Flash Fiction - the brevity of words

[CharleyH]

On Lit, the minimum word count required is 750 words. I think 750 words is ample enough room to write a short sex moment defined by a beginning, middle and end. However, as mobile devices become ever more present and the demand for shorter and shorter stories grows with paying sites willing to shell out decent money for flash fiction (so long as stories are between 100 and 200 words) the job of the writer becomes increasingly difficult. The job of the erotic writer, in my opinion, (not porn - I can write porn in six words if I borrow from Julius Caesar, "I saw, I conquered, I came" - and I can even make up my own crap, "Fucked a bitch, bail me out") becomes even more difficult.

In all fiction, words count, but in flash fiction, especially flash that requires story and sex in 200 words or less, every word truly counts. I am admittedly curious and wish to have a discussion on how some writers on Lit might deal with writing a complete erotic piece in 200 words or less, but I am also suddenly overwhelmed by the thrill of a challenge....

Can you write an erotic (or porn) story, with a beginning, middle and end, in 200 words or less... the challenge being to not only make it a complete story and hot, but also to make it clear that it is set in an historical, steampunk, or even sci-fi world.

 

[oggbashan]

...

Can you write an erotic (or porn) story, with a beginning, middle and end, in 200 words or less... the challenge being to not only make it a complete story and hot, but also to make it clear that it is set in an historical, steampunk, or even sci-fi world.

Of course I can.

How to write a Fifty-word story

How to plot flash fiction

Og

 

[DeeZire]

As I recall, we had a couple of FF writer's challenges in that sub-forum.

I've been buying FF collections at the book store for years now. Coming from the songwriter's perspective, making every word count can be a fun challenge. As Ogg mentioned in his essay, using a specific noun - say "hooped skirt" - can identify an era without wasting an entire sentence.

 

[oggbashan]

Rough Guide to Shelacta

The planet Tripletit is popular for small single earthmen. The inhabitants are very tall three-breasted women who will act like groupies chasing major celebrities. A delighted woman will grab a man under average height within minutes of arrival. He might not get past the port’s staff.

Once claimed, he cannot resist a Tripletit woman. She is much larger, much stronger, and her breasts give ecstasy or paralysis. She becomes pregnant by unbirthing him, taking his whole body inside her womb. He should beware of the middle breast that paralyses him for engulfing, unlike the other two that give him sexual euphoria while improving his stamina and health.

Small tourists used to disappear, never to be seen again. Now, if they can hold their breath, they will survive to leave the planet, if they want to, and report on the mind-blowing sex.

The tour operators offer discounted rates depending on height. The journey to Tripletit includes breath-control and breast-recognition classes. There is no pass mark. Failure to learn is usually fatal.

 

[oggbashan]

My story above is 170 words plus 4 for the title.

I made a significant mistake that I can't correct in the heading. The planet is Tripletit, not Shelacta. I got my own planets confused in the haste to do a short example for this thread. Oops!

My stories about Tripletit and Shelacta are in my signature list.

Og

 

[Austin8]

We have a flash fic thread all the entries are 100 words, some are amazing.

 

[CharleyH]

Of course I can.

How to write a Fifty-word story

How to plot flash fiction

Og

Indeed, I love your links and they will be very useful for anyone who takes up the challenge.

 

[CharleyH]

We have a flash fic thread all the entries are 100 words, some are amazing.

Well, you seem confident, which is great. Try posting here, under my rules, and against Ogg.

 

[driphoney]

I can barely post a comment on a thread under 50 words.

 

[CharleyH]

I can barely post a comment on a thread under 50 words.

Oh, you can at least try ... that's the real challenge - trying - going out of your zone.

 

[Austin8]

Not much on rules.

this is one i had written and is posted in the flash fic thread. (100w)

Falling

It towers above the earth, a beacon warns oncoming aircraft. Jim was a climber, Darla was a freak for having sex in dangerous places.
The wind was light, as they climbed. Her sweaty hands gripped the hard metal rungs tighter as though her life depended on it. It did.

Reaching the top their pulse racing, the small catwalk barely contained their passion. Releasing her wet cotton tee shirt it flew from Jim’s fingers. Taking her firm breasts in his strong palms, he could feel her heart pounding, One swift push, Jim was falling, He was a user.

“Goodbye dear Jim.”

 

[_Lynn_]

We have a flash fic thread all the entries are 100 words, some are amazing.

I wrote several of those and enjoyed doing so.

 

[jomar]

here ya go in 200

“You shouldn’t have stowed away, Larissa.”

“I’m not sorry, James. I couldn’t bear to be without you again, not knowing for how long or if you’d come back.”

They stood inches apart in the Captain's cabin, the day bright and the sea rolling as the ship rode the wind to war.

He hugged her. “You’ll be safest in the widow’s locker.”

“Okay.”

They stayed that way until they heard the shouts of men readying for battle.

James kissed Larissa gently, held her at arm’s length and said, “Your father, the Admiral, will be royally angry if I don’t bring you back.”

Larissa pulled James’s hand to her breast and said, “Then do.”

He smiled and said, “Yes. I must go.”

Larissa nodded and hugged him hard and James yelled for a mate to see her to the hold.

The noise was horrific and Larissa was scared beyond her wildest notions. When the cannons were silent, a bloody James opened widow’s locker and extended his hand. Her heart soared.

She took his hand as he said, “Come my love, we’ll celebrate our victory, and it’s past time to ask something I should have long ago, with the Admiral’s permission, word comes.”

-------------------

That 100 word flash fic thread was pretty fun. Glad this is on the main page and not buried up north.

 

[driphoney]

Not much on rules.

this is one i had written and is posted in the flash fic thread. (100w)

Falling

It towers above the earth, a beacon warns oncoming aircraft. Jim was a climber, Darla was a freak for having sex in dangerous places.
The wind was light, as they climbed. Her sweaty hands gripped the hard metal rungs tighter as though her life depended on it. It did.

Reaching the top their pulse racing, the small catwalk barely contained their passion. Releasing her wet cotton tee shirt it flew from Jim’s fingers. Taking her firm breasts in his strong palms, he could feel her heart pounding, One swift push, Jim was falling, He was a user.

“Goodbye dear Jim.”

Remind me to be careful if I ever meet you, Austin. Good quickie.

 

[Liar]

I can barely post a comment on a thread under 50 words.

12 there.

Just sayin'.

 

[driphoney]

12 there.

Just sayin'.

...

 

[oggbashan]

Bang

Louise looked at the Captain’s collection of antique weapons.

“Captain, why don’t our weapons work on this world?

“I don’t know. They just don’t. If I knew why, we wouldn’t be weeks behind building the base. If our ship wasn’t so well shielded all our electronics would be scrambled by the electrical storms. I wanted…”

“What did you want, Captain?”

“I wanted a room of our own, Louise.”

“Our? You mean?”

The Captain kissed her. “You know what I mean. It’s a real nuisance trying to keep the dragons away with crossbows.”

“I know. If the crossbow is strong enough to pierce the dragon’s hide it takes time to reload. Can I borrow this?”

Louise pointed at an ancient rifle, a Short Magazine Lee Enfield.

“If you want to but don’t forget your crossbow.”

“I’m going outside for a while, Captain. I want to study those dragons. Back soon.”

Louise slung the Lee Enfield on her back and picked up the crossbow. Once out of sight she loaded, aimed at a tree, squeezed the trigger…

Bang!

It worked. Why?

Of course! No electrical parts. Just mechanical and chemical energy.

Now dragons wouldn’t stop her getting a room with the Captain.

 

[Tzara]

Bernoulli Numbers as Metaphor

"You look well in that breastplate and top hat, Lady Ada," said Mr. Babbage as he watched his young protégé deftly manipulate the dials of his Engine. He particularly admired her skill at teasing the quite perfect holes of the programme cards, her single-minded concentration evident in the lovely furrow of her ivory brow.

"Thank you, Charles," she murmured without looking up, focused as she was on the lacework of her fingers along the rigid shaft of his machine—thrilled, as always, at her almost preternatural ability to make that complex and sometimes balky contrivance come to life.

"Would you care to take in the Brahms program at Lady Bellaston's this evening?" he asked a bit shakily. Her obvious talent made him jumpy. I shall want a brandy after this session, he thought to himself, perhaps two.

Suddenly she leaned back, smiled, and began to turn the long, heavy crank, slowly at first, then more and more rapidly. When suddenly the result spit out of the contraption, she laughed out loud, as if in triumph.

 

[oggbashan]

Heirs (200 words)

You rang, My Lord?

Yes, Wilkins. You have been valet to me for many years and now that I am dying I need your help one more time. My solicitor is drafting my will and I have a problem that you can help with.

Yes, My Lord?

You know that I have four legitimate children. I don’t know how many illegitimate children I have and I want to provide something for all of them. Have you any idea how many of the female staff’s children are mine?

Yes, My Lord.

So, what’s the total?

None, My Lord.

None, Wilkins? You’re sure?

Yes, My Lord.

How do you know?

You remember that you were ill as a child, My Lord?

Yes. So what?

As a result of that illness you became infertile, My Lord.

Good God! Are you saying that none of the children, not even the legitimate ones, are mine?

Yes, My Lord.

Then whose are they, Wilkins? Tell me!

Your late Ladyship’s, My Lord.

I know that! But who was their father?

I was, My Lord.

You!

Yes, My Lord. You needed heirs to the title and estates. You couldn’t provide them. A gentleman’s gentleman does everything, My Lord.

 

[jomar]

Cute one, Ogg!

 

[sr71plt]

Drowned in Solitude (100 words)

Moving in the chill of the night between solitary work and empty hovel, the desolate young man sees her swirling slowly on the lake’s ice, circling a yawning mouth into the depths. A raven-haired beauty in Currier & Ives dress. She smiles, glides closer, coaxes him onto the ice in a warming and arousing embrace. Inflaming hands in folds, lips on lips, ever more intimate, melding as one, they turn in an intimate waltz ever closer to the abyss. Until, with a moaning yielding, he is deep inside her, over the edge, sinking to welcoming bower of sand and seagrass.

 

[CharleyH]

Louise looked at the Captain’s collection of antique weapons.

“Captain, why don’t our weapons work on this world?

“I don’t know. They just don’t. If I knew why, we wouldn’t be weeks behind building the base. If our ship wasn’t so well shielded all our electronics would be scrambled by the electrical storms. I wanted…”

“What did you want, Captain?”

“I wanted a room of our own, Louise.”

“Our? You mean?”

The Captain kissed her. “You know what I mean. It’s a real nuisance trying to keep the dragons away with crossbows.”

“I know. If the crossbow is strong enough to pierce the dragon’s hide it takes time to reload. Can I borrow this?”

Louise pointed at an ancient rifle, a Short Magazine Lee Enfield.

“If you want to but don’t forget your crossbow.”

“I’m going outside for a while, Captain. I want to study those dragons. Back soon.”

Louise slung the Lee Enfield on her back and picked up the crossbow. Once out of sight she loaded, aimed at a tree, squeezed the trigger…

Bang!

It worked. Why?

Of course! No electrical parts. Just mechanical and chemical energy.

Now dragons wouldn’t stop her getting a room with the Captain.

Shit - that's some big font, Ogg. Don't let us might mistake you for BFW! STOP IT! Stop it now! lol

 

[oggbashan]

Shit - that's some big font, Ogg. Don't let us might mistake you for BFW! STOP IT! Stop it now! lol

Edited to shrink it slightly. That's the font I use when drafting.

Og

 

[CharleyH]

"You look well in that breastplate and top hat, Lady Ada," said Mr. Babbage as he watched his young protégé deftly manipulate the dials of his Engine. He particularly admired her skill at teasing the quite perfect holes of the programme cards, her single-minded concentration evident in the lovely furrow of her ivory brow.

"Thank you, Charles," she murmured without looking up, focused as she was on the lacework of her fingers along the rigid shaft of his machine—thrilled, as always, at her almost preternatural ability to make that complex and sometimes balky contrivance come to life.

"Would you care to take in the Brahms program at Lady Bellaston's this evening?" he asked a bit shakily. Her obvious talent made him jumpy. I shall want a brandy after this session, he thought to himself, perhaps two.

Suddenly she leaned back, smiled, and began to turn the long, heavy crank, slowly at first, then more and more rapidly. When suddenly the result spit out of the contraption, she laughed out loud, as if in triumph.

You know I am in love with you, right? Anything I could say at this point is simply swoony (should there be such a word).

 

[CharleyH]

Edited to shrink it slightly. That's the font I use when drafting.

Og

Adore you. By the way, I did write a 200 word erotic story for this thread.... the problem is that it was so good, I thought I'd sell it. I'm a whore.