First, an overview: On average, a short story is around 5,000 words, but the range can be anything more than 1,000 words and anything less than 10,000 words. A very short story, or flash, is usually around 1,000 words or less. Under the umbrella of very short stories, there are also micro stories, which average around 300–400 words or less. Then there is the drabble: a story that contains exactly 100 words.
The Mastery of Very Short Stories
These very short stories are quick reads, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a lot of depth. Writing an effective short story is a feat in itself, and to do it in less than 1,000 words, 300 words, or even in 100 words takes some really tight writing. Each word has to do its job in the overall arc of the piece. When it’s done right, it makes for a masterpiece of craft. There are many places where you can access very short stories. Online literary journals are a great place (in my opinion, the best place) to explore and find great flash fiction writers. There are also authors who are known for their very short stories. Lydia Davis often comes to mind when flash fiction is brought up. The Collected Stories of Lydia Davis, published in 2010, is still used as a primer of flash fiction at its best. Many famous authors, from Edgar Allan Poe to Gabrial Garcia Marquez, write flash fiction, though it likely wasn’t called “flash fiction” at the time. They were simply very short stories. The list below will be an assortment of very short stories you can access online, either via educational sites or literary magazines. I tried to keep them below 1,000 words, thought some are a tiny bit over. Some stories are now in the public domain, though I absolutely wanted to include contemporary authors as well. Plus, I included some anthologies and collections that include fantastic flash and micro fiction.
Very Short Stories for Young Readers
One could argue that any picture book is a very short story, since many picture books contain from 50 to 1,000 words. Considering my own definitions of what makes a very short story, I’d wager an excellent picture book is illustrated flash fiction at its finest. With that in mind, I don’t want to rehash what many of my brilliant Book Riot cohorts have already done. I recommend checking out our selection of the best picture books of 2021, as well as a selection of fairytale board books for our youngest readers. To keep up with recent 2022 releases, Margaret Kingsbury gave a rundown of April 2022 children’s book releases.
Very Short Stories for Middle School
Middle school is a delicate time for forming a love of literature and learning. For me, it was also a time of going back and forth between reading stories for young readers, and venturing into high school–age texts. Rather than rehash a lot of the usual very short stories that come to mind in middle school (I recall a lot of Edgar Allen Poe stories and speeches in my middle school memories), I want to highlight some anthologies of contemporary short stories that might interest middle school students. I am somewhat breaking my own rule here, as there are many stories in these anthologies that are more than 1,000 words, but they are short stories catered to students navigating this time in their lives while fostering a new love of reading.
Very Short Stories for High School
A few of the below stories are often included in recommended lists for high school students, but they are also just plain good short stories. These stories center on circumstances that make for great flash fiction: quick, emotional conversations and reactions. A few of these stories are often anthologized and are great for class discussions.
Very Short Stories for Adults
Honestly, I think any story listed in this article can be for adults, but for the sake of differentiating from the above lists of younger readers, the below section is a great list of very short stories from excellent literary publications.
Anthologies Specifically Composed of Very Short Stories
Exploring The Realm of the Short Story
There is so much under the umbrella of the short story. From long short stories that veer on novellas, to these perfect edible bites of craft, the short story is indeed live and well. It is a perfect form for all ages to digest and explore. In the past, I’ve written about reading short story collections out of order, as well as speculative fiction collections. The 2022 anthology is forthcoming in July 2022, with the TOC yet to be announced. This is another great anthology to discovery contemporary authors and the breadth of talent in creating excellent stories in such a short amount of words. Whatever your preference for length or genre, I do hope you find something to be inspired by in the above list. Even if it’s merely a paragraph or sentence long, it can still have a great impact. Looking for more? Try:
The 34 Best Short Stories Of All Time 18 Great Short Stories You Can Read Free Online 10 Excellent Short Stories for High School Students
