Lobato, Bruna. Snowstorm. The New Yorker, 11 August 2022, https://www.newyorker.com/books/flash-fiction/snowstorm.
In Snowstorm, Bruna Lobato, a writer and literary translator who’s at work on her first novel, tells a sweet piece of flash fiction involving a foreign student studying in America; she becomes lonely when all the other students at her college leave for break, and she is left to experience the cold alone. Within the story, nothing is cited; however, for the purpose of my research project, the story operates as a primary source since it’s a piece of work I’m analyzing to become better informed about the best practices when writing flash fiction. Because the story emphasizes emotion by highlighting the relationship between the mother and daughter who are located far from each other, the intended audience is individuals who have similarly experienced homesickness, especially when they go to college. In addition to providing a quality example of flash fiction, the purpose is to emphasize there’s nothing wrong with feeling detached or isolated; everyone experiences these emotions at some point in their lives and must find strategies to cope, such as talking with those closest to one frequently.
This source was enlightening, and it will definitely help me during the writing process of my piece of flash fiction. Before reading the story, I had some notes regarding flash fiction, but I didn’t have an example I could use for inspiration. This story put into action the ideas of flash fiction I have been exploring. Obviously, I’ll make my story unique from this one; however, I love the format of this story and plan on structuring my story in a similar way. I love how concise the story is, and since I’m a minimalist, I think I’ll have a lot of fun when I get to the editing phase of my story. Here are additional notes about flash fiction observed after reading the story:
- Under 1,500 words
- Shocking and impactful
- Enigmatic
- Focus less on plot and character and more on how every single word should advance the story
- There shouldn’t be a chain of multiple events
- Don’t tell too much
- The most meaning in the fewest words possible
- The reader can be confused throughout but the ending should be clear
- The last line can be similar to the punch line of a joke
- Don’t make it too confusing
- No backstory
- Narrow focus
- Vivid imagery
- First person
- Intriguing but confusing title
- Little details that reveal aspects of the story and give hints about the plot and setting