While the main difference between the fiction forms of novel, novella, short story, and flash fiction is the length of the project, there are other elements creative writers should keep in mind when tackling each project. It's not just condensing or expanding. Here are some things to remember when trying to write each form.
Flash Fiction: Say What Needs to be Said and Then Get Out
Flash fiction is known mainly as extremely short fiction. Those who have not heard the term flash fiction have likely heard this form of fiction also called a short short story or micro-story. Whatever its name, flash fiction is typically less than 1000 words (although there are some exceptions). Needless to say, then, that there is not much "wiggle room" in this literary form.
Flash fiction is similar to poetry in that every word must count (bear in mind, though, that flash fiction is not poetry). Extraneous words are not welcome in this sort of story. In fact, words must be packed full of meaning and imagery. Even more than other forms, hard-working nouns and verbs are necessary with this type of prose. Finally, like all forms of fiction, there should be a protagonist facing a conflict, followed by some sort of resolution.
1000 words is not a lot of room to do this, but it is possible. Unlike other forms of fiction that can meander and take their time, flash fiction must get to the point quickly and then wrap it up: no dilly-dallying and nothing unnecessary. Flash fiction is bare and stripped, but often these elements are what make this fiction form so powerful.
The Short Story: Time-Honored Short Fiction
The short story, while still a shorter form of fiction, allows a little more time for development than does flash fiction. The writer has a little more "room to roam" around the story. In other words, even though a short story must not waste any time, it is not stripped bare. That said, short stories are usually less than 20,000 words but are longer than flash fiction.
A short story will have the same elements as a flash fiction story: a protagonist, a conflict, and a resolution. Unlike other forms of fiction, however, there are usually no subplots and the plot is usually not overly complicated (that is not to say that the themes are not complex). A lot of short stories tend to have more of an introduction and background than does flash fiction.
Again, though, there is little veering off course or meandering. Like flash fiction, the short story gets to the point as quickly as possible.
Novellas and Novels: Fiction That Paces Itself
While flash fiction can be thought of as a 60-meter dash and the short story can be compared to the 100-meter dash, the novella is comparable to a 1-mile run, and the novel would be a 5K marathon. That is, both of these longer forms of fiction must pace themselves - they can't reveal everything right away, and they spend more time developing character and plot. They are meant to be taken in slowly, where a shorter story is meant to be enjoyed quickly. The author can slowly reveal various story elements with these longer forms.
A novella is usually 40,000 words or less. It is not as complicated as a novel but much more involved than the short story.
The novel is usually 50,000 words or more, and often the length can also depend on the genre. Novels are often very complex and contain multiple characters, many of them usually well defined and three-dimensional. They also usually have more complex plots and subplots. There tends to be a more developed back story (even if not immediately revealed), and there may be more than one climax. The novel will often take its time exploring themes, developing character, and slowly but steadily approaching a climax.
The Story Will Often Define the Type of Fiction
A writer will sometimes know, even before beginning, that his idea is going to be a short story or flash fiction, but he will also have a good idea if it will be longer based on the scope of the story. Usually the story - its complexity and plot - will determine the length, although a writer can experiment with different types to see what he comes up with. It's more than just size; flash fiction, short stories, novellas, and novels also approach the telling of the story differently, and each type is an enjoyable read for different reasons.
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Cynthia Jones-Shoeman - Cynthia (“Cindy”) Jones-Shoeman earned her MA in English from Colorado State University in 2007; her thesis was "Toni ...
