ANALYZING FLASH FICTION

I find that carefully analyzing outstanding flash fiction is a great way to learn more about the craft of writing.  In my online Flash Fiction Writing Workshop, every once in a while we do a group analysis of a particularly striking published story.  Here are links to three (of the many) that we've analyzed as a group.

Charles Baudelaire's intriguing "To Each His Own Chimera" at  http://www.piranesia.net/baudelaire/spleen/frame.html
(on the left side, click on story #6).

Last month we took a close look at Mary Robison's "Yours" and between us we discovered/ uncovered some outstanding writing techniques.  That story's at
http://recommendedreading.tumblr.com/post/45262026886/ben-greenman-recommends-yours-by-mary-Robison

(URL/Link must be unbroken so if you need to, cut and past it into your browser.)

This month we're taking a close look at Gordon Lish 's delightful and disturbing "The Merry Chase" at http://theeveningrednessinthewest.wordpress.com/2009/11/01/two-short-stories-from-gordon-lish/
(It's the second story on that page, so scroll down to get to it.)  I expect we'll have lots to talk about with this one. 

JOIN THE FLASH FICTION WORKSHOP
You're welcome to join us at the (free) Flash Fiction Writing Workshop.  It's been going strong for fifteen years.  We submit flash literature for critiquing, discuss writing theory, post markets, and occasionally do group story analyses and sometimes write to posted prompts.  We all use our real names and there's a participation requirement (a minimum of four critiques per month).  To join, send a blank subject header message to:

listserv@listserv.uta.edu

In the message section write only this:  Subscribe FlashFiction-W joejones@haha.net (your email address). 

If I get too many applicants I'll revive our waiting list (and will let you know).  Then when present members leave, I'll add in new members.  Right now we can accommodate at least twenty more members.  So if you're a serious flash literature writer, join us. 

(We also accept submissions of haibun, prose poetry-- but not regular poetry-- flash memoir, flash plays, short-short creative nonfiction-- all 1,000 words or fewer.)

FLASH FICTION FLASH NEWSLETTER
And don't forget, I also publish a free Flash Fiction Flash newsletter each month.  In that I list paying flash literature markets (markets that pay an honorarium, contributor copy, and/ or subscription, etc. And I include the writing contests I find.  (Do send me markets you're aware of, too.)

To subscribe send a blank subject header message to FlashFictionFlash-Subscribe@yahoogroups.com (don't forget the hyphen-Subscribe)