Guest Writers Heather Jensen, Roz Warren And More…

Posted on September 4, 2012 by pittsburghflashfictiongazette

 

Woman As Art

Yes, the Old Soldier is getting carried away about his little online magazine.  But after adding the work of Heather Jensen and Roz Warren to the front page I can’t help it. 

In January of this year the Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette got around 5,000 hits.  Last month it got over 18,000 hits.  The word is getting out about the unique blend of serious writing and brazen sexuality that has become the signature of this flash fiction magazine.  It’s also a paying market.

And subscription is free.  You can’t beat that with a stick!

Now I’m the first person to tell you that this publication is not for everyone.  There’s too much sex.

But maybe it’s just right for you.  The subscription tab is at the top of the page.

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Creative Writing: Pornography As Art

Posted on June 20, 2012 by pittsburghflashfictiongazette

An Amateur Doing Her Porn Scene

The Old Soldier sometimes can’t help but get defensive when people (family and friends) dismiss the Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette as nothing more than a porn site.  Is there content on this site that is pornographic?  You bet there is.

What is the reason for having pornography in the Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette? 

Pornography is very popular on the Internet.  And if pornography is good enough it is art.  Have you ever heard of these novels?

  • Tropic of Cancer
  • Tropic of Capricorn
  • Moll Flanders
  • The Story of O
  • The Autobiography of a Flea

All of these novels deal with explicit sex and each was considered pornography when they were published.  Now each is considered a literary classic.

 The Old Soldier is not saying that the Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette publishes great fiction and non-fiction about explicit sex.  I’m just saying that this magazine follows in the long and honorable tradition of writing that deals with explicit sex. 

It is my sincere belief that when pornography is done well enough it can be art, too.

*****

Read.  Study.  Write.  Submit.

*****

Click the follow button.  The Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette is free. 

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The Human Condition In 1,000 Words Or Less

Posted on June 20, 2012 by pittsburghflashfictiongazette

Woman As Art

That’s the challenge for the flash fiction writer: to present the human condition in around 1,000 words or less.  I love it.

Hello hello hello!

It’s the Old Soldier here (I’m a Vietnam War Veteran) thinking out loud about flash fiction and what it is to be a flash fiction writer.

You want to write about family?  Flash fiction can handle it.  You want to write about love?  Flash fiction can handle it.  You want to write about loss?  Flash fiction can handle it.  You want to write about sex.  Oh, boy, flash fiction can handle that, too.

Now I usually address the writers in the audience when it comes to writing flash fiction because the Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette is a magazine published by a writer for other writers.  But we writers need readers.  And if you are a reader I encourage you to explore this site.  This magazine is definitely not for everyone.  But if you are open-minded about sex and you like good writing and you would like to experience a new kind of flash fiction publication, I think you will love this site.  Start by checking out the front page.

I’ll say no more.

*****

English: Dy Plambeck, a Danish fiction writer....

English: Dy Plambeck, a Danish fiction writer. Dansk: Dy Plambeck, dansk forfatter. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Read.  Study.  Write.  Submit.

*****

Click the follow button.  The Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette is free.

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Creative Writing: Staying Within Your Budget

Posted on June 18, 2012 by pittsburghflashfictiongazette

Woman As Art

The Old Soldier is not talking about money; but my constant struggle to stay within a monthly monetary budget got me to thinking about creativity.

The Old Soldier knows that many of you reading this have far greater responsibilities and lead much busier lives than he does.  I’m retired.  I’m a life-long bachelor.  I have no children.  My time is my own and I have just enough income to allow for the necessities and a few creature comforts.

Even so, no matter how much I try, I’m only able to produce one or two pieces of content for this blog every day.  That’s about it if I want the content to be any good.  Three pieces of content in one day is really pushing it.

You probably have the same problem.  Writing anything is an investment of time, effort and yes, creativity.  Sure, some of us are more creative than the rest of us; but we all have some restraints on what we can do.  The restraints can be internal and they can be external.

Henry Moore, Reclining Figure, 1951, Fitzwilli...

Henry Moore, Reclining Figure, 1951, Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If your creative budget only allows for a low production rate, don’t worry about it.

Just stay within your budget and get done what you can get done when you can get it done.  Just stay at it.  For an artist, perseverance is a beautiful thing.

*****

Read.  Study.  Write.  Submit.

*****

Click the follow button.  The Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette is free.

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The World Within And Without The Flash Fiction Story

Posted on June 17, 2012 by pittsburghflashfictiongazette

Woman As Art

The Old Soldier is watching Fox News Sunday.  It’s about politics, about the 2012 presidential election.  The Old Soldier has to stay informed.

Do you write flash fiction?  Or, have you tried to write flash fiction?

Of course, this blog is about flash fiction.  The magazine covers a lot of other things, too, but it’s really about flash fiction.  And one of the fascinating things about the best flash fiction is that most of the story is implied. 

This is why the words that a writer uses to write the story are so important; because the words in the story must be the right words in order to imply the words that are not in the story.

*****

Read.  Study.  Write.  Submit.

*****

Click the follow button.  The Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette is free.

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