Seven Forms Of Microfiction

Introduction

I saw this on Instagram, and it listed forms of microfiction I was unaware of. Note this is not really my work, but just taking the information and putting it into an easy-to-read Vocal article.

This is the person who shared this

The Forms

Think very short narratives that create character, atmosphere, conflict or emotional impact in remarkably few words.

Some forms of microfiction come with extremely precise word counts.

The Six Word Story

Length: Exactly Six Words

An extreme exercise in compression! You havea mere six words to suggest a character, situation, conflict or entire story. The ultimate example from Ernest Hemingway:

"For sale: baby shoes, never worn"

Ernest Hemingway:

Hint Fiction

Length: 25 words or fewer

Hint fiction is all about suggestion. Instead of explaining the whole story, give the reader enough clues to construct it themselves.

Think: What can leave unsaid? The reader becomes part of the storytelling.

The Dribble

Length: 50 words.

A dribble is a complete story of exactly 50 words, excluding the title. Fifty words sounds stingy if you're trying to create a beginning, middle, and end within them. But what a compression exercise! Set the scene. Create some tension. Make the reader care. Then exit (probably not pursued by a bear. You only have 50 words after all).

55 Fiction

Length: 55 words

An even shorter form of microfiction is 55 Fiction where, you guessed it, the story must contain exactly 55 words.

Some definitions also include stories of 55 words or fewer.

The form originated with a 1987 writing contest organised by the New Times of San Luis Obispo, California.

The Drabble

Length: 100 words

The drabble is a short piece of fiction that was inspired by Monty Python.

According to Wikipedia: "The 100-word format was established by the Birmingham University SF Society, taking a term from Monty Python's 1971 Big Red Book. In the book, "drabble" was described as a word game where the first participant to write a novel was the winner. To make the game possible in the real world, it was agreed that 100 words would suffice.”

The Trabble

Length: 300 words.

A trabble is a larger microfiction format of exactly 300 words.

With three times the space of a drabble, you can develop a stronger narrative arc, more detailed characters and a richer sense of place. The trabble is probably my own personal favourite form of microfiction, as it gives enough space for both a small exploration of character and more sophisticated plot development - win win!

Flash fiction

Length: Usually under 1,000 words, but sometimes fewer

Flash fiction is the broadest category on this list. There isn't one universally agreed word count, but it generally means very short fiction that tells a complete story.

Within flash fiction, you'll find many different approaches and lengths.

Microfiction is part of flash.

Conclusion

Note: This was all created by Natalie Gameson, and I have linked her site for a lot more literary forms and advice. I have just rearranged it as a Vocal article, which I know a lot of people might be interested in.

The music is "Telling Stories" by Tracy Chapman