Q&A for How to Write Flash Fiction

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What is a good antagonist?

Julia Martins
BA in English, Stanford University
Julia Martins is an aspiring writer currently living in San Francisco, California. She graduated from Stanford University with a BA in English and has been published in Cornell University's Rainy Day Magazine, Stanford University's Leland Quarterly, and Bards and Sages Quarterly.

Julia Martins

BA in English, Stanford University

Expert Answer

Your antagonist doesn't need to be a person. Depending on your story's theme, sometimes setting your protagonist "against" nature — or even "against" their own personal demons — can be a very compelling story!

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Question

What makes a good twist?

Julia Martins
BA in English, Stanford University
Julia Martins is an aspiring writer currently living in San Francisco, California. She graduated from Stanford University with a BA in English and has been published in Cornell University's Rainy Day Magazine, Stanford University's Leland Quarterly, and Bards and Sages Quarterly.

Julia Martins

BA in English, Stanford University

Expert Answer

Avoid cliché twists. Some common twist endings to avoid are: having your protagonist wake up from a dream, having everyone in the story be secretly related, or the story having been a "prank" everyone was in on. If you want to surprise the reader with a good twist, think of something that will change their interpretation of what the story means!

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Question

I notcied that in most popular flash fictions there's little to no dialog, I was wondering if there's a logic to that?

Community Answer

Many flash-fiction writers avoid writing dialogue since it takes up a large number of words. In flash-fiction, dialogue need to be limited so that the story does not feel like a scene from a play.

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Question

Which P.O.V is the best to use with a short, fantasy, fairytale story?

Community Answer

Traditional fairytales are written using the third person, but you don't have to do this. You could write using the first person, and tell the story through the main character's eyes.

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