I Fell in Love with Writing Micro Prose - You Could, Too
by Kelli Short Borges
One night several years ago, I went to bed ruminating over a lengthy personal essay I’d written about the sad dissolution of my first marriage. Writing it hadn’t been easy, but it was cathartic and sharing it with others had been undeniably rewarding. Even so, I couldn’t stop thinking about the essay, couldn’t stop thinking about the traumatic end of my marriage.
As I lay trying to fall asleep, certain stubborn images and vivid sensory details persisted— the red neon flash of a Wendy’s sign, salty French fries, freckles spattered across a cheek, the thump of a Phil Collins song from a car stereo. A diamond ring, long gone.
I was annoyed, to be honest. I desperately wanted to move forward, to leave that terrible chapter behind. I’d written something emotionally wrenching, published it, shared with others, but it still felt as if I hadn’t been able to express how it truly felt to go through such an awful divorce.
Why couldn’t I let it go?
Finally, I managed to doze off, only to find myself wide awake again at two a.m., with an insistent, fast-paced rhythmic narrative running through my brain.
What was happening?
I grabbed my phone from the bedside table, quickly jotting down what seemed to be coming from nowhere—a strange mash-up of images from the essay mixed with fresh new language and a different pace.
I’d written quickly and furiously, exactly the way my brain heard it, so formal punctuation was missing, but somehow that seemed right. My subconscious had apparently been working overtime! And the entire thing was short. Very short. Wide awake now, I transferred it to my computer. It was just over a single page, double spaced.
What is this? I wondered.
Now, I know that I’d written my first micro. And what’s even more interesting? What I wrote, without realizing it, is a form called a “breathless sentence,” a single-paragraph, one-sentence story told with urgency. Telling my story without rules, exactly the way I “heard” it, and without overthinking, gave me a sense of emotional release that I hadn’t experienced writing the essay. Yes, this is exactly how it felt, I thought. This is exactly how it feels. I cried.
From that point on, I was hooked on experimenting with shorter forms, and I began intensely studying micro prose (aka micro narratives, micro memoirs, micro essays, micro stories or microfiction).
What, Exactly, is Micro?
A subgenre of flash, a micro is generally considered to be a piece of 400 words or less. It doesn’t matter if the story is fiction or nonfiction, the same story-telling principles apply. Micros rely on extreme brevity and often a single, intense moment, while telling an expansive, larger story. The magic of the story lies in what’s left out, what’s left to interpret. This is called “white space.”
Take, for example, this now famous six-word story, commonly attributed to Hemmingway:
For sale: baby shoes, never worn.
Or, a modern example, Bob Thurber’s 50-word story, “Shortcut on Christmas Eve,”
The lake was frozen solid but shadows made the surface look dark and wet. My father, drunk on eggnog, measured his strides. While I waited for the slip and fall that would crack his skull, it occurred to me any passersby might believe they’d witnessed a man walking on water.
Zoom in on the ending lines of the stories above.
- Is there a moment in which you are invited to fill in the gaps?
- A moment in which something changes, in which you breathe in a larger truth?
The emotional weight of the story hinges on the white space—what’s read between the lines.
Why Experiment with Writing Micro?
A few reasons you might want to try your hand at writing tiny:
- It’s fun to experiment and try something new! You’ll stretch your literary legs by pushing yourself outside your comfort zone.
- You’ll become a (much) better self-editor. When you need to whittle a piece down to its essence, you’re required to be brutally precise with word choice, keeping only what’s absolutely necessary.
- You can submit and get published as you go. With some practice, micros can be written relatively quickly and submitted as you work on a larger, lengthier literary project. And you’ll get the satisfaction and encouragement of having your work celebrated along the way, a great dopamine hit. A personal example of this: I took a chapter from my novel-in-progress and shrank it down to its marrow—a 350-word micro, which was subsequently published.
- The flash and micro writing community is welcoming and supportive. There are tons of amazing workshops, mentors and fellow writers who are ready to cheer you on as you learn!
I’m ready to learn to write micro! How do I start?
You develop micro writing skills by learning the elements of what makes micro so effective—which means lots of practice reading and writing it. And joining workshops with other micro writers is always a smart move, as you’ll get feedback and support as you go.
Resources to help you get started (there are oodles of these, but here are a few that have inspired me):
Reading:
Best Microfiction Anthologies:https://www.bestmicrofiction.com/
100-word story: https://100wordstory.org/
River Teeth’s Beautiful Things: https://riverteethjournal.com/beautiful-things/
Writing Workshops and Substacks:
The Flash Institute:https://flashfictioninstitute.com/
Bending Genres:https://bendinggenres.com/writing-groups/
Kathy Fish/Substack: https://artofflashfiction.substack.com/
Meg Pokrass/Substack:https://megpokrass.substack.com/
Francine Witte Writing Groups:https://francinewitte.com/blank-4/
Have you ever written flash or microfiction? What was your experience like? Do you have a favorite flash fiction author?
* * * * * *
About Kelli
Kelli Short Borges is a Phoenix-based writer who traded her career as a reading specialist for the thrill of crafting her own narratives. A multi-award-winning flash and microfiction author, her work has been featured in several Best Microfiction anthologies and nominated for the Pushcart Prize, Best of the Net, and Best Small Fictions anthologies. You can find more about Kelli and her work at https://www.kellishortborges.com.
Top Image by StartupStockPhotos from Pixabay
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31 comments on “I Fell in Love with Writing Micro Prose - You Could, Too”
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HI Kelli!
I love Microfiction, but have never tried writing in this particular genre. I think it is a great challenge. Thank you for all the helpful links!
Hi Ellen,
I hope you’ll give it a try! So happy the links were helpful!!
Kelli
I am naturally a long-form writer, but I love to experiment with flash fiction. There's a fun bit on Substack, Flash Fiction Fridays with Scoot. I love those. And I agree that flash and micro can more intensely capture a moment. I was amused to learn recently that I'd deeply offended someone with a flash fiction. More about what they read into the story than what we put in, I suspect. There's a lot of reader engagement with flash and micro because the reader has to bring their own interpretation to some bits. Powerful!
Hi Lisa,
Fridays with Scoot! I don’t think I’ve seen that Substack, it sounds great. I’ll have to find it and follow!
You’re right about the reader bringing their own interpretation to flash/micro— that’s one thing that’s unique about writing very short. It’s my guess that the person who was offended had a very personal interpretation of what you wrote that most likely was not what you intended. I’ve also had others misinterpret my stories and read something into them that wasn’t intended, so you’re not alone in that experience. I find it fascinating.
Glad you enjoyed the article!
Kelli
Thank you so much for sharing this. I had not heard of micro fiction, only flash, but I think this is perfect for me at this moment. I also appreciate all the references for reading and learning. Again, thank you!
Hi Gale,
You’re so welcome!! I’m glad the links were helpful and I hope you dive in and take a workshop or join a prompt session. I think you’ll love it!
Kelli
Kelli, so great to see you here! Thanks for this post and sharing the joy of writing micros. When I discovered flash fiction and all its subgenres, I felt like an entire universe had been opened to me. And in that universe, I found a welcoming community of writers, including you, who are creating the most amazing work. I hope we can meet up in another writing retreat one day.
Hi Barb,
It’s SO fun to see you here! I also hope to see you at another writing retreat, it’s been too long! And you’re right, the world of flash (and all of its subgenres) is incredibly welcoming. I feel really lucky to have made friends like you over the years, friends who cheer each other on. Thank you for your very kind comment!
Kelli
Flash is my favorite form to write. I'm always on the hunt for ways to improve. Thanks for these links!
Hi Anna,
You’re so welcome! Glad you enjoyed the post!
Kelli
So many different lengths for flash fiction and its subgenres, with the lengths depending on who's saying it. I had no idea that flash had so many subgenres, with micro being one of them.
I LOVE writing short! I used to enter a university contest of short fiction that only allowed 250 words. I need to do more of it again. I used to write one-page plays. These stories all tend to have O'Henry-like endings. Such fun.
Great post!
Hi Diana,
Thanks for reading. I’m so glad you enjoyed the post! You’re right- the length for what’s considered a micro varies, so I went with the Best Microfiction anthology guidelines (400 words or fewer).
And… a one page play? I’m fascinated. I’d love to read one!
Kelli
Kelli,
Actually, it's a 1-minute play and was a 2006 Award Winner with Lamia Ink! Inc. Published & produced at The Bowery, New York NY. You can see it here.
[Link deleted]
Oops - the link didn't print. You can see it by going to by website sharpenedpencilsproductions dot com, go to Portfolio, Plays, and click on Funeral Question.
Oh!! I’m actually in NYC right now and literally just down the street from the Bowery! How crazy. I see that you sent a link to my website, I can’t wait to read it. Thank you, Diana! ❤️
Oh!! I’m actually in NYC right now and literally just down the street from the Bowery! How crazy. I see that you sent a link to my website, I can’t wait to read it. Thank you, Diana! ❤️
I love this idea! I struggle writing short stories because I love to add all the juicy details, but I wonder if micro fiction would help me when I get a bit blocked and just need to unclog the brain!
Hi Jenn,
It’s hard to whittle the juicy details down, but you’d be surprised what remains when you do. The reader fills in the white space and it can be even more expansive than longer prose! If you think it sounds like fun and might help unclog things, I say give it a whirl!!
Kelli
What I find interesting when I do something like this is the direct connection to what I REALLY feel and a page. So much of my writing is being tactful and careful about my words, since I mostly write for specific audiences, and I often cover my true self up. Not that I'm telling lies, I'm just not allowing my the flow of my thoughts. Instead, I'm curating to someone else.
So, obviously, I need to do more micro writing. Not just fiction, but who I really am.
Thanks for the reminder!
Hi Sarah Sally!
I understand what you’re saying— and that’s exactly how I felt when I wrote my first micro! The story came through with a sort of passion and authenticity that I hadn’t experienced before in my writing. I was so excited! Glad you enjoyed the article!
Kelli
Terrific post, Kelli, with some helpful resources. I've written a lot of flash, and have had a number of pieces published at online magazines, starting with the now vanished "10Flash Quarterly," as well as "Every Day Fiction" and one read on the Toasted Cake podcast.
I love the limitation of fitting a story into a thousand words, and collected a few these in my "Rules Concerning Earthlight and Other Stories of Fantasy and Science Fiction" (which includes four longer stories). The freedom to write in any genre or outside of a genre is another appeal of flash and micro fiction for me.
Hi Dale,
So glad you enjoyed the post and found the resources helpful! It sounds like you’re no stranger to flash. I’ll have to look up your collection. Thank you for reading and commenting!
Kelli
I write poetry and picture books. The latter are automatically micro these days, at least if writing for the traditional markets. I often wonder about the difference between micro and free verse. The white space matters in both. Of course, some free verse is longer. But there seems to be overlap.
Hi Debbie,
How neat that you write picture books! I can see how they would automatically be micro these days…and free verse…Yes, I agree it can be very similar to particular types of microfiction, as poetic elements and lyricism are commonly woven through micros. I’ve actually wondered if some of my micros would be considered poetry, although I’ve never submitted them as such. Thanks for reading!
Kelli
When I write micro, it's usually to deal with something and hopefully get it out of my system.
Hi Denise,
Yes. That resonates deeply with me. Writing micros has been incredibly therapeutic for me, surprisingly so! Thanks for reading and commenting!
Kelli
I find they take take little time, require less planning, and can lead to much needed publication and the beginning of novels. Thanks for the resources.
Ironically, I like writing micro erotica.
I love that… the last micro I write could be classified as erotica as well. I had a blast writing it. Id love to read yours sometime!
*wrote
Hi Karen,
Yes to all of that! Thanks for reading, so glad you connected with the article!
Kelli 😊