Flash fiction at your fingertips

Flash fiction is an extremely brief short story, commonly less than one thousand words. Although well-established for a long time, the term ‘flash fiction’ wasn’t applied to the genre until the late twentieth century. Early examples can be found in nineteenth century America from authors such as Walt Whitman, Ambrose Bierce, and Kate Chopin. Since these early works, a varied forms of flash fiction have reached readers. These range from ‘micro-fiction’, which is normally around one hundred words, to ‘sudden fiction’, around 750 words. Like poetry, every word in flash fiction is carefully considered for a specific purpose. Revolving around an economic use of language, there aren’t any wasted words. Despite its brevity, often flash fiction also manages to offer both character and plot development, even hinting to a larger story.

The rising popularity of flash fiction can be attributed to our decreasing attention spans, caused by our desire for instant gratification…

In a world with an ever-decreasing attention span, many people are less inclined to pick up a novel and read it from cover to cover. Smart phones mean that we are always ‘connected’, meaning that we can never fully switch off from work, making us just as busy when we come home in the evenings. A study published in the Telegraph found that the human attention span decreased from twelve seconds in 2000, to just eight seconds by 2015.  In line with these results, a short story of less than 1000 words seems to be much more appealing for the modern day reader than an entire novel.

The rising popularity of flash fiction can be attributed to our decreasing attention spans, caused by our desire for instant gratification. In the past, it was more normal to have to wait for technology. Whereas it once could take months to have your photos developed or weeks to receive a letter, they are now available instantly. Social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram are used to gain instant feedback on an idea in the form of likes or comments. For writers of flash fiction, this immediacy works in the same way. When flash fiction is posted online, instant feedback is generated. For aspiring authors, this genre is an appealing entry point into writing, creating an immediate conversation with readers.

Flash fiction reveals the flexibility of literature and its ability to adapt to suit our modern lives…

In an ever-connected world, flash fiction is available wherever you are. An internet search exposes you to a wealth of this literature. There are many online magazines allowing the reader to find a new ‘short, short story’ every day, or thousands of blogs owned by amateur writers posting their own micro-fiction. For the busy commuter, these are perfect, since flash fiction presents an alternative to trawling through bookshops for a quick read. With your phone no doubt already in your hand, accessing these resources online also reduces the amount of books in your bag on the bus to campus!

With the media industries competing to gain our limited attention, the written word is continuing to fight for its place at the forefront of our minds (and our phones). Flash fiction reveals the flexibility of literature and its ability to adapt to suit our busy, modern lifestyles.