By: Kate Ristau
“Writing flash fiction is like running a sprint – – every moment counts.”
That’s what Miriam Gershow has to say about writing flash fiction. Gershow, a senior writing instructor at University of Oregon, is the author of The Local News (Spiegel & Grau) and Survival Tips: Stories (Propeller Books).
But not too worry — the sprint can be a good thing. “That’s what makes it so exciting,” Gershow said. “It can be a real shot in the arm for your writing practice (not to mix my metaphors).”
When you are working on a flash piece. You do not have time to waste words.
“Every word and image and sentence and idea has to be in service to your bite-sized story.”
Flash Works in Weird and Wild Ways
Flash fiction does A LOT with a little. But it’s not just like a tiny short story. Flash fiction works in particular ways. Sometimes, flash is surprising and unexpected. Sometimes, it is unnerving.
“So much great flash fiction is strange and abrupt and leaves the reader with powerful feelings or ideas rather than easy resolution. I love how disruptive flash is to traditional story structure. There’s so much room to experiment and play!”
Learn more about Flash Fiction with us!
If you’ve been working on flash fiction and want to dive in deeper, or are brand new to writing flash, join Miriam Gershow for a Master Class at the Willamette Writers Conference this year on August 2 from 9-3PM. More details on the class below. You’ll walk away with new work and new perspectives.
In the meantime, keep writing. We can’t wait to read what you are working on.
About the Master Class on Flash Fiction
Flash fiction is a fast form with its own publishing eco-system. You will spend the first part of this master class reading great flash and generating several new flash pieces of your own. For the second part, we will explore the flash fiction publishing universe and find the best venues for your work. Bring computer or pen and paper, whichever you prefer for generating new work. All levels and genres of writers welcome! Find out more here.
About Miriam Gershow
Miriam Gershow is the author of The Local News (Spiegel & Grau) and Survival Tips: Stories (Propeller Books). Her novel, Closer, is forthcoming from Regal House in 2025. Her stories appear in The Georgia Review, Gulf Coast and Black Warrior Review, among other journals. Her short fiction and non-fiction appears in anthologies from Alan Squire Books and Alternating Currents, as well as in Pithead Chapel, Salon and Craft Literary among other journals. She is the recipient of a Fiction Fellowship from the Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing and an Oregon Literary Fellowship, as well as writing residencies at Playa, Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts, Hypatia-in-the-Woods, and Wildacres. Find out more about Miriam here.
