Quick Fiction: An Overview and An Invitation

Quick Fiction in 100-150 Words: A Project for Your Classes, A Project for Yourself?

I often use creative writing projects in my classes, especially English 1B, because I've found that most people read differently, read more effectively, if they think of themselves as--you guessed it, how obvious--as writers. I've found that creative writing assignments tap into a special self-vision of being a writer for my students--and for myself, frankly--that expository writing assignments just don't quite reach in the same way. English 1B, with the emphasis on literature and critical thinking, is a key place to tap into personal creativity for the most obvious relevance to the work of the course.Short-short stories, Fast-Reads, Quick Fiction--whatever the label, this is the genre I've found most effective with my students.

We read a collection from a "Fast Read" contest in The Monterey Weekly from a few years ago (that I chanced upon while on a dive trip); the Fast-Reads call for stories in "101 words or less." We discuss and analyze those stories, and then we write some of our own. I request two short-short stories, 100-150 words in length, from every student. One of those stories is presented anonymously to the class. Together, we read, discuss, and analyze the class stories. We don't hold a contest for best of set, but we do look for good titles, good opening lines, good moves, good striking descriptions, characters, plots, and so forth: the standard right words in the right places. I emphasize looking for the good stuff in any and every piece to create a crucial supportive environment and to curtail easy criticism and cynicism. Why not look for what works well, first, in any and every piece of writing? I also write short-short stories and contribute my own, anonymously, with the rest of the class. Why not?

And why not share short-short stories as fellow members of our department, or as fellow members of the blog-universe?

I originally posted a version of this entry on "Clean Thine Ears," the CCSF English Department's blog-site. I wanted to place it here also for clarity and for the invitation: Share your stories!