She danced with a daring I longed to possess.
She danced as if she owned the stage and everyone in attendance were there to see her.
She danced with freedom, born of innocence and unbridled joy.
She danced with abandonment as if no one watched; yet we were all spellbound.
She danced with grace and spunk; her message loud and clear – look out world here I come.
Written in response to Lillie McFerrin Writes Five Sentence Fiction – This week’s word: Spunk 
Lets talk about flash fiction. Having dipped my toe into this market a few years ago, I love it. Writing flash fiction challenges me to write leaner, encourages my muse, and gives me the break I need from the in-depth work of my novel.
Although, definitions vary from market to market, the terms flash fiction, short-shorts or micro-fiction are often used interchangeably. However, all specify word counts, ranging from 300 – 1000 words.
In short (no pun intended), flash fiction are compete stories, driven by tight, lean writing and limited by the number of words. The number varies on the market and genre, but range between 300 – 1000 words. Stories less than 300 are most often referred to as micro fiction.
One of the best articles I’ve ever read on this subject is Suzanne Vincent’s article, Managing Story Length from Slushpile Avalanche. You can also, check it out Becky Tuch’s post, Flash Fiction: What’s it all About? As the founding editor of The Review Review, she went to the experts to find out what they had to say about this growing genre. Interested in dipping your toe?
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Markets catering to flash fiction here. Besides doing a search on Duotrope, you can find markets accepting flash fiction by going to these links.
Photo courtesy of google and time.com
“Look at that family, the parents look as if they’d rather be anywhere than sitting across from each other and the kids have their faces stuck in a phone or tablet.”
Millie’s shoulders sagged as she realized one of her husband’s favorite soapbox topics had highjacked the evening.
“I’m mean, dinner used to be for family conversations; what the hell, people don’t talk anymore?”
Millie glanced at the family across from them, “Seems to me, the kids have taken all the table conversation they can stand,” she said, catching bits of the couple’s angry exchange.
“Our society is going to hell,” she heard him say, before tuning him out and reaching for her iPhone, “Can’t say I blame them.”
Written in Response to: http://lilliemcferrin.com/five-sentence-fiction-diversions/ This week’s word: DIVERSIONS
Five Sentence Fiction is about packing a powerful punch in a tiny fist. A five sentence story based on the prompt word.
Want to participate? Check it out at Lillie McFerrin Writes and as always, I’d love to hear from you. Talk to me, tell me your story.
In my last post, I mentioned how important submitting work on a regular basis is to writers. So, it’s only fair I share with you some of my favorite resources for the most up-to-date lists..
1) Duotrope: No longer free, this service now requires a paid membership. A 30-day free trial is available; after that, the cost is $5/month.
4) New Pages
Photo courtesy of google and http://www.southwestwriters.com
I hope you will explore these sites, make a list and begin submitting. I’d love to hear what you think, and about your successes. So, drop me a line.
Happy writing and good luck on your submissions.
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