Writer's Workshop
where writers workshop writing!Critique Week has begun!
Due to some difficulties in getting submissions in we're extending critique week to Friday, March 16th and then wrap up the workshop the following Monday.
Mark Twain once said, "If I had more time, I would write a shorter story." That is what we will be doing in this workshop. The Flash Fiction and Compressed Poetry Workshop is a project that is designed to help writers be effective with limited word use and for poetry's sake, little space to do it in.
What is Flash Fiction? What is Compressed Poetry?
Flash Fiction is a short piece of prose that has a story structure and uses its limited amount of words to make an impact on the reader. Some examples of flash fiction are:
SomedayJane and Ellis floated parallel to one another across the vast canvas of space, eyeing the marble-like planets that slowly crept past them. Their skin reflected the starlight with a dull orange sheen. Ellis had called it 'planet gazing,' an activity he apparently thought suitable for a date.
"Do you see that one below us?" Ellis said, pointing to a round blue mass.
Jane shrugged.
"Isn't it beautiful?" he asked. "I'll bet it's beautiful on the surface, too. Like the way the dust begins to spiral when a star is forming."
"Something like that," Jane said. She didn't understand his excitement. Planets were nothing interesting. They were just stars without the fire; black holes without the absence of color; asteroids with an atmosphere. They were just specks of light that littered the sky. The only remotely interesting thing she knew about planets was that the gas in their atmosphere were extremely lethal. Big whoop, she thought. Floating, atmospheric rocks of death. Ellis sure knew how to
TeatimeIn January, Elsa got new neighbors. She greeted them with apple cinnamon tea.:thumb177114699:
It gets so cold, here, they told her, shivering in overstuffed parkas. Snow had turned to mud in their front hall—an unavoidable side-effect of moving in winter. Elsa nodded along to their complaints and observations, silently brewing the tea in their kitchen. They were young; they had big plans. Allison and Steve, newlyweds, just starting out. They sat on the cold floor together, sipping with chapped lips. The house filled with cinnamon.
In April, Allison knocked on Elsa's door. We're pregnant! White tea in a china teacup; the taste of flower petals and champagne. The last caffeine for the next eight months. Elsa let her keep the cup.
In May, Steve bought a carseat and a crib. Elsa helped him carry it inside. Flat-packed, but heavy. Sturd
Compressed Poetry, also known as Slender Poetry, is typically poetry that makes use of 4 or less words per line, depending on the length of the words. This can be used in many ways: to create detachment, isolation, or even making the words seem to read faster or slower to the reader by using enjambment, or difference in line length. Here are some examples:
Tips for Writing Flash Fiction
With Flash Fiction, you want your language to be as clear and concise as can be, you need to get to the point quickly! With only 500 words to spare, every word counts! - Tip provided by Lucy-Merriman Only pick details that move your story forward! Don't spend a paragraph on the appearances of the characters; it's more important to describe their body language first and if you can, then slip in an adjective or two describing their appearance, like so: Liz folded her arms into her body because of the cold. Now with adjectives: Liz folded her freckled arms into her matchstick-thin body because of the cold. - Tip provided by Lucy-Merriman and Nichrysalis Flash Fiction usually ends with a climax, rather than a resolution, or it may not even reach the climax and leave the reader hanging. You don't have to go through the full story structure when writing Flash Fiction. - Tip provided by Lucy-Merriman Do not use a whole cast of characters; keep the characters down to 2-3 people (or whatever species your characters are). - Tip provided by Nichrysalis Come up with a situation that has immediate conflict or tension to draw the reader in. Try to address your conflict in the first sentence of your story in as few words as possible: The bodies fell up. and Sleep views the world at right angles and has never seen a rainbow. - Tip provided by Lucy-Merriman and NichrysalisTips for Writing Compressed Poetry
Every word counts! Try not to go over 4 words at a time in one line. There are exceptions. If you want one line in particular to stand out, you can make it maybe 2-3 words longer depending on the length of the words themselves. - Tip provided by Lucy-Merriman and Nichrysalis How can you manipulate the line length to suit your rhythm? Try out varying line lengths (line 1 could have 1 word, line 2 have 4 words, and line 3 have 2 words, etc) and different ways of phrasing sentences to find a good rhythm for your poem. - Tip provided by Nichrysalis Read your poem aloud in a quiet room and listen to where you feel like pausing. Even if there isn't a line break there, if you feel yourself pausing, consider breaking the lines up further to emphasize that pause and bring more emotion to your piece. - Tip provided by Lucy-Merriman and Nichrysalis Make sure the way you are spacing the lines complements the words and content in the poem itself. Isolate words when you want the reader to focus on them, but don't create a stanza by itself for the word "the." - Tip provided by CailinLiath How does your poem look visually on the page? Compare it to the examples provided to get a sense of Compressed Poetry. - Tip provided by Lucy-MerrimanThe Challenge
Prose: Write a Flash Fiction piece with the only restriction being a 500 word count maximum. Ask questions if you get stuck on what you are writing. Poetry: Write a Compressed Poetry piece without going over 4 words per line. Have your line length vary throughout the piece. Max word count is 250 words. That's roughly 70 lines! Plenty of space to express your idea. Don't be afraid to ask for help in this journal.Use a word processor or WordCountTool to get an accurate word count.
Workshop Details
February 20th, the Workshop begins. February 27th, the Workshop Folder is open to the public! March 5th, Critique Week begins! March 12th, the Workshop comes to a close with featured pieces.Resources & Publications
Matter Press
WordCountTool
FlashFiction.net
8 Tips for Writing Flash Fiction
