Flash fiction is a style of fictional literature of extreme brevity.

Many terms for this category exist, including micro fiction, micro narrative, micro-story, postcard fiction, short short, short short story, and sudden fiction, though distinctions are sometimes drawn among some of these terms. For example, sometimes 1000 words is considered the cutoff between "flash fiction" and the slightly longer "sudden fiction". The terms "micro fiction" and "micro narrative" are sometimes defined as below 300 words, and include these diminutive subcategories: the (100 words), (55 words), and Twitter fiction, aka (140 characters, or about 23 words).

How to write flash fiction

1. Start in the middle.

2. Don't use too many characters.

3. Make sure the ending isn't at the end.

4. Sweat your title.

5. Make your last line ring like a bell.

6. Write long, then go short.

Flash fiction entry

Starts: February 5

Ends: February 15

Rules:

#1 Entries must be in English.

#2 Entries must be the work of the entrant and must not have been published or accepted for publication elsewhere.

#3 The competition welcomes all members.

#4 The closing date for entries is midnight [GMT – Greenwich Mean Time / Coordinated Universal Time (Standard Time)] on the 15th February.

#5 Winners will be notified on the 19th of February. The results of the competition will be published.

#6 A word count must be given at the end of the story. Minimum is 500 words and maximum is 2100 words. The title does not form part of the word count.

#7 Entries should be submitted here. Title, summary and link to the story.

#8 Entries not complying with competition rules will be disqualified.

#9 One entry per writer.

#10 There is no restriction on theme or style.

#11 Stories cannot be altered or substituted once they have been entered.

This is an opportunity to attempt one of the most interesting and rewarding tasks: to create, in a tiny-tiny fragment, a completely resolved and compelling story.

Open to anyone who enjoys writing a story that's worth telling everyone.

Prizes:

First prize: 

Guest judge for the next contest.

2 chapters of your choice edited [Turn your good writing into great writing. Improve readability and eliminate errors.]

Second prize:

Grammar check on 2 chapters of your choice.

Third prize:

A cover for your book.