Microfiction writer
A whole story in 300 words or fewer. Pick your limit, write on the card, and ask the editor for notes when you're done.
Start writing and the fuse burns.
What makes microfiction work
At under 300 words there is room for one scene and one change. The strongest micros choose a single moment that implies a whole life around it: the last phone call, the first snowfall after a death, the argument about a chipped mug.
- Title as a second opening line. A good title can carry setting or backstory for free.
- One point of view, one location. Scene changes cost too many words.
- End early. Stop a sentence before you explain it.
For the full range of forms and how their word counts compare, read what is flash fiction.
Questions writers ask
What is microfiction?
Very short fiction, generally 300 words or fewer (some editors say 100). It sits between the six-word story and flash fiction, which runs up to about 1,000 words.
How is microfiction different from flash fiction?
Length, mainly. Flash usually means up to 1,000 words; microfiction is a subset of flash with a much tighter limit, so it relies even more on implication and a single image.
Where can I publish microfiction?
Many literary magazines run micro categories, and contests such as the National Flash Fiction Day micro competition (UK) accept pieces of 100 words or less. Check each venue's current guidelines.