Flash
fiction is any work of fiction that is typically 500
words or less. It is written in such a way that you get the
maximum amount of
impact in as few words as
possible.
The "
First they came for the Jews..." thing about the
Nazis is a good example of flash fiction. It is under 100 words and it has a
plot. The fewer words, the more
concise, the better.
It may seem
simple, but it's quite
challenging. A few online
zines publish flash fiction, such as
Ideomancer (
speculative), and
Vestal Review (all genres). Typically paying .03 per
word for 500 words or less and raising in respective categories until you get to 100 words or less, which typically pays .10 per
word.
It's good when you're just looking for
bite-size fiction tidbits. However, the really
well-written ones are worth taking more time to examine, because a very
skilled writer can
conceal much more
meaning in a few sentences than one might notice at
first, or even
second glance. That's what flash fiction is all about.