SHARON POPPEN
Author
So You Want to Write Flash Fiction
Lesson 1
Here are some things you should consider before you start.
Why do you want to write?
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To make money? Fine, but don’t quit your day job.
To make money? Fine, but don’t quit your day job.-Because your 8th grade teacher told you that you have talent? Again, fine, but don’t quit your day job.
Because your 8th grade teacher told you that you have talent? Again, fine, but don’t quit your day job.-Because almost everything you see, touch, smell, feel and/or taste stirs your imagination? This puts you in some very special company that started with the first caveman/woman who picked up a rock and scraped a picture onto his cave wall. You understand that words are carvings of the pictures in our minds. Still, don’t quit your day job just yet.
Because almost everything you see, touch, smell, feel and/or taste stirs your imagination? This puts you in some very special company that started with the first caveman/woman who picked up a rock and scraped a picture onto his cave wall. You understand that words are carvings of the pictures in our minds. Still, don’t quit your day job just yet.-Because you just have to? Yep, you’re a writer, a perceptive person who sits in an airport waiting room, reads faces and conjures up a vignette, story or a novel based on an imagination rich with creativity. But, don’t quit your day job just yet.
Because you just have to? Yep, you’re a writer, a perceptive person who sits in an airport waiting room, reads faces and conjures up a vignette, story or a novel based on an imagination rich with creativity. But, don’t quit your day job just yet.-
What do you need to know about writing?
Basic grammar
-You MUST get a copy of ‘The Elements of Style’ by Strunk & White.
You MUST get a copy of ‘The Elements of Style’ by Strunk & White. Quick – tell me when to use ‘that’ vs ‘which? These small nuances tell an
editor whether you’re serious about your work. ‘Elements’ is
only 85 pages long and has a simple to use index. You need this book.
-Take a Creative Writing course. Ah, you’re doing that right now. You’re on your way.
Take a Creative Writing course. Ah, you’re doing that right now. You’re on your way.Think about the types of genres
-Fiction – We’ll talk in depth about this one. The information applies to novels, but we’ll focus on the Short Story (usually between 1,000 and 3,000 words) and Flash Fiction (Under 1,000 words)
Fiction – We’ll talk in depth about this one. The information applies to novels, but we’ll focus on the Short Story (usually between 1,000 and 3,000 words) and Flash Fiction (Under 1,000 words)-Non-Fiction – Reports, Memoirs, Journals – popular, but won’t be covered in this course.
Non-Fiction – Reports, Memoirs, Journals – popular, but won’t be covered in this course.-Essay – Opinion pieces, school projects – also popular, but won’t be covered here.
Essay – Opinion pieces, school projects – also popular, but won’t be covered here.Elements of Fiction
-Set-up, often referred to as the hook. If you don’t hook ‘em, forget ‘em. Would you read more of ‘She didn’t feel good.’ Or ‘I need help with this’ or ‘The girls gathered after school’. Now try these opening lines for the same stories noted above. ‘DeeDee’s butt hurt.’ Or ‘Help. I can’t bend his arms, legs and etc.’ or ‘Angie, we shouldn’t be doing this.’ ‘Tell me if you don’t want more info after reading the second set. Hook! Most important part of your story.
Set-up, often referred to as the hook. If you don’t hook ‘em, forget ‘em. Would you read more of ‘She didn’t feel good.’ Or ‘I need help with this’ or ‘The girls gathered after school’. Now try these opening lines for the same stories noted above. ‘DeeDee’s butt hurt.’ Or ‘Help. I can’t bend his arms, legs and etc.’ or ‘Angie, we shouldn’t be doing this.’ ‘Tell me if you don’t want more info after reading the second set. Hook! Most important part of your story.-Conflict is how you keep the reader’s attention. Boy meets girl, they fall in love, they live happily ever after. Yep, it’s ‘Cinderella’ in a nutshell, but without the stepmother, the glass slipper and the midnight deadline, Disneyland would be short one princess legend. The reader must want to read the next line, turn the page to see what will happen next. And, if the reader is creative, they’ll be trying to second guess you and figure out the outcome from the clues you’ve imbedded in the story Give me a character to love/hate, to root for or hope he/she fails. Give me word pictures that show me what’s going on, don’t tell me. For example – ‘She had long, brown and her eyes were blue.’ Vs ‘ He watched her hand comb her long, brown hair and flinched when noticed her deep blue eyes glistened in accusation.’
Conflict is how you keep the reader’s attention. Boy meets girl, they fall in love, they live happily ever after. Yep, it’s ‘Cinderella’ in a nutshell, but without the stepmother, the glass slipper and the midnight deadline, Disneyland would be short one princess legend. The reader must want to read the next line, turn the page to see what will happen next. And, if the reader is creative, they’ll be trying to second guess you and figure out the outcome from the clues you’ve imbedded in the story Give me a character to love/hate, to root for or hope he/she fails. Give me word pictures that show me what’s going on, don’t tell me. For example – ‘She had long, brown and her eyes were blue.’ Vs ‘ He watched her hand comb her long, brown hair and flinched when noticed her deep blue eyes glistened in accusation.’-Resolution will work toward giving you a fan base. If you give them a satisfying ending, when they see your byline, they give you their time. You can even give them an odd twist, but be sure that somewhere in your hook or conflict there’s a hint. A reader who reads your last line and has a strong reaction, it can be an ‘ahhhh’ or an ‘uggggh’, will read you again.
Resolution will work toward giving you a fan base. If you give them a satisfying ending, when they see your byline, they give you their time. You can even give them an odd twist, but be sure that somewhere in your hook or conflict there’s a hint. A reader who reads your last line and has a strong reaction, it can be an ‘ahhhh’ or an ‘uggggh’, will read you again.When to write
-If you like to write, do it when the spirit moves you.
If you like to write, do it when the spirit moves you.-If you consider yourself a writer, write every day. Set a time to start and a time span. A professor once told me that if I considered myself a writer, I needed to write everyday for at least thirty minutes. Unless you don’t have family and responsibilities, don’t sit and write to the exclusion of all else, because when you rejoin the world, you’re way behind and it takes days for you get back to your writing. It’s kind of like exercising. Daily workouts, not binges. It has worked for me. Some days get crazy for me, but I always have my thirty minutes.
If you consider yourself a writer, write every day. Set a time to start and a time span. A professor once told me that if I considered myself a writer, I needed to write everyday for at least thirty minutes. Unless you don’t have family and responsibilities, don’t sit and write to the exclusion of all else, because when you rejoin the world, you’re way behind and it takes days for you get back to your writing. It’s kind of like exercising. Daily workouts, not binges. It has worked for me. Some days get crazy for me, but I always have my thirty minutes.Assignment
-Okay, lets get started. Write a flash fiction story. Keep it under 1000 words.
Okay, lets get started. Write a flash fiction story. Keep it under 1000 words.Submit it to the group before ( WHEN THE NEXT CLASS STARTS ).
-Next week, we’ll cover the techniques of critiquing with a focus on the following. Did you hook me? Did you give me a puzzle to solve or stir an emotion in me? Did you develop a character that made me love/hate him/her? Will I believe the situation? Did I sigh or groan with emotion when I read ‘The End’.
Next week, we’ll cover the techniques of critiquing with a focus on the following. Did you hook me? Did you give me a puzzle to solve or stir an emotion in me? Did you develop a character that made me love/hate him/her? Will I believe the situation? Did I sigh or groan with emotion when I read ‘The End’.Questions
-Post any questions you may have regarding what’s been presented here or questions in general about fiction writing. I will answer them during out next session.
Post any questions you may have regarding what’s been presented here or questions in general about fiction writing. I will answer them during out next session.Lesson 2
Reacting to Critiques
-Who to ask for critiques. As a rule, don’t ask family or close friends. You put both you and them in a difficult position. If they don’t like what you’ve written, they feel awkward about telling you so. If they liked it, you’ll wonder if love didn’t obscure their reaction. Find a writer’s group of like-minded folks either locally or on-line. The on-line writer’s groups are usually the most honest. The only connection you have with them is the written word and they are usually brutally honest.
Who to ask for critiques. As a rule, don’t ask family or close friends. You put both you and them in a difficult position. If they don’t like what you’ve written, they feel awkward about telling you so. If they liked it, you’ll wonder if love didn’t obscure their reaction. Find a writer’s group of like-minded folks either locally or on-line. The on-line writer’s groups are usually the most honest. The only connection you have with them is the written word and they are usually brutally honest.-They liked it! The critiquer says ‘I love it’. Nice, but does it help you know what worked or didn’t? You can’t dictate how you’ll be critiqued, but make sure any feedback you give to an author reveals what worked, what didn’t and why.
They liked it! The critiquer says ‘I love it’. Nice, but does it help you know what worked or didn’t? You can’t dictate how you’ll be critiqued, but make sure any feedback you give to an author reveals what worked, what didn’t and why.-They didn’t like it. If they were specific as to why, decide if it was just a problem of prejudice or wrong genre for the reader. If not, evaluate their comments and see if their suggestions/objections would improve the piece. It’s hard to hear negative comments about your story, but good constructive criticism is vital to bringing your story up to the best possible level. Having said that, keep in mind, that it is your story, your voice. You decide what to use and what to toss.
They didn’t like it. If they were specific as to why, decide if it was just a problem of prejudice or wrong genre for the reader. If not, evaluate their comments and see if their suggestions/objections would improve the piece. It’s hard to hear negative comments about your story, but good constructive criticism is vital to bringing your story up to the best possible level. Having said that, keep in mind, that it is your story, your voice. You decide what to use and what to toss.-Here are questions that should be addresses. What hooked the reader and why? What phrasing or action made the character come alive? Was the situation believable? Did the plot drag in spots or was the pacing a compliment to the action? Was there author intrusion with a lot of telling or was the reader given word pictures to see what was happing. How did you feel when you read the last line? Did you want more? Would you read this author again?
Here are questions that should be addresses. What hooked the reader and why? What phrasing or action made the character come alive? Was the situation believable? Did the plot drag in spots or was the pacing a compliment to the action? Was there author intrusion with a lot of telling or was the reader given word pictures to see what was happing. How did you feel when you read the last line? Did you want more? Would you read this author again?Editing
-Most of your stories will require some editing. Might be grammar. Might be work on the basic story elements. Use the critiques, both others and your own.
Most of your stories will require some editing. Might be grammar. Might be work on the basic story elements. Use the critiques, both others and your own.-Some stories will require a second editing. Some a third, but there comes a time when you bless it and move on to getting it published.
Some stories will require a second editing. Some a third, but there comes a time when you bless it and move on to getting it published.Questions
-Post any questions you may have regarding what’s been presented here or questions in general about fiction writing. I will answer them during out next session.
Post any questions you may have regarding what’s been presented here or questions in general about fiction writing. I will answer them during out next session.Lesson 3
Stories submitted will be posted with my comments/critiques.
Questions will be answered.
Classes will start every Wednesday.
This is an internet class and will be held via computer either by email or message board.
