Flash fiction is many things: hilariously difficult to categorize; confusingly known as “microfiction,” “short shorts,” “minisagas,” “dribble,” and “drabble”; and sometimes, even dangerous.
But great might not be the first word that springs to mind. Remember, this is a style of writing so short (most cap it at 1,000 words) and so accessible that some have deemed it “Twitterature.” For every half-baked stab at micro-fiction in your Instagram feed, though, there’s a masterful short short story out there that you probably haven’t read yet. The best part? It won’t take more than three minutes to read them.
Here are seven examples of flash fiction (for a total of 21 minutes or less) that are totally worth your time.
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