Tiny Kingdoms: Writing and Publishing the VERY Short Story

Big things can come in small packages—their own perfect beauty tied to their size. The short short story—also known as “flash fiction,” “suddens,” “nouvelles” (in France), “pocket-size stories,” and “the smokelong” (the time it takes to smoke a cigarette)—is literary proof that great fiction can come in a small package.

A tale told quickly offers pleasure long after its telling, perhaps because the form sits on so many thresholds, or because brevity and urgency demand study. In this workshop, says Andy Touhy, “You’ll get a taste of this quicksilver genre by closely reading a variety of short shorts for inspiration, as well as to understand how they operate, all with an eye toward approaches that suit your writing style, mind, and personality. You’ll also, through a series of generative exercises, try your hand at multiple versions of the form. We’ll discuss these together, exchange feedback, then reopen the conversation.”

Finally, this class will take a look at the many places these microfictions are being published now, in print and online, and at strategies for submitting and placing them. By the end of the class, everyone will come away with a Tiny Kingdom or two of their own, to polish up and send out.