3 Places to Submit Your Flash Fiction Online

Are you a flash fiction writer looking to get your work published?

At Online Fiction Review, we adore flash fiction. You can read it while sitting in a parking lot or standing in line. You can read it while on hold with the bank or your credit card company. 

“Hopper, Reading” by Gary Todd, Public Domain Dedication (CC0)

If you're going to be staring at your phone anyway, it's good to engage your brain creatively rather than depressing yourself with social media or the news.

Here are three online publications we like that accept flash fiction submissions.

1. Every Day Fiction

Every Day Fiction accepts multiple genres of flash fiction, and according to their submission guidelines, there is "no such thing as too short." They pay 3 Canadian dollars per accepted story. Check out their submission guidelines here.

Every Day Fiction offers a unique star rating system. Each story published is rated by readers with a maximum of five stars. This allows magazine staff and published authors to see what the public thinks of their work. Yeah, as a writer, that can be a little daunting. But if your story is good enough to be accepted by Every Day Fiction, it's safe to say that some important people have already given it their seal of approval.

We enjoyed "Grey Power," the Every Day Fiction story by Anne Wilkins that we reviewed this summer. At the time of this writing, Every Day Fiction readers had awarded it 4.4 stars.

2. Flash Fiction Magazine

Flash Fiction Magazine publishes one story per day, every day of the year. They accept stories between 300 and 1,000 words. You can read their submission guidelines here.

One of the coolest things about Flash Fiction Magazine is that they're upfront about their selection process. Your story gets read by three editors. If it gets at least one yes, the whole team reviews it. Later, when you receive your acceptance or rejection, they tell you how many votes you got. Sometimes, they include feedback on your story as well.

A while back, Online Fiction Review covered a story from this Flash Fiction Mazatine called "Wife's New Slow Cooker," by author Christian Weir. It's a funny little domestic tale that you can read about on this page.

3. SmokeLong Quarterly

SmokeLong Quarterly publishes short stories of 1,000 words and under. Publication months are March, June, September, and December. The idea is that each story takes about as long to read as you need to smoke a cigarette. Not that you should do that.

If you're a writer who appreciates getting feedback, you can get it from this publisher, which is awesome. But it's not free; you may spend $30 to get feedback statements from three editors. However, if you're looking to improve your writing and don't mind contributing to a good cause, it's a win-win. Read about the various methods of submission to SmokeLong Quarterly here.

Online Fiction Review provided a review of a SmokeLong Quarterly story called Ms. Pac-Man in the Maze in this post. Check it out to see if you agree with our assessment!

Review of Short Story "Ballpark Estimate" by Peter Wallace

I found this short story in Lit eZine, an online magazine posted at the website of writer Mona Soorma.

The story, Ballpark Estimate, intrigued me with its simplicity and relatability.

Length: 5 minutes

Genre: General

"The Last Baseball Game at RFK" (pingnews)”
by pingnews.com, CC BY-SA 2.0

=General Impressions

Q. How's the hook?

A couple is on a date at a baseball game. The woman, Ellen, is clearly not a fan of baseball. The man, Bill, is a baseball fanatic.

This creates conflict right away -- one that I could personally relate to, as I have found myself struggling to find common ground with sports fans.

Q. What made me want to keep reading this short story?

I wanted to see whether Ellen and Bill would make it through their date in one piece.

How would they handle the disparity in their levels of interest in baseball? Would Ellen's disinterest be a deal-breaker for Bill? Would Bill's passion for the game turn Ellen off?

The off-beat dialogue intrigued me as well. Ellen and Bill spoke to each other as if reading from a script. This gave the entire story a quirky air.

Q. What did I think of the plot?

Carried primarily by dialogue, it's not an action-packed plot by any means. Rather, it's an episode in a couple's relationship, a glimpse at a potentially awkward situation and how they handle it.

The primary action occurs when Ellen randomly catches a fly ball. It's a bit fantastical, but it's fun to wonder what's going to happen after Ellen, the baseball noob, performs this feat.

“Baseball Texture” by Filter Forge, CC BY 2.0

Q. How was the writing style?

The style feels like it's from the late 1950s or early 1960s. In fact, I could see this story playing out as a plot in an episode of Leave it to Beaver or The Andy Griffith Show. Even the ending, though slightly risque, would be rated PG at most in a movie theater.

Q. Is the ending satisfying?

The ending satisfies in a quiet way. It's a happy ending to a story with very little conflict. Still, it's fun to see how the author decided to wrap up this cute little conversation.

Want to read "Ballpark Estimate" by Peter Wallace in Lit eZine? Here is the link one more time!

Review of Short Story "Middle Kids" by Temim Fruchter

I found this short story on Midnight Breakfast, an online literary magazine.

Length: About 25 minutes

Genre: Coming of Age

“Empty Theater” by Andrew Jackson, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

General Impressions

Q. How's the hook?

The main character, Daniela, just moved to a new school and auditioned for the Purim play.

She is emboldened by her new-kid status to try out for the lead, and she nabs it.

As a kid, I devoured Judy Blume's coming-of-age stories about school kids written in her frank, matter-of-fact voice.

This story gives Judy Blume vibes.

Q. What made me want to keep reading this short story?

The author, Temim Fruchter, expertly builds suspense by creating must-answer questions in the reader's mind.

Daniela was expelled from her previous school. Why?

The Purim play will be performed in a monster theme. Why?

Daniela is oddly fascinated by Mrs. Lubin, a dowdy English teacher and the faculty advisor for the Purim play. Why? (Perhaps it's because Mrs. Lubin has a strange physical quirk that students only speak of in hushed tones.)

Q. What did I think of the plot?

The plot follows a relatable timeline of play rehearsals and performance.

Along the way, Daniela deals with the natural obstacles faced by a kid who has changed schools as well as her own unique obstacles, such as life with her parents in the aftermath of an expulsion and the journey of preparing for the role of headstrong Vashti.

It's fun to watch Daniela grapple with these obstacles while also learning about Vashti and the Purim story.

It's also fun to speculate about the symbolism the author has chosen: A struggling female lead plays the part of Vashti. She is misunderstood by many but ultimately realizes what she must do to be fulfilled.

Q. Did I enjoy the main character?

Daniela is an absolute delight.

Like a Judy Blume character, her narrative is honest and witty. You find yourself rooting for her to succeed even though she's not perfect ... in fact, her imperfections are precisely why you care.

Q. How was the writing style?

At nearly 8,000 words, this story is too short to have chapters, but it's long enough to have demarcated scenes separated by hash marks. The scenes move quickly, advancing the plot at a pleasing pace.

“Queen Vashti: Quarrelsome and Quirky.”
by Wes Dickinson, CC BY-NC 2.0

It's admittedly longer than, say, a flash fiction piece. But the pacing is excellent, and it leads to a satisfying conclusion.

Q. Is the ending satisfying?

It's still technically a short story, but the higher word count translates to greater character development and a more suspenseful plot.

This story is worth the extra few minutes it takes to read.

Want to read "Middle Kids" by Temim Fruchter in Midnight Breakfast? Here is the link one more time!

Review of Short Story "I Would Like a Moustache" by Niall Kaye

I read this short story on 3:AM Magazine, an extremely entertaining e-zine I recently discovered and am excited to share. It's a hilarious story by Niall Kaye that I think you'll love. 

I'm looking forward to reading more of Kaye's work -- and more stories at 3:AM Magazine.

Length: 10 to 12 minutes

Genre: Humor

Stick around to read my review of "I Would Like a Moustache" by Niall Kaye. Or, go here to read the story at 3:AM Magazine, and then come back to see if we agree!

General Impressions

Q. How's the hook?

The hook is simply, "I would like a moustache..." The main character goes on to describe the absurd actions he took to gain said moustache. I adore this type of eccentric simplicity, and the question of whether he gets a moustache kept me reading until the end.

       “Mustache Envy” by 

     Hey Paul Studios, CC BY 2.0

Q. What made me want to keep reading this short story? 

It's the voice for me.

You might find yourself reading this story in a deadpan inner voice -- perhaps something like comedian Steven Wright. You might hear a jocular Rodney Dangerfield in your mind's ear. However your brain manufactures this story's voice, it's definitely catchy.

That's what kept me reading: The unique and hilarious voice (including the word choices) of the main character.

For one thing, he refers repeatedly to the other main character (whom you might consider the "antagonist") as the "newly-appointed Secretary of State for Business and Trade." 

Every. Single. Time.

"Newly-appointed Secretary of State for Business and Trade" is a mouthful, but Niall Kaye inserts the phrase 20 times, and it gets funnier each time.

Other quirky wordings abound. For example, Kaye refers to the "Global Network of Computers, Servers, and Smart Appliances" in an everyday tone -- as if anyone calls the internet that. 

"Krav Maga." 

“rowntree's randoms sweets”
by Clyde Darra, CC BY-SA 2.0

"Rowntrees Randoms." 

"Defenestration." 

If you love words, unusual ones, I think you'll love this story.

Q. What did I think of the plot?

In a story like this, plot is secondary to style. (Some say the same of Wes Anderson movies.) 

I think that's okay.

I read this story when I was feeling kinda down. I needed a pick-up, and "I Would Like a Moustache" did the job. For a blissful 10 to 12 minutes, I stopped thinking about my problems.

The plot itself is silly, but then, so is the entire story. And yet, it's magic in approximately 1,500 words. 

Q. Did I enjoy the main character?

The (nameless) main character is a caricature driven only by one desire: to get a moustache.

He might not hold my interest through an entire novel. But he'd probably hold my attention as a character on a sitcom from week to week. Rerun of Monk, anyone?

Q. How was the writing style?

The writing is smart, sometimes wordy, and always funny. 

If you're a writer who reads about writing, you will find sources on the internet that encourage you to write concisely and discourage wordiness. Generally, I agree with that. 

But in this case, wordiness builds character and comedy.

Q. Is the ending satisfying?

The ending is satisfying mostly because the writer manages to wedge in the word "defenestration." 

It's actually just one of many ways Kaye could have chosen to end the story. It's a bit more violent than I would have expected from such a dweeby character, but I'm not complaining.

Want to read "I Would Like a Moustache" by Niall Kaye in 3:AM Magazine? Here is the link one more time!