The Oxford Flash Fiction Prize returns this summer. Daily Info sat down with the team behind it to discuss the competition, how people can enter and tips for those who are looking to enter.
Daily Info: How would you describe flash fiction for the benefit of those who are unfamiliar with the term?
Flash fiction is a super-concentrated burst of storytelling in under 1000 words. Those are the only rules - the rest is up to you.
DI: What do people need to know in order to enter?
If you can tell a story in under 1000 words, then that’s all you need to enter the Oxford Flash Fiction Prize.
DI: Tell us about your new writing competition?
This summer, we are celebrating the meaning of gifts, exchanges and the stories we tell about them. The 2023 competition runs in partnership with the Bodleian Libraries’ Gifts and Books exhibition at the University of Oxford. Each entrant to the 2023 summer competition will also receive an e-book special edition Oxford Flash Fiction anthology.
So write yourself into history and become one of the greats with the Oxford Flash Fiction Prize. Oxford has inspired some of the greatest creative writers and poets in the world, and we’re here to expand its legacy into flash fiction. Join the likes of PD James, JRR Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and Vera Brittain, and be inspired to look beyond the walls, the cloisters and abbeys, and above the city of dreaming spires. Delight us, surprise us, scare us. Take that leap of faith and send us your stories.
DI: Please can you share your top three tips for writing flash fiction?
1. Less is more. Flash fiction is all about being concise and making every word count. Trim away any unnecessary details and focus on the core elements that drive your story forward.
2. Make your title count. Get creative with it (the title isn’t included in the word count).
3. Find out what you care about, on an emotional level, and write it into the story. If you really care about something, it will resonate with the reader too. Writing is all about connecting.
All the details for how to enter the Oxford Flash Fiction Prize can be found on their website.