What exactly is Flash Fiction? Well, it doesn't actually have a definitive definition. It is widely described as “a tale in miniature, a work of art carved on a grain of rice – something important to the artist or writer that is confined and reduced, whether by design or result, to a small space square using the structural devices of prose line and paragraph form with the aim of creating an intense emotional impact” (Masih XI). So in simple terms a very, very, very short story designed to make you feel intense emotions in a short amount of time. One of the defining characteristics of flash fiction is its short duration. Flash fiction is very short, hence the name flash fiction. They usually take much less than four or five minutes to read and are very intense. Intense in the fact that they really try to make you feel or understand an emotion or situation that one or more characters are going through. They may be short reads but they are meant to be extremely powerful. Another distinguishing feature is the lack of a narrative arc at times. Flash fictions are very, very short, so they lack the filler details usually found in longer fictions. Since flash fiction lacks filler details, it sometimes lacks the details necessary for a complete story arc. So sometimes authors leave out these details and leave it up to audience members to complete the story arc themselves. Readers are often looking for the key parts of the story arc: exposition, complication(s), climax, and resolution(s), so as to automatically fill in the missing pieces that may not be there. Flash fiction in America is supposed to have come from Washington Irving's collection of short stories entitled The Sketch-Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Ghent. This collection... middle of paper... works. If you find that you've started to think that flash fiction is for you, check out all of these collections and authors. Reading and studying works of flash fiction can help you become a better, well-rounded writer overall and a better flash fiction writer. Works CitedButler, Robert O. "A Short Short Theory." Field Guide to Writing Flash Fiction: Tips from editors, teachers, and writers in the field. Brookline, MA: Rose Metal, 2009. 102-04. Print.Masih, Tara L. “In Search of the Short Story: An Introduction.” Field Guide to Writing Flash Fiction: Tips from editors, teachers, and writers in the field. Brookline, MA: Rose Metal, 2009. XI-XXXVIII. Print.Shapard, Robert. "Stay true to the image." Field Guide to Writing Flash Fiction: Tips from editors, teachers, and writers in the field. Brookline, MA: Rose Metal, 2009. 87-93. Press.