microstories
Fiction in fragments
Microstories are extremely short works of fiction, typically ranging from a single sentence to a few hundred words.
The form goes by various names—flash fiction, sudden fiction, microfiction—with microstories emphasizing brevity at the extreme end.
The constraint forces compression: every word must earn its place.
She wrote microstories on her commute, each one complete in a paragraph.
Brief burst of light
- drabbleHundred-word story form
- suddenOccurring without prior notice
- succinctExpressed with minimal words
- conciseBriefly and clearly stated
compressed · compact · capsule · thumbnail · vignette · sketch · snippet · fragment
Deeply vibrating with sound
- poignantEvoking keen emotion
- evocativeTending to summon memories
- memorableWorth holding onto
- profoundIntensely meaningful or insightful
touching · haunting · moving · powerful · thought-provoking · bittersweet · heartfelt · striking
Brief evocative description
- anecdoteBrief account of incident
- taleSpoken or written narrative
- sketchHasty informal drawing
- sceneDramatic unit or locale
plot · twist · character · dialogue · voice · tone · mood · arc
flash
Brief burst of light
- drabbleHundred-word story form
- suddenOccurring without prior notice
- succinctExpressed with minimal words
concise · compressed · compact · capsule · thumbnail · vignette · sketch · snippet · fragment · morsel
resonant
Deeply vibrating with sound
profound · touching · haunting · moving · powerful · thought-provoking · bittersweet · heartfelt · striking · lingering
vignette
Brief evocative description
scene · plot · twist · character · dialogue · voice · tone · mood · arc · climax
fable
Moral tale with animals
- parableInstructive allegorical narrative
- mythTraditional explanatory tale
- legendUnverified traditional tale
fantasy · science-fiction · mystery · romance · horror · thriller · allegory · fairy-tale · folklore · tall-tale
Microblogging social network
zine · anthology · collection · magazine · podcast · thread · post · submission · prompt · contest
microstoriesepic sagas
Extended heroic narrative poems
intricate plots · epic fantasy · historical epics · family sagas
microstoriesWar and Peace
Opposing states of nations
doorstoppers · Infinite Jest · Les Misérables · The Lord of the Rings
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