By J. M. Strother
A growing community of writers is participating in an online experiment in crowdsourcing fiction. It’s called #fridayflash, and it can be found via Twitter, Facebook, or by directly visiting participating writer’s blogs. A new #fridayflash happens every Friday, as figured locally, though some folks do post soon after midnight New Zealand time.
The idea behind #fridayflash is to get eyeballs on stories—to build that proverbial ‘platform.’ Writers use the power of social networking to gain followers, name recognition, and most importantly, a loyal readership. It seems to be working. From discussions I’ve had with several regular participants most have experienced double (or better) the number of Friday visits and increased blog readership overall. Ah, sweet success. End of story. Right? Not quite.
It turns out there are three other happy side effects to participating in #fridayflash:
First, #fridayflash is turning into its own mini social network. When asked what they get out of #fridayflash the overwhelming response was not the increase in readership (though they certainly liked that) but the sense of community and camaraderie that is developing among the writers, and I might add, with our readers.
“…the contributions of other writers has me looking forward to each #fridayflash. I have been AFK a couple of Fridays this August and I really missed sitting with my coffee and tucking into the work on offer.” – Dan Powell
“This is my first experience with what I might call an online social community – in which the word ‘community’ truly feels like the right word. I feel like I know you guys. Like we’ve been to dinner and talked about things and know little inside jokes… It’s a thing that has a rather profound nature to it that rises above the level of the obvious. Like we’re a tribe. A gang. A family. I have this strange devotion to those of you I’ve read every week for the past month or so. And for a guy, that’s like really, really weird. And very cool.” -Jeff Posey
Second, it helps participating writers improve their discipline and craft:
“I have always been a believer … in Ray Bradbury’s advice about writing a short story a week and there is no way you won’t have some good stories by the end of a year. The #fridayflash struck me as a way to accomplish this. If not with a full-blown short story, at least with flash fiction. And deadlines help me.” -Kevin J. Mackey
“It keeps me writing on a regular schedule. I am pretty random in my writing time, so #FridayFlash keeps me writing every Thursday night. I believe that is a bigger benefit than any additional traffic…” -E. D. Johnson
Finally, it builds confidence in our craft:
“It encourages writers to read others’ work and publish their own work more widely.” – Pippa Hennessy“My experience with #fridayflash has pushed me to write other stories in different genres and submit them to publications and anthologies, something I hadn’t done before. It’s been an enriching experience and opened up many new avenues for me. If not for this huge push, I’d still be all by myself, clacking away in a dark room.” – Laura Eno
People can participate in #fridayflash in two ways: as authors and as readers:
1. Writers simply need to write a story of 1,000 words or less, and then post it to their blog on any given Friday. Then tweet the title and URL (or have a friend do it if you are’t on Twitter) along with the #fridayflash hashtag. Alternately, you can post the URL on the #fridayflash group page on Facebook.
2. Readers can participate simply by looking for the #fridayflash hash tag, follow the links, and then read and comment on the stories. It is hoped readers will retweet the links of stories they like, to help build the reputations of those writers. #fridayflash really is a partnership between writers and readers. Both are needed for success.
For writers who are willing to share some of their work as a means of getting read while building a platform as a fiction writer I wholeheartedly recommend #fridayflash. Monetary compensation is not the only reward for writing. Improved craft, discipline, and confidence are rewards beyond calculation. Plus, it’s just plain fun.
J.M. Strother is the founder and organizer of #fridayflash.
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Great article, Jon, and a special thanks to Maria for shining the spotlight on this growing community. The comments really sum up the entire experience. It does feel like family.
And it’s fun. I’ve gotten really great feedback to be sure, but the best part is that someone other than my husband is reading my stuff, and I am getting to know some really good writers who push me to write more and think.
I like that Bradbury suggestion. Through the #fridayflash, I have written shorter, tighter fic more regularly and practice is never a bad thing.
Practice makes, if not perfect, then better. The practice of writing regularly makes – for regular writing. And writers write.
This #fridayflash exercise has been good for my writing. It’s provided the spur to write more, more often, and to, as Annie mentioned above, write shorter, tighter fiction.
And it is great to have a dozen, and growing, short, sharp tales to read each week. Nice way to start into a weekend.
Well done Jon for kicking the idea off and seeing it through.
Nice post! I enjoy reading the friday flashes, and just wish I had time to participate. But I’m not as talented as you flashers in churning out 1000 or fewer words every week.
Peace, Linda
Great post, Jon!
I haven’t yet participated in fridayflash but it’s a lot of fun to read what you guys are doing. And it’s so cool of Maria to highlight it here on the blog.
Jai
Maria: Thanks so much for allowing Jon to explain #FridayFlash. It’s a great program, and I give great credit to Jon for coming up with it, following up with it, and contributing great fiction of his own (his latest made me, literally, choke up) each week.
–Jeff Posey
that really sounds fascinating. I don’t know if I’m up to it. Short stories are so not my thing. Maybe if someone gave me a weekly topic…:)
Editor Unleased has been nominated for a Kreativ Blog Award by C. Hope Clark. See http://hopeclark.blogspot.com/ to claim your logo. Congratulations!
Well, thanks Hope!
Wonderful article. I get a lot of enjoyment reading everyone’s work each week. Until I found #fridayflash it was just me posting stories. Now I have people who actually read my work. Your comments mean so much to me each week. As for weekly topics, there are several places to find writing prompts online. I personally have used prompts from another great group of writers at: writeanything(dot)wordpress(dot)com ’s [fiction friday]
I always look forward to Fridays, because I know there will be great posts from the #FridayFlash bunch.
It is extremely rewarding to receive comments from the other participants. These people are amazing at what they do; it’s pretty cool to feel accepted and rub elbows with genius.
I have had a lot of fun participating, and can’t thank Jon enough for putting this together.
You’re awesome!
~2
This is great! I’m looking for a way to jumpstart my fiction again and this just may do the trick. A warm-up for NaNoWriMo, perhaps?
You guys are great for participating, both as writers and readers. As I said, we need both to make #fridayflash work. And don’t worry about having to have a new story each week. Just post when you can if you have something you’d like to share.
Thank you, Maria, for letting me write about this.
~jon
Sounds like fun! I think I may just have to try this :)
Great Idea, Jon! So glad word is spreading. I’m looking forward to not only participating when I can, but commenting on some of the great stories as well. Thanks for sharing this with me on facebook every week. And thanks to Maria for putting you in the spotlight!
Cheers,
Dorraine
I really want to start participating in this…whenever I see a post for it, my fingers get itchy!
One must satisfy those itches!
~jon
You know, I’ve been meaning to get involved with this #fridayflash thing for so long. This post was the tipping point. I’m on it!
:)
Thanks for the info! What a brilliant idea. Love, love, love it.
Thanks for the [Fiction] Friday plug Chris. I love the fact that different writing communities have mingled and merged through #fridayflash – with many of us Fiction Fridayers coming along to be part of the Flash community and visa versa.
I have only been part of the Flash for two weeks but have enjoyed connecting and meeting a bunch of new writers and looking forward to strengthening and deepening those connections in the months to come.
It goes to show how powerful the social networking platforms are for writers.
What a great idea. It’s just the excuse I need to write more fiction. Better start planning now then :-)
What a cool idea! I remember having this same type of exercise on Anne Wayman’s About Freelance Writing threads. It’s a great way to get the creativity stirring again.
Go Jon! You have created something inspiring and useful to all writers.
Love the idea that each of us has at least one story a week.
Nice read. Thanks for posting it! I only found out about this from Alanbaxteronline.com and your site, and it’s been really fun and informative. Thank you!
This is a great idea. Is there a similar situation for non-fiction writers? Thanks, Maria.
I’ve just been referred to the program by one of my twitter friends and it seems very promising. Unfortunately I am like Linda, not quite comfortable with the 1k word limit, but I know that with time and effort I’d be able to have less of an issue with the restriction.
Just as suggestions for you guys based on some exercises I’ve been doing to get myself writing again this last week; downloading and using Simon Hayne’s yTimer program then setting time restrictions for your sessions can be very helpful for adding another variable and pushing yourself past normal limits. In the past week, setting 60-120 minute/session restrictions have ended in me writing more in the past week then I have in the past few months.
Dianne, I never used to be able to write anything shorter than a trilogy. Then I started trying to write stories for contests with 1000 word limits. It took a quite a while to get used to that. Then I started seeing contests with 750 word limits, and thought – that’s impossible! I think my real comfort zone is in the 1500 to 3000 word range, and novels, but I’ve learned I can do things as short as 50 words. It’s really hard to write that short.
When you feel comfortable, or just for practice, feel free to throw your hat into the #fridayflash. We’d love to hear from you.
~jon
J. M. Strother, I will indeed throw myself in as I get a bit more comfortable with writing regularly again. This time around I’ve had to make a lot of changes, using programs like yWriter and yTimer to help me regulate and organize my ideas. I will still need some work on the shorter fiction, but that is all part of the writer’s journey. The writer’s craft is an evolving process and one that will last a lifetime.
I’ve been watching the Firday flash movement grow every week, and have been delighted to see some of my writer friends gaining confidence from the response to their entries as every week goes by. Brilliant!
D’oh! I’ve been watching the FRIDAY flash movement too… I need more tea, stat!
Don’t you hate it when that happens? :o I’ve posted it at the fridayfalsh before. In the report! Doh! Those pesky keys can really tangle up the fingers.
I recommend green tea.
It really has been amazing watching it grow and watching the writers grow right along with it. This has been a wonderful experience. I love it.
~jon
I’ve posted it as. As. AS. Not at! Those pesky keys…
~jon
This is a great idea! I’m going to be pretty busy with nanowrimo, but I’ll try. I haven’t written anything under 4000 words in a while; it should be a blast.
NaNo and #fridayflash will certainly present us with a challenge. Luckily, I have three stories in the bank for November, and hope to write the fourth tonight. Then I’ll be able to concentrate on NaNo.
Look forward to seeing your contribution.
~jon
This is a wonderful idea! I wonder if I can keep up, though – if you miss a friday, do you get tossed out on yer keester *laugh* — I have a deadline for my 2nd novel – or maybe if one has already published, they shouldn’t join? If we can’t join, we can read, though, right? *smiling*
Hi, Kathryn. Anybody is welcome at #fridayflash, either as a reader or writer. You don’t have to post every week. Post when you have something you’d like to share. We’d love to have you join us.
~hib