This sort of stuff (I mean the genre) is so not my bag but I enjoyed it - v cool / intriguing and good writing! I feel like you should connect with Neil Norman. In fact, am gonna send him this right now (he's a dog walking friend of mine and also someone 'established' here in UK, a critic and a writer - google him) Also Eve Smith who is my sister's besties and writes dystopian / speculative fiction (she just published her third book) - am going to send this to her too as I think she'll love it - and I anyway wanted to tell her about Substack.
Thanks, Emma! It's not what I usually write, either. My flash fiction pieces (1000 words) are my little fun way to experiment with different genres, styles and narrative devices.
Thank you for the introduction, too. I found Neil on LinkedIn, we share 1 group! (Film and TV Tech professionals). Very curious about what he thinks! And Eve Smith sounds like something I would read! One: "A catastrophic climate emergency has spawned a one-child policy in the UK" That's the new one, right?
Yes! That's it. Her stuff is kind of dystopian thriller / speculative fiction. She's super bright (she used to be the top dog at Earthwatch I believe) and pretty dark in her choice of themes. I've emailed this piece to both of them, as far as I know neither yet on substack but will remember to connect you when they are - inevitable am sure! It's a great idea, to experiment like that - flex your writing muscles as it were (!) - I need to get into doing writing exercises so perhaps I shall copy this idea!
Thanks a lot for the names, definitely keep me posted on what they think. Signing up to Substack is quick, too! Re: writing exercise. I added the writing prompts I used for the previous pieces (The Pawn, Future Now) in the text. Course, there are a gazillion choices for writing prompts. I have a few more coming. All different, some as short as 250 words but never more than 1000. Feel free to copy. Flash fiction is a fun "workout".
Great stuff! The last one just reeks of sarcastic cynism. I guess to be fair from how the story is written it was quite understandable. Interesting read. Certainly refreshing!
Thanks, Ika. Glad you liked it, despite the cynicism or because of it. Nothing like a little bit of end-of-the-world dark humour to get through the day!
The other flash fiction pieces have different styles and voices and are not dystopian per se, e.g. Future Now is speculative, The Pawn is a little mystery and Transference is a stream-of-consciousness piece of fiction, whereas A Face So Fair is historical fiction.
"I scream in silence." - That is one powerful phrase!!! The transition of two different narrators is so seamless. And each one has a distinctive, lively, and personable voice. Both telling such vivid, haunting, mesmerizing experiences.
Thanks, Nadia. Much appreciated. Esp. on experiments like this where one never can be sure if they land or crash. The visitor in the second part is the narrator from the first. The only indicator is him whispering her name, not enough maybe...
It’s two different narrators alright, n1 is telling the audience and n2 is telling n1, who will turn n2 into an extension of n1 once he’s warmed up. Although, maybe they are the same, once N1 assimilates N2 😎. Resistance is futile.
Oh, you are pulling my leg, I am fumbling in the dark at best! So much more to learn. But thank you, Nadia. It makes me happy to know there are people out there who enjoy my writing. After all, we write to be read.
I love when writers use clever ways of telling stories, inviting readers to search for clues and mysteries within the spaces of the writing. You're doing excellent work!
I love the fearlessness in your writing. Sometimes a certain style works for a story, sometimes it doesn't. The short, stabbing sentences early on really pull the reader in. And you explain more about the 'Mark' after the new voice starts narrating. Good stuff, as always.
Thanks, Scott! Appreciate the comment. I was going to say "rushed writing" but I take fearless. I put myself on the spot there, posting a trailer with only one sentence written, leaving me with little to no time to finish the story. The first narrator is breathless, things happen quickly. The second one, meandering, recounting what happened. Exposition disguised as dialogue. Could have been done differently... Editor note might say: "Rewrite."
I really enjoyed this. Read it last night but wanted a clear head to reply. And I agree with Nathan that the bit of color at the end added to the experience. I wish all short stories has this, especially speculative fiction.
Have you ever read Ted Chiang? He always has some detail on the story origins at the back of his books and I enjoy them as much as the stories
Thanks, Taegan! Appreciate you taking the time to read and comment! The background bit is something I include for all flash fiction pieces, glad you find it interesting. It can of course be read as a mere little entertainment fiction, without the subtext.
I have not read Ted Chiang. Sounds like something I would enjoy. Any recommendations on where to start?
Wild.
This sort of stuff (I mean the genre) is so not my bag but I enjoyed it - v cool / intriguing and good writing! I feel like you should connect with Neil Norman. In fact, am gonna send him this right now (he's a dog walking friend of mine and also someone 'established' here in UK, a critic and a writer - google him) Also Eve Smith who is my sister's besties and writes dystopian / speculative fiction (she just published her third book) - am going to send this to her too as I think she'll love it - and I anyway wanted to tell her about Substack.
Thanks, Emma! It's not what I usually write, either. My flash fiction pieces (1000 words) are my little fun way to experiment with different genres, styles and narrative devices.
Thank you for the introduction, too. I found Neil on LinkedIn, we share 1 group! (Film and TV Tech professionals). Very curious about what he thinks! And Eve Smith sounds like something I would read! One: "A catastrophic climate emergency has spawned a one-child policy in the UK" That's the new one, right?
Yes! That's it. Her stuff is kind of dystopian thriller / speculative fiction. She's super bright (she used to be the top dog at Earthwatch I believe) and pretty dark in her choice of themes. I've emailed this piece to both of them, as far as I know neither yet on substack but will remember to connect you when they are - inevitable am sure! It's a great idea, to experiment like that - flex your writing muscles as it were (!) - I need to get into doing writing exercises so perhaps I shall copy this idea!
Thanks a lot for the names, definitely keep me posted on what they think. Signing up to Substack is quick, too! Re: writing exercise. I added the writing prompts I used for the previous pieces (The Pawn, Future Now) in the text. Course, there are a gazillion choices for writing prompts. I have a few more coming. All different, some as short as 250 words but never more than 1000. Feel free to copy. Flash fiction is a fun "workout".
Will do for sure. And thanks - great - will do!
This is amazing, Alexander! On to part 2!
Thanks, Claudia!
Great stuff! The last one just reeks of sarcastic cynism. I guess to be fair from how the story is written it was quite understandable. Interesting read. Certainly refreshing!
Thanks, Ika. Glad you liked it, despite the cynicism or because of it. Nothing like a little bit of end-of-the-world dark humour to get through the day!
Yeah, I get you. I am going to be reading more from you. There is a lot to read 😊
🙏 No pressure. Take your time. The ice hasn't melted (yet). ;)
Well, a man who won’t die is quite the thing. So is a methane induced ice age. What more is in store, I wonder?
Thanks, Mark! Glad you enjoyed it. Hope you like the rest, too!
Also not a huge fan of distopian fiction but still, I found this intriguing. Compelling writing. Nice job. Glad I found the Substack shoutout thread.
Thank you, Dakota. Much appreciated.
The other flash fiction pieces have different styles and voices and are not dystopian per se, e.g. Future Now is speculative, The Pawn is a little mystery and Transference is a stream-of-consciousness piece of fiction, whereas A Face So Fair is historical fiction.
"I scream in silence." - That is one powerful phrase!!! The transition of two different narrators is so seamless. And each one has a distinctive, lively, and personable voice. Both telling such vivid, haunting, mesmerizing experiences.
Thanks, Nadia. Much appreciated. Esp. on experiments like this where one never can be sure if they land or crash. The visitor in the second part is the narrator from the first. The only indicator is him whispering her name, not enough maybe...
Whoa...I...That is so cool. I really thought it was two different narrators, but now it makes sense. That's ingenious!
It’s two different narrators alright, n1 is telling the audience and n2 is telling n1, who will turn n2 into an extension of n1 once he’s warmed up. Although, maybe they are the same, once N1 assimilates N2 😎. Resistance is futile.
Damn. My mind is blown even more now. You're a phenomenal writer!
Oh, you are pulling my leg, I am fumbling in the dark at best! So much more to learn. But thank you, Nadia. It makes me happy to know there are people out there who enjoy my writing. After all, we write to be read.
I love when writers use clever ways of telling stories, inviting readers to search for clues and mysteries within the spaces of the writing. You're doing excellent work!
I love the fearlessness in your writing. Sometimes a certain style works for a story, sometimes it doesn't. The short, stabbing sentences early on really pull the reader in. And you explain more about the 'Mark' after the new voice starts narrating. Good stuff, as always.
Thanks, Scott! Appreciate the comment. I was going to say "rushed writing" but I take fearless. I put myself on the spot there, posting a trailer with only one sentence written, leaving me with little to no time to finish the story. The first narrator is breathless, things happen quickly. The second one, meandering, recounting what happened. Exposition disguised as dialogue. Could have been done differently... Editor note might say: "Rewrite."
I really enjoyed this. Read it last night but wanted a clear head to reply. And I agree with Nathan that the bit of color at the end added to the experience. I wish all short stories has this, especially speculative fiction.
Have you ever read Ted Chiang? He always has some detail on the story origins at the back of his books and I enjoy them as much as the stories
Thanks, Taegan! Appreciate you taking the time to read and comment! The background bit is something I include for all flash fiction pieces, glad you find it interesting. It can of course be read as a mere little entertainment fiction, without the subtext.
I have not read Ted Chiang. Sounds like something I would enjoy. Any recommendations on where to start?
The repetition of numbers gave me Lost vibes.
But great, and ditto Mike's "wild".
I need to read it again 😁
Appreciated having the context/background at the end, definitely lends another angle to it.
Just a little weekend exercise, am stuck on Chapter 6 of the novel so I wanted to change for a bit. "Lost" vibes are good vibes, I hope! :)
Oh absolutely :D