Authors Only In this episode of, Shannon writes in bed… I will be honest… I phoned this one in because I have been working a lot, and we had glorious t-shirt weather today. It was delicious. No regrets. But you don’t need a fancy intro, do ya? Intros are for amateurs! Let’s get to the good stuff… Lisa Hislop will help you turn those half-baked vignettes into stories and teach you the difference between the two. If you have questions, bring them to Ask Me Anything about Editing with Lisa. You...
about 1 year ago • 2 min read
Authors Only Hey, it’s Shannon! It’s 23:00. (Why do I always push it until the last minute?) Anyway—you want the Seven Secrets of Publishing Short Stories, right? Last Saturday, we hosted an event in the Authors Only Collective that is usually reserved for members but was too valuable not to share. I’ve been trying to help authors understand what Charlie Fish discusses in his presentation for years, but I never compiled everything in one place. Now, I have a resource I can point authors to....
about 1 year ago • 2 min read
Authors Only Hey, it’s Shannon from Flash Fiction Magazine. Andrew Buckley—our latest author marketing workshop instructor—wrote a primer on the DOs and DONTs of setting up a website. You can read it below! We would love to see you at the workshop if you want to discuss websites, social media platforms, and much more. Enrollment for A Beginner’s Guide to Marketing for Authors closes on Thursday at 7 PM Pacific. Learn More About the Workshop Here Without further ado, here is Andrew’s article....
about 1 year ago • 4 min read
Hey! It’s Shannon from Flash Fiction Magazine.🤓 Have you ever felt stuck trying to find the perfect title for your story that grabs attention and sparks curiosity? Most of our submissions have lackluster titles that do not make an impression. Great titles aren’t accidents. They’re crafted with intention, using simple strategies that make your story impossible to ignore. Quick Flash Fiction Tip: One of the most overlooked elements in flash fiction is the title. A good title doesn’t just label...
about 1 year ago • 1 min read
Authors Only List Hey, it’s Shannon with more Pushcart stories for you to get lost in. Last week, we featured two of our six nominations, and this week we have two more. I hurt my pinky in a minor showdown with a car, so I will stop typing now. Happy reading, and I hope to see you at our AMA this weekend! Upcoming Events Flash Fiction Playground with Finnian Burnett Enrollment Closes Thursday If you want a workshop where you'll explore creative forms and techniques that most flash fiction...
about 1 year ago • 4 min read
Authors Only List Hey, it’s Shannon. The world is on fire—in more ways than one. But here at Flash Fiction Magazine, we try to give you a break from all the noise. Today, we begin featuring the stories we nominated for the Pushcart Prize. Laura Besley, an editor at the magazine, had the impossible task of selecting six stories for nomination. I asked Laura to share her thoughts on why each story was chosen and what makes it stand out among the thousands of submissions we received last year...
about 1 year ago • 4 min read
Authors Only List Hey, it’s Shannon 😎. I am back from my trip and feeling rejuvenated and ready for 2025. What about you? Can you guess the most common reason Flash Fiction Magazine rejects a story? Let me show you some comments from our slush pile readers. Journal Entry Lack Narrative Arc Vignette The answer… the writer did not tell a story or give their character(s) a complete narrative arc. What do we mean when we say “story” or “narrative arc?” Well, it’s pretty simple: your protagonist...
over 1 year ago • 2 min read
Authors Only List Hey, it’s Shannon from the Flash Fiction Magazine Universe. I don’t know about you, but I am in full-on reading / thinking / working / studying mode now that daylight savings time is here. I am excited to read all the books this winter! 📚 Today, Finnian Burnett is answering three popular questions about Point of View. More on that below, but Finnian will also answer questions on Zoom for two hours at our next Ask Me Anything on November 17. Finnian is teaching our upcoming...
over 1 year ago • 3 min read
Authors Only List Hey, it’s Shannon. 🍁🌦️ We have much to discuss, and I want your questions about a new written AMA we are trying. But first… I must introduce you to our resident instructor and contest judge for the next few months. Many of you will remember Finnian Burnett (bio below) from last winter, but for those new around here, you are in for a tasty Halloween treat 🎃🍫! If I had to sum up Finnian in one sentence, this would be it: Finnian has an infectious energy that lights everyone...
over 1 year ago • 4 min read
