Going Short: An Invitation to Flash Fiction

by Nancy Stohlman

Flash fiction is changing the way we tell stories. Carving away the excess, eliminating all but the most essential, flash fiction is putting the story through a literary dehydrator, leaving the meat without the fat. And it only looks easy.

Enter Going An Invitation to Flash Fiction. In this, her treatise on the form, veteran writer Nancy Stohlman takes us on a flash fiction from creating, sculpting, revisioning and collecting stories to best practices for writers in any genre. It is both instructive and conversational, witty and practical, and presented in flash fiction chapters that demonstrate the form as they discuss it. If you’re already a flash fiction lover, this book will be a dose of inspiration. If you teach flash fiction, you’ll want it as part of your repertoire. And if you’re new to the form, you might just find yourself ready to begin.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Flash Fiction

158 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 15, 2020

About the author

Nancy Stohlman's books include Going Short: An Invitation to Flash Fiction (2020), Madam Velvet's Cabaret of Oddities (2018), a finalist for the Colorado Book Award; The Vixen Scream and Other Bible Stories (2014), The Monster Opera (2013), Searching for Suzi: a flash novel (2009), and three anthologies of flash fiction including Fast Forward: The Mix Tape (2010). She is the creator of The F-Bomb Flash Fiction Reading Series in Denver, FlashNano in November, and co-founder of Flash Fiction Retreats. She lives in Denver and teaches at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Reviews

[Sylvia Petter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A master class in flash fiction that practices what it preaches. Each chapter is a flash - flash of insight - in this generous compilation of advice on the genre. Go short and you may never come back. I devoured it.

[Joyce Bingham · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic flash fiction for newbies and experienced flash writers. Refreshing and masterful.

[Tracy Fells · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are interested in writing Flash Fiction, or you are already an established Flash Fiction writer, then I highly recommend this brilliant guide to the genre. Cleverly, each section is written as a slice of Flash and perfectly demonstrates the form. This book is packed with wisdom on the process, art and ethos behind Flash Fiction. I read it quickly and am re-reading to highlight the sections I find useful, and literally even page is marked up (I discarded the sticky notes early on because I was going to run out!).
For me this is up there with Stephen King's 'On Writing' for insights and quotes on what writing is all about, one I will continue to revisit again and again.

[Slawka Scarso · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It reads like a collection of flash non-fiction pieces, which makes it really enjoyable, and it's packed with useful tips. I recommend it to anyone who's trying to get a better understanding of this fascinating genre.

[Barbara McVeigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

For Flash writers old and new. Packed with great advice. I just re-read the chapter on the Magic Trick: Cut It in Half. Brilliant!

[Lila Diller · Rating 3 out of 5]

If it weren't for the bad language and the sexual material used only as examples, I would highly recommend this book. But I can't.
I will use the prompts in the back to rekindle my love of writing, and I will use many of the ideas for editing while rewriting and revising my novel. I've always been a wordy writer, so this will be difficult but beneficial for me, I'm sure.

[Lisa Rodrigues · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring.

[Louella Lester · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great resource whether you are new to flash or have been writing it for a long time. Easy to read and understand. Wonderful!

[J.C. Reilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the things I like about this book is that it's kind of written in flash...each chapter is rarely longer than a page. It has good information and 100 great prompts at the end.

[Myna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Going Short is a fantastic resource for flash writers, both new and experienced. The chapters are bite-sized, with specific information written in a direct, entertaining style. The micro length of each piece, combined with Ms. Stohlman’s beautiful use of language, make the book a fun and elevating read. Chapters range from basic explanations of what flash is (& what it isn’t), to the construction of memorable flash stories, how to polish each piece until it shines, and finally, what to do with your flash gems when they are complete. There is also a generous section of prompts. The book is packed with information, but is still a quick read. It is inviting, never stuffy or boring. My copy is already dog-eared and filled with sticky notes marking the new ideas I want to try. I’ve got a lot of craft books, but this is by far the most helpful book on flash fiction I’ve encountered.

[Reader Views · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Going Short: An Invitation to Flash Fiction (Master Class Series)” by Nancy Stohlman, is an energetic, comprehensive guide that teaches writers how to write flash fiction.

Some readers like long, luxurious stories, while others like them short and sweet. Writers are no different. Some enjoy writing the long novel, while others enjoy the shorthand style of flash fiction. Some, of course, prefer to do both. If you’re a writer who’s never dabbled in flash fiction but wants to, or one who has but would like to take a deeper dive into the process and take your writing to the next level, then this book is all you really need. Stohlman takes you through the basics–what flash fiction is, what it isn’t, and what it could be when done well. Anyone can write a super short story. But does it still make an impact? Is it as entertaining and moving as if you’d written it long? This book will help you explore that and will give you hands-on instruction on how to make your flash fiction the best it can be.

We writers have all heard the advice “write tight” or “write lean.” But flash fiction is more than just being concise. It’s creating a meaningful story in a short amount of space–still satisfying. Still moving. It has nothing to do with short attention spans or a lack of time. It means you enjoy really short fiction, for its own sake.

This book covers all the angles, from myth-busting, to avoiding mistakes, to the nuts-and-bolt of writing a flash fiction story. Besides all this, there are valuable tips on how and where to get published, how to handle rejection (it’s good for you!), and the art of self-promotion. It isn’t a long book but is packed with diamond chips you can turn to again and again–just like flash fiction. I love the sound, real-world advice, the samples, and the breezy yet informative tone. If you like the short form, as reader or writer, make sure “Going Short: An Invitation to Flash Fiction (Master Class Series)” by Nancy Stohlman, is part of your must-read library.

[Jo Kerr · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great handbook for gaining insight into flash fiction. The flash chapters mean it’s easy to dip in and out of it, which I liked because some of the information definitely benefits from percolating for a while.

Some of the insights resonated particularly well for me eg write a lot and write badly (so you can also get the good stuff down), and allow stories time to gestate (something that definitely helps my own efforts).

Other things I found helpful;
- The whole section on editing
- Examples that were used to demonstrate altering story length
- Psychology of writing/not writing, sharing and trying to get published
- Prompts at the back (I will definitely use them to generate stories)


There weren’t many downsides to this book. If I could change anything it would be;
- More practical guidance on actually writing flash
- More examples of what works and what doesn’t
- More info from judges on what they look for, how they compare or score pieces

NB there is quite a lot on putting together a collection/anthology which was not relevant for me (or not now, anyway)

Overall I found it an engaging read, with lots of useful information. I’ll definitely use the prompts and will dip back in and out of it time and again.
3.5 stars, rounded to 4 stars for GoodReads.

[Suz Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The flash fiction story bends with tension like a fish caught at the end of a pole. There’s movement, a sense of something unfolding—or having just unfolded. “

After an introductory section, the book is divided into four sections: writing flash fiction, sculpting flash fiction, flash fiction books, and going short. I found lots of great nuggets about writing and revising flash and enjoyed learning about novel and novellas composed of flash. I was surprised to see so much time devoted to anthologies and collections plus the catch all of the fourth section, which discusses thing like bios, websites, and rejection. The information was good, but I wished for more of a focus on writing and revising flash. The appendix contains a nice bonus -100 story prompts.

[Eric Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Flash fiction – stories of up to 1,000 words – is a new way of writing, and one that sounds quite appealing. Nancy Stohlman’s book is a short (as you’d expect) introduction to the subject. She’s passionate about writing to word limits (so am I) and she’s convincing in making the case that this is not necessarily an easier way to write. Indeed, writing a 300 word micro-story is in some ways much harder than writing a ‘normal’ short story ten times that length. The best part of the book: she offers dozens of prompts, ideas to get one started writing. If I ever publish flash fiction, remember: it started with this book.

[Kony · Rating 3 out of 5]

A concise overview of what flash fiction is, and what makes an effective flash or nano story. Closes with general advice on editing/revision, publishing, and self-promotion that could apply to writers of any genre.

This slim paperback will give you a basic orientation to the genre, and the micro chapters helpfully embody the qualities of flash— but if you’re looking for examples to study closely and scaffolding to actually try your hand at writing flash stories, you’ll want to look instead at flash-focused anthologies (e.g. “The Best of Brevity”) and other craft manuals (e.g. the Rose Metal Press field guides).

[Kate Leimer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book a really useful guide to Flash Fiction and how to write it well. It’s a book I’ve quoted and one I’ll turn to for help and inspiration if I get stuck for ideas, motivation or don’t feel I’m getting it quite right and not sure why.
Broken up into short easy to read chapters, it’s full of common sense advice and helpful tips.
Definitely worth reading if you want to write good short fiction.
100 Story prompts at the back too!

[Marina Pacheco · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent, and appropriately short, summary of the an emerging new art form - flash fiction. If you're curious about what flash fiction is and isn't this will explain everything. It also gives a good roadmap on how to publish and promote your work. I listened to the audiobook which was read by the author. This doesn't always work, but I find is better in non-fiction where the the author's enthusiasm for their subject often shines through.

[Allison Renner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been a fan of flash fiction since college, but haven’t found a good book about it - examples, guidelines, tips and tricks - until now. Going Short has it all, plus some writing prompts in the back to get you going if you seem stuck. I know it’s counterintuitive, but I feel like I basically underlined the whole book… It’s just that good.

[Sarah Mosedale · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enormously readable and concise guide to everything you need to know to develop your skills in flash. I devoured the whole thing with pleasure and know I will return to it many times to jolt, tease or beguile myself into further creative action.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

felt super called out by this but everything stohlman said was true. this book helped me figure out that no, most "flash" i've written was not, in fact, flash, but it also helped me figure out how to actually write flash. a win overall

[Jeannie Collins Beaudin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring ideas!

Plenty of inspiration here. The author uses the flash form to communicate her ideas, demonstrating the form while teaching it. Each chapter feels like a flash essay, and all are arranged in a logical sequence. A great form for bloggers to consider delving into...

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a useful and insightful manual that is also engaging and entertaining. No matter the skill level, there’s something needed inside. It even got me going again after six months of pandemic slump. For that, and much more, I am grateful.

[Linda Henk · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Going Short" offers practical advice for any writer interested in the craft of flash, whether it is fiction of nonfiction. Nancy Stohlan speaks directly to you, the reader, as she introduces you to Flash writing. I will keep this book among my writing references. Good job, Nancy!

[Jane Nash · Rating 5 out of 5]

GOING SHORT - A SHORT BOOK

This is really for those who are well into their short story or flash fiction. Great advice for publishing and confidence with your work. Good prompts at the end.

[Sally Reno · Rating 5 out of 5]

The definitive guide to reading and writing flash fiction for both novices and masters. While this IS a craft book it is a fun read for anyone who appreciates good fiction.

[Laura Besley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous resource on the nuts and bolts, but also highs and lows, of writing short fiction. Highly recommend.

[Jack Swanzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of good writing insights for short and longer fiction. An easy read, inspiring.

[Treasure Island Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very short book on writing very short stories. I hoped to find specific markets for flash, but this book does not include them. Expensive for the amount of material within.

[Emilie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great craft book for the aspiring flash author

[m i l · Rating 5 out of 5]

reread