Let’s Try Flash Fiction!

In “flash fiction” the writer takes a short prompt (e.g., “the smell of chocolate” or “what a way to die”) and then writes a short story (1,000 words or less) to that prompt. This class will take a hands-on approach. In the first class, the instructor will first offer some thoughts and tips on the genre. Then he’ll give a prompt, and class members will have 15 minutes to write a very short story. At the end of that class, he’ll give a prompt for the next class. Each member will write a story and send it in two days before the next class. We will discuss each person’s story at every class. We will also share thoughts on writing tips, etc., at each class as time allows.

David Treadwell and Anneka Williams, A Flash Fiction Exchange between Methuselah and the Maiden: Sixty Stories to While Away the Hours, ISBN 978-1633812659; George Saunders, A Swim in a Pond in the Rain, ISBN  978-1984856036.

David Treadwell, a graduate of Bowdoin College and the Harvard Business School, has been a professional writer for over 45 years. He spent most of his career writing admissions and fundraising materials for colleges and schools throughout the U.S. For the last 15 years he has mainly focused on writing newspaper columns (e.g., “Just a Little Old” in The Times Record) and alumni magazine articles.