected, the little burst of freedom that comes when you find people exploding a form, the poets' juxtapositions of unlikely subjects and attention to idea and language and the simultaneous levels of a piece of writing made me happy.
March 31, 2013
This whole series is solid. Lots of advice, musing, helpful exercises. I would say all these books are perhaps best-suited as introductions to the forms -- they don't break a lot of new ground, so if you've already been reading and thinking in depth about the forms, you won't necessarily find many surprises here.
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December 21, 2023I love this book of advice/exercises/examples so much that I also bought a Kindle version to have electronically when I teach. Not every exercise has yielded gold, but so many of them have. A great investment for any writer or teacher of creative nonfiction.
March 14, 2020
I had never heard of this genre of writing until two months ago. I first learned about it in a short story class I am taking this quarter at UCLA. Because... our first assignment was a work of flash fiction.
But I accidentally wrote a flash essay… !!
In the process, I fell totally in love with this genre.
I had read Dinty Moore's wonderful book on writing personal essays. He is a fabulous teacher and writer so I was not surprised at how absolutely wonderful his opening essay was in the volume.
In my career as a translator, I’ve been lucky that I have been able to work on a lot of poetry. As a labor of love, I’ve been translating the work of a modern poet Takamura Kotaro. This has been an on-going twenty year long obsession. But I have also been paid to do poetry translations as well. Mainly haiku.
How do you translate a poem if not by making a second poem, right?
This genre appealed to me immediately because it is so like poetry—in its quality of heightened moment and distilled experience. In fact, several of the craft essays of this book mentioned the link to poetry. I believe the last essay (one of my favorites) by Jeff Gundy specifically mentioned that his flash essays evolve out of poems.
From Brevity (I love that Journal) this month, for example, take a look at the Wild Horses Of Tybee Island, which exemplified this heightened moment quality. This one almost could have been expanded to a long-form essay, but it also could have been a poem (some of the lines really hit home like poetry:
We are nine years and two children deep into marriage, and in all this time, neither of us has ever expressed any interest in wild horses.
And
Our bodies tremble. We are happier than horses. Together, we thunder back toward the car.
Isn’t it gorgeous? It could have been a long form essay or it could have been a poem, but I think it works really well as a flash essay. Mainly because of the poetic quality of the sentences—very vivid and evocative. Also the punch of the last lines.
I was not surprised to learn that a fellow translator, a friend who also works on literature, was drawn to this genre and has been publishing fiction flashes with Pigeonholes
http://pidgeonholes.com/2020/03/finge... (Links to an external site.)
This is a genre (flash essay) I am really hoping to pursue.
I wanted to share the one that I think is perhaps the most powerful I’ve read called Leap by Brian Doyle. (I wonder if he is the Catholic essayist?)
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontl... (Links to an external site.)
This brings me to tears like only poetry can. I think this genre can hit you in the stomach—it packs a punch. Or at least it can. I don’t think anything I’ve ever read on 9-11 hit me like this.
I love this book
https://www.amazon.com/Metal-Press-Fi... (Links to an external site.)
Anyway, back to the book.
The introductory chapter by Dinty Moore is great. I also liked the opening chapter by Lia Purpora—she advised taking an essay and turning it into an old fashioned letter. That will help you elevate your voice…Even if you only address it to yourself, pretend like you’re reading aloud to add voice and a kind of "urgency, focus, intensified listening”
“For how else do we read letters and in what way might those forms of reading inform revision? Well, we carry letters with us and pull them out during the day at certain moments when only that voice will do, or when we need to reminding of a truth or a story or news amid the static or to see exactly how X was stated. And then there are the ritualistic gestures of letter reading: the unsealing, the unfolding and smoothing out, the squinting if you’re lucky enough to be reading a hand written thing, the pausing, musings smiling, the refolding and tucking back in— all of which add to the physicality of reading."
Something else, I cannot recall what chapter this was in (maybe Moore's introduction?) But one of the contributors mentioned the way that so often insight comes to us suddenly "in a flash." I think this gets at the Haiku or Japanese zuijitsu element that is so incredibly resonate with flash fiction, which aims to be laser focused and distilled like poetry or digressive like a Japanese zuihitsu.
I am not sure how my writing is improving at UCLA but my reading is really improving! I see what I like and to discover a brand new genre, well that is fantastic. I cannot recommend this book enough. Everyone should read it--not just writers, but people who aim to be calmer and more mindful... trust me, it's healthy to be attentive! I love Dinty Moore! A national treasure.
But I accidentally wrote a flash essay… !!
In the process, I fell totally in love with this genre.
I had read Dinty Moore's wonderful book on writing personal essays. He is a fabulous teacher and writer so I was not surprised at how absolutely wonderful his opening essay was in the volume.
In my career as a translator, I’ve been lucky that I have been able to work on a lot of poetry. As a labor of love, I’ve been translating the work of a modern poet Takamura Kotaro. This has been an on-going twenty year long obsession. But I have also been paid to do poetry translations as well. Mainly haiku.
How do you translate a poem if not by making a second poem, right?
This genre appealed to me immediately because it is so like poetry—in its quality of heightened moment and distilled experience. In fact, several of the craft essays of this book mentioned the link to poetry. I believe the last essay (one of my favorites) by Jeff Gundy specifically mentioned that his flash essays evolve out of poems.
From Brevity (I love that Journal) this month, for example, take a look at the Wild Horses Of Tybee Island, which exemplified this heightened moment quality. This one almost could have been expanded to a long-form essay, but it also could have been a poem (some of the lines really hit home like poetry:
We are nine years and two children deep into marriage, and in all this time, neither of us has ever expressed any interest in wild horses.
And
Our bodies tremble. We are happier than horses. Together, we thunder back toward the car.
Isn’t it gorgeous? It could have been a long form essay or it could have been a poem, but I think it works really well as a flash essay. Mainly because of the poetic quality of the sentences—very vivid and evocative. Also the punch of the last lines.
I was not surprised to learn that a fellow translator, a friend who also works on literature, was drawn to this genre and has been publishing fiction flashes with Pigeonholes
http://pidgeonholes.com/2020/03/finge... (Links to an external site.)
This is a genre (flash essay) I am really hoping to pursue.
I wanted to share the one that I think is perhaps the most powerful I’ve read called Leap by Brian Doyle. (I wonder if he is the Catholic essayist?)
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontl... (Links to an external site.)
This brings me to tears like only poetry can. I think this genre can hit you in the stomach—it packs a punch. Or at least it can. I don’t think anything I’ve ever read on 9-11 hit me like this.
I love this book
https://www.amazon.com/Metal-Press-Fi... (Links to an external site.)
Anyway, back to the book.
The introductory chapter by Dinty Moore is great. I also liked the opening chapter by Lia Purpora—she advised taking an essay and turning it into an old fashioned letter. That will help you elevate your voice…Even if you only address it to yourself, pretend like you’re reading aloud to add voice and a kind of "urgency, focus, intensified listening”
“For how else do we read letters and in what way might those forms of reading inform revision? Well, we carry letters with us and pull them out during the day at certain moments when only that voice will do, or when we need to reminding of a truth or a story or news amid the static or to see exactly how X was stated. And then there are the ritualistic gestures of letter reading: the unsealing, the unfolding and smoothing out, the squinting if you’re lucky enough to be reading a hand written thing, the pausing, musings smiling, the refolding and tucking back in— all of which add to the physicality of reading."
Something else, I cannot recall what chapter this was in (maybe Moore's introduction?) But one of the contributors mentioned the way that so often insight comes to us suddenly "in a flash." I think this gets at the Haiku or Japanese zuijitsu element that is so incredibly resonate with flash fiction, which aims to be laser focused and distilled like poetry or digressive like a Japanese zuihitsu.
I am not sure how my writing is improving at UCLA but my reading is really improving! I see what I like and to discover a brand new genre, well that is fantastic. I cannot recommend this book enough. Everyone should read it--not just writers, but people who aim to be calmer and more mindful... trust me, it's healthy to be attentive! I love Dinty Moore! A national treasure.
May 20, 2021
What an excellent resource! So many exercises, example essays, lists of additional books, etc. Flash Nonfiction is my very favorite style of writing (and really the only one with which I’ve had professional success/publication). I plan to grow and develop my writing with this as a guide that I will return to again.
February 14, 2020
This book is fun.
December 31, 2022
I liked most of the essays & tips in this book. But for some of them, I was kind of confused why they were given as examples because they weren’t enjoyable at all.
April 28, 2024
4.5/5
textbook for flash nonfiction class i audited at duke this past semester. incredible short stories and learned a lot about the craft of writing flash nonfiction. loved many of the authors in this book where i ended up reading more of their shorter pieces or even some of their longer pieces/parts of their books!
textbook for flash nonfiction class i audited at duke this past semester. incredible short stories and learned a lot about the craft of writing flash nonfiction. loved many of the authors in this book where i ended up reading more of their shorter pieces or even some of their longer pieces/parts of their books!
Read
April 21, 2025A wonderful, challenging, refreshing book. If you like or want to write non-fiction this is fabulous.
November 23, 2012
This book provided me the spark that I needed to start thinking again about my craft. I recently finished a major writing project and don't yet feel ready to tackle the next big one on my desk. I want to keep writing, but I'm a little at a loss as to what I should write about.
The different exercises in this book have made me excited again about creative nonfiction. Each contributor offers advice, a writing exercise, and an example of a flash nonfiction essay. The format is perfect for nonfiction writers of all abilities.
As with any compilation, some chapters are weaker than others. I appreciated the chapters that offer a straightforward, no-nonsense approach to the craft rather than the loftier, ivory tower-ish chapters that make an occasional appearance.
The different exercises in this book have made me excited again about creative nonfiction. Each contributor offers advice, a writing exercise, and an example of a flash nonfiction essay. The format is perfect for nonfiction writers of all abilities.
As with any compilation, some chapters are weaker than others. I appreciated the chapters that offer a straightforward, no-nonsense approach to the craft rather than the loftier, ivory tower-ish chapters that make an occasional appearance.
December 18, 2013
This is an excellent guide for creative nonfiction writers. Many of the sections contained valuable advice that I used in writing my thesis for my creative writing MFA. This guide is great for flash nonfiction, but everything applies to longer essays as well. I will continue to refer back to this book whenever I'm feeling stuck or need some inspiration.
May 31, 2013
I did a review of this book for Literary Mama. Here is the link.
September 4, 2019
Everything I've needed to clarify that this is my genre.
September 30, 2020
Hello fellow readers and writers. It's mostly you writers who care about this one, I'd guess. I give this book five stars, judging by which you'd probably figure I like it. I gave a similar rating to The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Writing Flash Fiction: Tips from Editors, Teachers, and Writers in the Field and reviewed it similarly. I do like both these books. I suspect I will also like the prose poetry version when I read it; I'll be sure to tell you. This press presents high-quality and engaging instructional texts that exceed expectations set by their peers.
Many times, introductions are just long-winded drivel. I recommend you read the introduction in this book; it's fascinating.
Here's what I liked and didn't like about this book:
Likes:
1. It's going to be hard to do this without going on forever, but I'll try. To start with I love the organization of this book, by which I mean the anthology of brief essays from several accomplished flash essayists, each taking a different subtopic that falls under the broad topic of "flash nonfiction." So you essentially learn the art of flash nonfiction in part by reading well-composed pieces of flash nonfiction. It's important that Moore took these essays from a well organized collection of subtopics that represent the overall topic. I recently finished a flash fiction instructional text (yes, I'll review it) that attempted to teach this subject "in flash" in a similar way, but the organization, the representation was missing, and therefore, the overall understanding for the reader. To see it done right and read such a well-structured text is a pleasure and a wonderful learning experience.
2. I partly judge these types of books on the quality of their exercises. Anyone can invent a writing exercise, but they're not nearly all going to be good. Inspired writing exercises are valuable. The same is true for writing samples. This book is full of beautiful and daring fiction, and challenging and motivating exercises, both of which I was happy to use to fill my write short journals (where I keep examples and exercises and write my own short shorts of many styles).
3. Anthology style writing instructional texts can sometimes be a drag. I mean, just honestly. Often, only half of the contributors (if you're lucky) have written anything you care about and you can tell when you read their pieces. But in my experience, the Rose Metal Press Field Guides are interesting, quality books that teach you a great deal about the subject at hand. Not on that, but their contributors include some of my favorite contemporary writers. Others, I know by name. And most of these essays are beautiful, if not stunning in their usefulness and aesthetics.
Don't Likes:
1. Really, there aren't many. You cannot get this book used, or at least you couldn't when I bought it. But I mean, I can see why. I'm not selling my copy, but I did buy a copy for my friend. It's that awesome.
2. In all seriousness, the text is small in these books. So if that bothers you, you might have to skip them, no matter how brilliant they are.
And that's all. Happy reading and stay safe my friends.
Many times, introductions are just long-winded drivel. I recommend you read the introduction in this book; it's fascinating.
Here's what I liked and didn't like about this book:
Likes:
1. It's going to be hard to do this without going on forever, but I'll try. To start with I love the organization of this book, by which I mean the anthology of brief essays from several accomplished flash essayists, each taking a different subtopic that falls under the broad topic of "flash nonfiction." So you essentially learn the art of flash nonfiction in part by reading well-composed pieces of flash nonfiction. It's important that Moore took these essays from a well organized collection of subtopics that represent the overall topic. I recently finished a flash fiction instructional text (yes, I'll review it) that attempted to teach this subject "in flash" in a similar way, but the organization, the representation was missing, and therefore, the overall understanding for the reader. To see it done right and read such a well-structured text is a pleasure and a wonderful learning experience.
2. I partly judge these types of books on the quality of their exercises. Anyone can invent a writing exercise, but they're not nearly all going to be good. Inspired writing exercises are valuable. The same is true for writing samples. This book is full of beautiful and daring fiction, and challenging and motivating exercises, both of which I was happy to use to fill my write short journals (where I keep examples and exercises and write my own short shorts of many styles).
3. Anthology style writing instructional texts can sometimes be a drag. I mean, just honestly. Often, only half of the contributors (if you're lucky) have written anything you care about and you can tell when you read their pieces. But in my experience, the Rose Metal Press Field Guides are interesting, quality books that teach you a great deal about the subject at hand. Not on that, but their contributors include some of my favorite contemporary writers. Others, I know by name. And most of these essays are beautiful, if not stunning in their usefulness and aesthetics.
Don't Likes:
1. Really, there aren't many. You cannot get this book used, or at least you couldn't when I bought it. But I mean, I can see why. I'm not selling my copy, but I did buy a copy for my friend. It's that awesome.
2. In all seriousness, the text is small in these books. So if that bothers you, you might have to skip them, no matter how brilliant they are.
And that's all. Happy reading and stay safe my friends.
December 3, 2025
Mixed feelings. The process of reading the book was pleasant but the pacing was a bit off and the ending felt rushed. Thematically I don’t mind an open/unresolved ending for this story as I think it fits the themes as a whole but it does feel like certain things were a bit incomplete in the story.
Delamare felt a bit confusing by the end about what exactly his motivations were and why on earth did they blow up the building at the end with him and all the soldiers still inside? What is exactly the point of Ionides and Leila Pervani staying in the new world if there’s no more roses there? What was the reason for air being bad and the whole alliance between gryphons and witches?Where did these new openings came from, I seem to recall that they made sure all of them are closed feels like this should make Lyra pause for a bit? Why did the angel come to talk to Lyra in the first place?
It also feels like the conclusion Lyra has about the windows being able to stay open is very random like she’s just like oh the angel is wrong about this other thing so a different angel must have been wrong about sth not fully related. It’s not like we just took angels words for this in HDM the whole point was that we saw with amber spyglass that the windows disturb Dust? Like why aren’t we addressing that at all?
I don’t mind that Lyra wasn’t thinking that much about reuniting with Will, I think the framing of the events of HDM as kind of this crazy thing that happened to her in childhood and then she had to learn to live a normal life makes a lot of sense and she would have moved on the difference between 12 and 22 is massive but I do wish we got to see Will and maybe he would have an arc in his world about finding an opening and trying to figure out where they’re coming from and that could tie up some loose ends?
Feels like an early draft that could have used some edits and further brainstorming about how to do the concepts justice
Delamare felt a bit confusing by the end about what exactly his motivations were and why on earth did they blow up the building at the end with him and all the soldiers still inside? What is exactly the point of Ionides and Leila Pervani staying in the new world if there’s no more roses there? What was the reason for air being bad and the whole alliance between gryphons and witches?Where did these new openings came from, I seem to recall that they made sure all of them are closed feels like this should make Lyra pause for a bit? Why did the angel come to talk to Lyra in the first place?
It also feels like the conclusion Lyra has about the windows being able to stay open is very random like she’s just like oh the angel is wrong about this other thing so a different angel must have been wrong about sth not fully related. It’s not like we just took angels words for this in HDM the whole point was that we saw with amber spyglass that the windows disturb Dust? Like why aren’t we addressing that at all?
I don’t mind that Lyra wasn’t thinking that much about reuniting with Will, I think the framing of the events of HDM as kind of this crazy thing that happened to her in childhood and then she had to learn to live a normal life makes a lot of sense and she would have moved on the difference between 12 and 22 is massive but I do wish we got to see Will and maybe he would have an arc in his world about finding an opening and trying to figure out where they’re coming from and that could tie up some loose ends?
Feels like an early draft that could have used some edits and further brainstorming about how to do the concepts justice
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2022
Dinty W. Moore is a prolific writer and editor. The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Writing Flash Nonfiction is only one of his many editorial products. The online flash nonfiction journal Brevity Magazine is another. Dinty is also a seasoned teacher. To prepare for his creative nonfiction writing workshop at the Kenyon Review, I thought I should read this book. I thought it would be necessary to get on his good side.
I was wrong. Dinty is a delightful human being. He welcomed us into his workshop, expecting the very best of each. Now that I have the warm timbre of his bass voice in my ear, I experience The Rose Metal Field Guide in a completely different way. The Field Guide features many voices, each an authority in their own way, none of them prescriptive. The essays are grouped in loose, associative ways to circle around topics like shape or sound or just being ornery.
But perhaps I’m getting ahead of myself. Let me offer first the Dinty W. Moore definition of the flash essay.
To read the full review, please visit my website for His Master's Voice.
I was wrong. Dinty is a delightful human being. He welcomed us into his workshop, expecting the very best of each. Now that I have the warm timbre of his bass voice in my ear, I experience The Rose Metal Field Guide in a completely different way. The Field Guide features many voices, each an authority in their own way, none of them prescriptive. The essays are grouped in loose, associative ways to circle around topics like shape or sound or just being ornery.
But perhaps I’m getting ahead of myself. Let me offer first the Dinty W. Moore definition of the flash essay.
The heat might come from language, from image, from voice or point-of-view, from revelation or suspense, but there must always be a burning urgency of some sort, translated through each sentence, starting with the first.
To read the full review, please visit my website for His Master's Voice.
August 26, 2020
An excellent study of the often-misunderstood form of creative nonfiction. Begins with an overview by Dinty Moore, including where the form began and how it evolved. Then it leads into individual craft ruminations by some of the its best writers, like Brenda Miller, Dinah Lenney, Bret Lott and others. What I like best about this collection is that each section includes a generative writing exercise (most of them very accessible to writers of all levels). Another thing I like is that every section includes a piece of flash CNF that exemplifies that particular writing exercise and craft topic, so you can really see and understand what each writer was discussing.
Plus, there's an excellent reading list in the back. I can already tell this is a book I'll return to again and again.
Plus, there's an excellent reading list in the back. I can already tell this is a book I'll return to again and again.
December 18, 2020
So, I've been "currently reading" this for 6 years now. Picked it up a while back, started it, but for reasons I no longer remember, set it down.
Inspired by a flash nonfiction deadline I have, I dusted off my copy (okay, it wasn't dusty, and never far) and reread what I got through back then (about half) and then finished up, my underlining pencil in hand.
Overall, a grate variety of perspectives and things to think about as I go along. Not just flash, but longer forms as well. I was already in tune with some of it, but it's always good to be reminded. I do want to go back and try some of the exercises.
Inspired by a flash nonfiction deadline I have, I dusted off my copy (okay, it wasn't dusty, and never far) and reread what I got through back then (about half) and then finished up, my underlining pencil in hand.
Overall, a grate variety of perspectives and things to think about as I go along. Not just flash, but longer forms as well. I was already in tune with some of it, but it's always good to be reminded. I do want to go back and try some of the exercises.
October 13, 2024
This is an essential to any writer looking to understand and hone the craft of Flash Fiction. This is full of essays and practical advice from many writers of Flash Fiction. Flash is a great way to start to understand how to hone in on what you are really trying to say in an essay. Say it in 150 words, 250, 350, 500. An amazing teaching and learning manual from the master of Flash.
November 23, 2018
I felt like this book was quite instructive. Most essays were very relevant to the work that I was pursuing in class. My Kindle copy was a bit flawed, having the Table of Contents in Chinese. The text of the book was readable, however.
February 12, 2023
This wasn't as engaging as it's counterpart Flash Fiction. I found some of the writing lacked inspiration while other parts were well-written and informative. The different examples balance each other out.
September 11, 2023
Had to read this for my creative writing class. Honestly, I was not a fan. The layout in general is weird, as it will give prompts, then the example essays afterwards do not follow the prompts. I felt as if you really had to search for useful information, rather than it being offered to you easily.
July 23, 2024
Great read! Heard about this book from a mentor who used some of the exercises in our writing workshop and had to buy a copy for myself! Really cool insight from different writers on the craft of flash nonfiction and great writing prompts to get you started if you’re struggling with writer’s block!
April 25, 2020
This was a really helpful book!
June 5, 2020
Lovely for adult reading but not the best for teaching flash fiction to teens; better to use stories from The Moth podcast
July 4, 2020
Very useful and practical craft book written by one of my favorite cnf editors!
July 29, 2021
Excellent essays, helpful guidance to master the structure and elements of flash nonfiction that can apply to any writing in general. Fun and useful exercises included.
September 4, 2021
One of the only books from my writing program that made a significant shift in my perspective as a writer, how I write, while also giving new insight for generating new ideas.
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