A lot of people aim to write Flash Fiction because they think it’s going to be quicker than writing a longer story. Don’t they know their Blaise Pascal? (“”I have made this letter longer than usual because I lack the time to make it shorter.”)
55 Fiction
It is possible to write a good story in 55 words (the title isn’t part of the word-count, but must not exceed seven words), but it’s not necessarily a quick thing.
Still, Saturdays tend to have more ‘running around’ time than ‘sitting at a desk time’ for many of us, and that might equal ‘thinking time’ if we’re lucky.
So grab your idea right now. Then, while you’re folding laundry, or taking the kids to soccer, think about how you can deliver a punch in 55 words. Think about which elements of your story you can strip away to cut it down to 55 words. What is essential in your story?
He gripped the blue flannel so tight his knuckles were white. He could still smell the scent of his father woven between the fabric. There was no letting this go. He shook out the jacket and wrapped it around his shoulders. He let out a laugh because he was still small compared to dad’s shoulders.
The wind blew picking up the words of a boy. Who lost his parents. A wizard appears granting him the ability to have one wish. The boy decides he wants to see his family getting the chance to see them through a glass ball. The boy being satisfied was never seen again.