Microfiction

Microfiction: The Art of Concise Narrative

Microfiction refers to very short works of fiction, often no more than a few hundred words, sometimes as few as six. Its essence lies in conveying a complete story, character, or concept within a constrained word limit, focusing on brevity, precision, and impact. Unlike traditional fiction, microfiction requires immediate engagement, strategic word choice, and implicit meaning, often leaving space for readers to fill in gaps. It’s also known by various terms, including flash fiction (usually under 1000 words), drabble (exactly 100 words), six-word stories, Twitterature, micro-stories, and sudden fiction.

Types and Variations

1. Six-word stories – E.g., Hemingway’s “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”

2. Drabbles – Exactly 100 words.

3. Flash fiction – Generally <1000 words.

4. Sudden fiction – Spontaneous, impactful micro-narratives.

5. Twitterature – Fiction constrained to a single tweet or platform post.

6. Micro-memoir – Short autobiographical sketches.

7. Hint fiction – Fiction that hints at a larger story.

8. Nano-fiction – Ultra-short, often single-sentence narratives.

9. Postcard fiction – Designed to fit on a postcard.

I am a microfiction author of various types, but I particularly enjoy writing six-word stories. I will be posting various types of microfiction here regularly. Please consider subscribing or sending me some feedback on the postings.

Thanks!

Larry