FlashFiction.Net

I spent part of an hour or so searching "how to write flash fiction" and reading over the top hits. I discovered some interesting "facts" about flash fiction. Highlights below.

What is flash fiction and why is it so difficult to write? These two questions are at the heart of the dilemma faced by every writer who has tried to master the art of flash fiction. Let there be no doubt that flash fiction is an art form. You will find it all over the Internet. There are dozens of print and online publications that publish flash fiction. Editors and publishers love flash fiction because it saves space for ads. An online search will even turn up paying markets for flash fiction.

—"10 Great Flash Fiction Ideas" Guy Hogan

I love this idea of flash fiction connected to someone making money from it. It makes me angry though, thinking of all those lit magazine editors and publishers who used my flash fiction to get rich off ad revenue. Bastards.

Set a timer for your writing. Although this is not a necessity, most flash fiction writers like to limit their writing time. There is no set time limit, but many writers like to do their writing and editing in under an hour.

—"How To Write Flash Fiction" Robin Shreeves

It's a bit of an odd desire, to become a writer to limit one's writing time. It's probably very true, this fast drafting aspect of flash; it just sounded a bit—whoops, gotta go!

The main thing to remember is to keep your reader guessing for as long as you can, hopefully right up to the end.

—"Why Write Flash Fiction?" Pamela Heffernan

I'm a very strange reader, methinks. If I'm guessing after the first sentence, I'm moving onto a different story. 

Make the reader guess until the end. A little mystery goes a long way. Your reader may have no idea what is going on for the majority of the story. This will lure them on to the end. When they finish, there should be a good pay off or solution.

Make the story ambiguous. The fun of reading flash fiction is that each person sees something different. Is the story about a lost love, a beloved first car or a runaway pet? Allow for more than one interpretation and people will read your story again and again.