Fiction is a very interesting genre to write in for so many of the obvious reasons like being able to create or get caught up in an imaginary world full of imaginary people and their endless possibilities of existence. This statement is not to impugn non-fiction or any of the other sub-genres because they are interesting, too. However, the focus of this particular article is fiction and the many interesting ways to share your stories.

Sometimes authors will develop a plot that twists and turns its way into a masterpiece manuscript of novel length while other stories come in short bursts. Believe it or not, these ‘short burst’ kinds of stories have a lovely place of their own in several areas, and they even have their own terms: ‘flash-fiction’ and ‘micro-fiction’.

Have you ever heard the phrase “fiction can be fun”? It’s absolutely true and believe it or not these very short forms of writing can be highly beneficial to any author, regardless of what genre they typically write in. What’s even better is the fact that there are several places to put these minute stories.

For example, you could gather some of the small stories into a single collection to create an anthology. Creating an anthology can be time-consuming but it can also be a lot of fun. You could also try publishing the short stories on flash fiction websites such as A Place For Fiction, Indies Unlimited, Brilliant Flash Fiction or Bath Flash Fiction. Sharing your work on any of these websites is a little different than writing a story because they use prompts and specified word counts that vary from 150-300 words per story.

Although each of the mentioned websites has very different criteria for their writers, they all have one thing in common - prompts. Writing flash or micro-fiction from a prompt can help a writer hone their skills as well as prevent the writer’s block that all authors dread.

The prompts range from a simple phrase that has to be incorporated into the story, a first or last line to be used or even finishing a story from a given paragraph. Other prompts include a given picture that the writer has to develop the plot from. Sometimes it is required to incorporate all of the elements of the picture while other times only an element or two is necessary.

At first, it may seem ridiculous to write a short story from just an image or a phrase but after doing it a few times you will see how it helps. In short, all stories require structure in the form of a plot that comes from an idea. Prompts lend that structure by setting boundaries on the writer so they can remove the boundaries on their skills.

If you choose to write on any of the named websites or other ones like them, remember to check their rules and guidelines. Some of them require you to keep all work family-friendly while others allow you to let your imagination run wild. Keep in mind that the websites that offer flash or micro-fiction prompts and contests are allowing you to publish your work so it is important to follow their rules.

It is also worth mentioning that most of these websites only ask that you credit them fairly with the ‘first published on’ notice if you choose to publish the work elsewhere or in an anthology. If you do decide to give flash-fiction or micro-fiction a try you will also find that A Place For Fiction and Indies Unlimited are both group-oriented sites that have a reply button so authors can give one another feedback and constructive criticism.

The contest aspect of these sites also varies in how they work. Brilliant Flash Fiction and Bath Flash Fiction do offer monetary prizes as well as the publication of the short story. A Place For Fiction and Indies Unlimited do not offer monetary prizes but they do offer highly socialized discussions with other authors that are more than ready and willing to share support as well as tips.