Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette

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Now of course we’re talking about a writing prompt for flash fiction writers.

I have never liked writing prompts.  To me they always seemed artificial, especially if they did not originate with the writer.  I’ve always thought a short story should grow in an organic fashion out of the writer’s personal experience and imagination.  So, I have the perfect flash fiction prompt for you.

Hello hello hello, baby boomers, bloggers, creative writers, Pitt students, intellectuals and my Flash Fiction Fanatics.  The Old Soldier is loving this beautiful weather on the last summer afternoon of the year in Pittsburgh.  I’m in good health.  My social security check will be deposited in my checking account by the time I get up tomorrow and the Steelers are 2-0.  You can’t beat it with a stick.

I’m reclining on the sofa sipping on a bottle of cherry Pepsi and re-reading my favorite history of the Vietnam War.  So, I’m going to put up this post, probably my last one for the day, so that I can get back to my reading.  Here’s the best prompt for a flash fiction story you’ll ever get.

Take one of your old short stories that’s at least 1,500 words long.  Begin at the end of the story and move backwards.  Just go backwards in the story to the point where the ending of the story starts to makes sense.  Usually, this point will be 100, 200, 300 or more words before the original beginning.  Where that point is is the beginning of your new flash fiction story.

Now study the old story and the new flash fiction story.  You can learn a lot about writing flash fiction from this little exercise.

Okay, now it’s back to Vietnam for me.

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