microstory
Very brief tale
A microstory is an extremely short work of fiction, typically under 1,000 words and often much shorter—sometimes just a sentence or two.
The form emphasizes compression, forcing writers to convey character, conflict, and resolution in minimal space: Hemingway's six-word microstory: "For sale: baby shoes, never worn." Also called flash fiction or sudden fiction.
Ultra-short story genre
- drabbleHundred-word story form
- vignetteBrief evocative description
- prose poemPoetic text without verses
- nanofictionUltra-short prose narrative
Shortness of expression
- precisionAccuracy of measurement
- concisionVerbal economy, pared down
- word choiceSelection of vocabulary
- compressionForcing into smaller space
economy · implication · suggestion · evocation · distillation · restraint · selectivity · pacing
Deeply vibrating with sound
- poignantEvoking keen emotion
- evocativeTending to summon memories
- hauntingDisturbingly unforgettable
- memorableWorth holding onto
profound · moving · striking · thought-provoking · powerful · affecting · lingering · surprising
Story's central figure
- conflictOpposition between parties
- tensionStretched or strained state
- resolutionFormal decision or determination
- climaxPoint of greatest intensity
character · setting · theme · arc · dialogue · point-of-view · narrator · foreshadowing
Unexpected narrative conclusion
- setupHow something is arranged
- payoffCulminating benefit received
- compressionForcing into smaller space
- implicationIndirect suggestion or consequence
ellipsis · snapshot · fragment · open ending · ambiguity · economy · restraint · suggestion
flash fiction
Ultra-short story genre
- drabbleHundred-word story form
- vignetteBrief evocative description
- prose poemPoetic text without verses
brevity
Shortness of expression
- precisionAccuracy of measurement
- concisionVerbal economy, pared down
- word choiceSelection of vocabulary
compression · economy · implication · suggestion · evocation · distillation · restraint · selectivity · pacing · rhythm
resonant
Deeply vibrating with sound
memorable · profound · moving · striking · thought-provoking · powerful · affecting · lingering · surprising · piercing
protagonist
Story's central figure
- conflictOpposition between parties
- tensionStretched or strained state
- resolutionFormal decision or determination
climax · character · setting · theme · arc · dialogue · point-of-view · narrator · foreshadowing · backstory
twist ending
Unexpected narrative conclusion
- setupHow something is arranged
- payoffCulminating benefit received
- compressionForcing into smaller space
implication · ellipsis · snapshot · fragment · open ending · ambiguity · economy · restraint · suggestion · subtext
microstoryepic
Impressively grand in scope
saga · War and Peace · Les Misérables · Ulysses · family saga