Flash fiction is the art of telling small stories that make a big impact. Learn how to harness the power of economy in this practical short course. Suitable for those with some experience of creative writing.
Learning modes and locations may be different depending on the course start date. Please check the location of your chosen course and read our guide to learning modes and locations to help you choose the right course for you.
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
Can you master the art of extreme brevity? The challenge of flash and micro fiction is to tell a complete story in which every word is absolutely essential. This course will help you to generate ideas for flash fiction, and teach you to peel away the frills and lace until you've reached the hard, clean-scraped core of a story.
Students like: "the suggestions and tools given to approach writing microfiction in different ways"; "the in-class wrtiting exercises"; "getting and giving feedback on our own stories in a group"; "developing skills and gaining confidence."
City Lit reserves the right to change course tutors from those advertised in this outline. In line with our refund policy we are unable to grant a refund on the grounds of a change of tutor.
What will we cover?
- Creative exercises will encourage you to unlock your imagination and generate ideas for flash fiction - Issues of technique including plot, structure, point of view and character will be addressed - You'll learn how to compress your writing and shape your stories to deliver the maximum impact - You'll benefit from constructive criticism as you begin to revise your work.
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Identify the essential components of flash fiction - Write a story with a clear beginning, a strong centrepiece, and a definitive ending; a story that makes its point and drives it home - Provide insightful feedback on the work of colleagues - Feel confident as you continue to experiment with flash fiction.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This is an intermediate course for those with some experience of creative writing. Fluent written and spoken English is essential.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
In-class exercises including writing games, free-writing and experimental techniques for idea generation; small group discussion; tutor-led discussion.
City Lit Writing endeavours to create a safe and welcoming space for all and we strongly support the use of content notes in our classes. This means that learners are encouraged to make their tutor and classmates aware in advance if any writing they wish to share contains material that may be deemed sensitive. If you are unsure about what might constitute sensitive content, please ask your tutor for further clarification and read our expectations for participating in writing courses at City Lit.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Dr. Suzannah V. Evans is a poet, researcher, and educator. Her debut full poetry collection is Under the Blue (Bloomsbury Poetry, September 2025). She is the author of Brightwork and Marine Objects / Some Language, and the editor of All Keyboards are Legitimate: Versions of Jules Laforgue (Guillemot Press). A chapter of her work appears in Carcanet’s anthology New Poetries VIII. Her poetry has been awarded the Ivan Juritz Prize for Creative Experiment and a Northern Writers’ Award, performed at international festivals, and broadcast on BBC Radio. She holds an AHRC-funded PhD in modern poetry from Durham University, and has taught literature and creative writing widely in higher and adult education. https://suzannahvevans.com/
Lucy PopescuSee moreSee less
Lucy Popescu is a writer, editor and arts critic. She has published two anthologies about refugee experiences, A Country of Refuge (2016) and A Country to Call Home (2018) and is the author of The Good Tourist (2008). Lucy is chair of the Authors’ Club and its Best First Novel Award. She reviews books for The Observer, FT and TLS, among other publications, has a regular column in the Literary Review and is theatre editor at Camden New Journal. Lucy has taught creative writing for over ten years, is a writing mentor at Freedom from Torture and also curates literary events. Before that, she worked with the English Centre of PEN.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
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https://www.citylit.ac.uk/writing-flash-fiction-getting-started310637Writing flash fiction: getting startedhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/w/r/writing_flash_fiction_getting_started-1080.jpg7979GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Writing/Novels and short stories/Novels and short stories/Courses/Writing/Creative writing taster courses/Courses/Writing/Courses/Writing/Novels and short stories/Courses/vm/Summer offers/Courses/vm/Summer courses/Summer courses in writing/Courses/Online courses2285158813396135811359913614135781731122851358113599165313457Flash fiction is the art of telling small stories that make a big impact. Learn how to harness the power of economy in this practical short course. Suitable for those with some experience of creative writing.153035848Writing flash fiction: getting started7979https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/w/r/writing_flash_fiction_getting_started-1080_8.jpgInStockDaytimeSatOnlineAvailable coursesOne-off onlyWeekend2027-01-30T00:00:00+00:00Some experienceJan 2027WritingHW3727979Writing flash fiction: getting started795179Suzannah V. Evanswriting-flash-fiction-getting-started/hw372-2627Flash fiction is the art of telling small stories that make a big impact. Learn how to harness the power of economy in this practical short course. Suitable for those with some experience of creative writing.0000-Available|2027-01-30 00:00:00Can you master the art of extreme brevity? The challenge of flash and micro fiction is to tell a complete story in which every word is absolutely essential. This course will help you to generate ideas for flash fiction, and teach you to peel away the frills and lace until you've reached the hard, clean-scraped core of a story.<br><br><b>Students like:</b> "the suggestions and tools given to approach writing microfiction in different ways"; "the in-class wrtiting exercises"; "getting and giving feedback on our own stories in a group"; "developing skills and gaining confidence."<br><br>City Lit reserves the right to change course tutors from those advertised in this outline. In line with our refund policy we are unable to grant a refund on the grounds of a change of tutor.Flash fiction is the art of telling small stories that make a big impact. Learn how to harness the power of economy in this practical short course. Suitable for those with some experience of creative writing.- Creative exercises will encourage you to unlock your imagination and generate ideas for flash fiction<br>- Issues of technique including plot, structure, point of view and character will be addressed<br>- You'll learn how to compress your writing and shape your stories to deliver the maximum impact<br>- You'll benefit from constructive criticism as you begin to revise your work.- Identify the essential components of flash fiction<br>- Write a story with a clear beginning, a strong centrepiece, and a definitive ending; a story that makes its point and drives it home<br>- Provide insightful feedback on the work of colleagues<br>- Feel confident as you continue to experiment with flash fiction.This is an intermediate course for those with some experience of creative writing. Fluent written and spoken English is essential.In-class exercises including writing games, free-writing and experimental techniques for idea generation; small group discussion; tutor-led discussion. <br />
<br />
City Lit Writing endeavours to create a safe and welcoming space for all and we strongly support the use of content notes in our classes. This means that learners are encouraged to make their tutor and classmates aware in advance if any writing they wish to share contains material that may be deemed sensitive. If you are unsure about what might constitute sensitive content, please ask your tutor for further clarification and read our <a href=" https://www.citylit.ac.uk/expectations-for-participating-in-writing-courses" target="_blank">expectations for participating in writing courses at City Lit</a>.Please bring a pen and paper.Novels and short storiesNovels and short storiesvirtual3095056Writing flash fiction: getting started7979https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/w/r/writing_flash_fiction_getting_started-1080_9.jpgInStockDaytimeSunKeeley StreetAvailable coursesOne-off onlyWeekend2027-07-25T00:00:00+00:00Beginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allJul 2027WritingHW3747979Writing flash fiction: getting started795179Lucy Popescuwriting-flash-fiction-getting-started/hw374-2627<p>A sideways glance: succinct, powerful. This short workshop, on the essential components of flash fiction and micro fiction, will teach you to tell a complete story in very few words.</p>0000-Available|2027-07-25 00:00:00This short course will introduce you to the skills needed to produce very short fiction. Students will be encouraged to think creatively and experiment with structure, point of view and language. At the end of the course you will have a clear understanding of the technical aspects of micro-fiction writing and devices used by writers to generate and build on ideas. You will also take away solid strategies to fuel your creative momentum into the future.<br><br>City Lit reserves the right to change course tutors from those advertised in this outline. In line with our refund policy we are unable to grant a refund on the grounds of a change of tutor.<p>A sideways glance: succinct, powerful. This short workshop, on the essential components of flash fiction and micro fiction, will teach you to tell a complete story in very few words.</p><p>We will use a range of workshop exercises for inspiration--drawing on experience, memory, imagination and place. Further exercises are designed to generate new ideas using poetry, songs, overheard conversations and images in order to quickly create pieces for development. There will be opportunities to share your writing in a relaxed and supportive workshop environment, and you will receive plenty of constructive feedback from the tutor and your peers.<br><br>Please note: this course will include a 1-hour break.</p><p>- Identify the characteristics of micro-fiction and flash fiction as opposed to longer short stories<br>- Respond to, assess and discuss pieces of writing (your own and your peers’) with sensitivity<br>- Recognise various creative writing techniques such as imagery, point of view, 1st person/3rd person narrative, rhetorical devices<br>- Apply the above in your own writing<br>- Produce several pieces of micro-fiction<br>- Experiment and have fun!</p>This is an introductory course. You do not need to have any experience with creative writing though it will help if you are interested in reading and crafting very short fictions. You will need to be fluent in written and spoken English.In-class exercises including writing games; free-writing and experimental techniques for idea generation; small group discussion; tutor-led discussion. <br />
<br />
City Lit Writing endeavours to create a safe and welcoming space for all and we strongly support the use of content notes in our classes. This means that learners are encouraged to make their tutor and classmates aware in advance if any writing they wish to share contains material that may be deemed sensitive. If you are unsure about what might constitute sensitive content, please ask your tutor for further clarification and read our <a href=" https://www.citylit.ac.uk/expectations-for-participating-in-writing-courses" target="_blank">expectations for participating in writing courses at City Lit</a>.There are no additional costs. Please bring writing materials.<p>You might be interested in our range of <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/searchcourse/?q=short+story+writing" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">short story writing courses</a>, or our <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/micropoetry-small-poems-big-ideas" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">micropoetry</a> and <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/micro-memoir-a-taster" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">micro-memoir </a>courses. </p><p><br>All students are invited to join us at <a href=" https://www.citylit.ac.uk/latelines" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Late Lines</a>, our regular performance night for City Lit writers. Students are also encouraged to submit their work to <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/betweenthelines" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Between the Lines</a>, our annual anthology of creative writing. For the latest news, courses and events, stay in touch with the Department on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/citylitcreativewriting" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a> and <a href="http://citylitwriting.bsky.social on Bluesky" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bluesky</a>.</p>Novels and short storiesNovels and short storiesvirtual797951HW372,HW374NONESat,Sun30/01/2710:30 - 16:3010:3016:301 session1One-off onlyWeekendOnlineOnline,Keeley StreetSuzannah V. Evans,Lucy PopescuSome experience,Beginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allAvailable courses2027-01-30T00:00:00+00:00,2027-07-25T00:00:00+00:00DaytimeJan 2027,Jul 2027Writing7979Writing flash fiction: getting startedwriting-flash-fiction-getting-started/hw372-2627,writing-flash-fiction-getting-started/hw374-2627Flash fiction is the art of telling small stories that make a big impact. Learn how to harness the power of economy in this practical short course. Suitable for those with some experience of creative writing.,<p>A sideways glance: succinct, powerful. This short workshop, on the essential components of flash fiction and micro fiction, will teach you to tell a complete story in very few words.</p>0000-Available|2027-01-30 00:00:00Can you master the art of extreme brevity? The challenge of flash and micro fiction is to tell a complete story in which every word is absolutely essential. This course will help you to generate ideas for flash fiction, and teach you to peel away the frills and lace until you've reached the hard, clean-scraped core of a story.<br><br><b>Students like:</b> "the suggestions and tools given to approach writing microfiction in different ways"; "the in-class wrtiting exercises"; "getting and giving feedback on our own stories in a group"; "developing skills and gaining confidence."<br><br>City Lit reserves the right to change course tutors from those advertised in this outline. In line with our refund policy we are unable to grant a refund on the grounds of a change of tutor.,This short course will introduce you to the skills needed to produce very short fiction. Students will be encouraged to think creatively and experiment with structure, point of view and language. At the end of the course you will have a clear understanding of the technical aspects of micro-fiction writing and devices used by writers to generate and build on ideas. You will also take away solid strategies to fuel your creative momentum into the future.<br><br>City Lit reserves the right to change course tutors from those advertised in this outline. In line with our refund policy we are unable to grant a refund on the grounds of a change of tutor.Flash fiction is the art of telling small stories that make a big impact. Learn how to harness the power of economy in this practical short course. Suitable for those with some experience of creative writing.,<p>A sideways glance: succinct, powerful. This short workshop, on the essential components of flash fiction and micro fiction, will teach you to tell a complete story in very few words.</p>- Creative exercises will encourage you to unlock your imagination and generate ideas for flash fiction<br>- Issues of technique including plot, structure, point of view and character will be addressed<br>- You'll learn how to compress your writing and shape your stories to deliver the maximum impact<br>- You'll benefit from constructive criticism as you begin to revise your work.,<p>We will use a range of workshop exercises for inspiration--drawing on experience, memory, imagination and place. Further exercises are designed to generate new ideas using poetry, songs, overheard conversations and images in order to quickly create pieces for development. There will be opportunities to share your writing in a relaxed and supportive workshop environment, and you will receive plenty of constructive feedback from the tutor and your peers.<br><br>Please note: this course will include a 1-hour break.</p>- Identify the essential components of flash fiction<br>- Write a story with a clear beginning, a strong centrepiece, and a definitive ending; a story that makes its point and drives it home<br>- Provide insightful feedback on the work of colleagues<br>- Feel confident as you continue to experiment with flash fiction.,<p>- Identify the characteristics of micro-fiction and flash fiction as opposed to longer short stories<br>- Respond to, assess and discuss pieces of writing (your own and your peers’) with sensitivity<br>- Recognise various creative writing techniques such as imagery, point of view, 1st person/3rd person narrative, rhetorical devices<br>- Apply the above in your own writing<br>- Produce several pieces of micro-fiction<br>- Experiment and have fun!</p>This is an intermediate course for those with some experience of creative writing. Fluent written and spoken English is essential.,This is an introductory course. You do not need to have any experience with creative writing though it will help if you are interested in reading and crafting very short fictions. You will need to be fluent in written and spoken English.In-class exercises including writing games, free-writing and experimental techniques for idea generation; small group discussion; tutor-led discussion. <br />
<br />
City Lit Writing endeavours to create a safe and welcoming space for all and we strongly support the use of content notes in our classes. This means that learners are encouraged to make their tutor and classmates aware in advance if any writing they wish to share contains material that may be deemed sensitive. If you are unsure about what might constitute sensitive content, please ask your tutor for further clarification and read our <a href=" https://www.citylit.ac.uk/expectations-for-participating-in-writing-courses" target="_blank">expectations for participating in writing courses at City Lit</a>.,In-class exercises including writing games; free-writing and experimental techniques for idea generation; small group discussion; tutor-led discussion. <br />
<br />
City Lit Writing endeavours to create a safe and welcoming space for all and we strongly support the use of content notes in our classes. This means that learners are encouraged to make their tutor and classmates aware in advance if any writing they wish to share contains material that may be deemed sensitive. If you are unsure about what might constitute sensitive content, please ask your tutor for further clarification and read our <a href=" https://www.citylit.ac.uk/expectations-for-participating-in-writing-courses" target="_blank">expectations for participating in writing courses at City Lit</a>.Please bring a pen and paper.,There are no additional costs. Please bring writing materials.Novels and short storiesNovels and short storiesconfigurable
158813599Novels and short storieshttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/writing/novels-and-short-stories/novels-and-short-stories-11/2/285/13581/13599/1588/Courses/Writing/Novels and short stories/Novels and short stories
