Six Words, Infinite Worlds

YIYANG DENG promotes the brevity and power of Flash Fiction - stories with few words, blank spaces and big ideas

“For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”

A story only six words long.

Despite its brevity, you can still experience the emotion, imagine the characters, and fill in the plot by yourself. This is the magic of Flash stories.

Flash Fiction is the art of telling a complete story in very few words. In his book Brevity: A Flash Fiction Handbook, Galef (2016) pointed out that only short stories with fewer than 1,500 words should be considered Flash Fiction, which includes the six-word story above, dating back to the early 1900s and often falsely attributed to the American writer Ernest Hemingway. Don’t be fooled by the length, because these little stories are very impactful. Since only a few words can be used, each sentence must carry its weight. Regardless of the length, the principle remains the same: fast pace, blank space, and emotional impact. So, whether you’re a writer looking to sharpen your craft or a reader craving bite-sized brilliance, Flash Fiction is a good choice.

The Power of Compression

In Flash Fiction, ‘less’ embodies the art of compressing, blank spaces language. Good compression is not about stripping away depth, but consciously leaving blank space.

Take the six-word story above as an example. After reading it, people naturally think about the incompleteness of the story. Why don't babies have the opportunity to wear shoes? Is it an accident or a life that never started? The author didn’t say anything, but felt everything. This is precisely the charm of leaving blank space in flash fiction, making readers become co-creators. Flash Fiction forces writers to trust their readers and use the fewest words to convey the strongest emotions and narrative impact. Each word carries weight, and no word is redundant. Filling in the blanks, reconstructing in silence, bringing the audience closer. When it comes into play, although the story is short, it is unforgettable.

Short attention spans

Nowadays, social media encourages us to crave meaningful entertainment on a busy day. So, in a world full of notifications and 10-second attention spans, Flash Fiction blends perfectly into our fragmented lives. On the subway, during meetings, while waiting for coffee, you can read the complete story. Flash Fiction doesn’t just fit our pace, it rewards it. It proves that even in a fast-moving world, a few well-chosen words can still stop us in our tracks. But this is not just for convenience. Short stories have a strong emotional impact. With so few words, every sentence is important. Usually, the unmentioned content, the deliberate silence and blankness, are where readers get involved. This is where true resonance occurs. As someone who has tried writing some Flash Fiction, I can tell you, it is not easy. You must find the emotional core and leave enough engaging content to immerse the reader and make them feel something. And before you write a piece of work, the feeling of clarity and connection is worth every revision.

My Own Example

Here is my six-word attempt：

Love her, dare not disturb her.

Love her, dare not disturb her

In just six words, I didn't choose to say “he loves her deeply”. There was also no description of her appearance, not even mentioning who they were. But the story has already begun. Although I have tried writing Flash Fiction before, this is my first time trying to write such a short story. At first, I couldn't help but want to “explain it clearly” -what happened between them? But as I write, I realize that once these details are added, my emotions are actually diluted, like a watered down glass of wine - with a story, but not intoxicating enough. So I gave up telling a complete story and only used the most essential part of my ideas. Words like “love” and “disturb” may seem simple, but they carry immense tension. One is to approach, and the other is to restrain. When put together, it is a whole deep affection that cannot be approached. Try writing a sentence like this - not much, not much, just enough to remind people of an unspoken story. You will find that what truly moves people is never how much you write, but the part you haven't written that happens to be understood by others.

Flash Fiction Writing Tips

Considering the examples above. Writing Flash Fiction is like packing your bags

for a day’s journey - you only bring what you absolutely need.

1. Start with simplicity. The word limit of the story leaves no space for minor plot points or lengthy explanations. Therefore, don’t imagine your story as a movie. Only describe the fewest of characters, a clear conflict, and a strong ending. Just like my example, it only describes the protagonist’s attitude towards her.

2. Choose precise and active verbs. For example, I only use “love” and “disturb” to create tension. Deleting unnecessary adjectives is also a good way to do it. Instead of writing “she runs very fast”, it’s better to say “she sprinted”. This way, every word comes into play.

3. Leave space. In Flash Fiction, what you don’t say is as powerful as what you do. A proper silence, a missing detail, an open ending. For example, in my story, I did not specify the gender of the narrator, so how to explain it depends on whether the reader is homosexual or heterosexual. All of these “blanks” invite readers to enter the story lingering. So, Flash Fiction isn’t just short writing. It is smart writing. And with a little restraint, you can say more by writing less.

A Call to Action

You don’t need to be a novelist. You don’t need a degree in literature. All you need is a line that you’ve never dared to say out loud. Start small. Start now. For example, ask yourself: “What are you most afraid of losing?”. These questions aren’t just prompts—they’re doors. Open one, and see where it takes you. There’s no right answer—only honest ones.

And remember: the shorter the story, the sharper the blade.

We'll be here, reading between the lines.

Click the link to find out more about the International Flash Fiction Association, run by Peter Blair and Ashley Chantler at the University of Chester, UK.

Written by YIYANG DENG (Creative Writing and English Language student, University of Chester, UK)