Short-Form Creative Writing: A Writer's Guide and Anthology

(Hardback, 2nd edition)

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A complete introduction to the art and craft of extremely compressed works of imaginative literature, this book, now in its second edition, introduces both traditional and innovative approaches to the short form and demonstrates how it possesses structure, logic, and coherence while simultaneously resisting expectations.

With discussion questions, writing prompts, flash interviews, and illustrated key concepts, the book covers prose poetry, flash fiction, micro memoir, lyric essay, cross-genre/hybrid writing and much more. With new additions such as a chapter on inspiration and expansions that now cover such concepts as shape, humour, time, revision and publishing, H. K. Hummel and Stephanie Lenox have produced the ultimate companion to writing short fiction.

Featuring an extensive and wide-ranging anthology that offers inspiring examples of short-form writing in all of the styles covered by the book, it now includes micro dramas and flash comics alongside work from writers across the globe such as by Charles Baudelaire, Grant Faulkner, Jamaica Kinkaid Kay Ulanday Barrett, Kevin Brockmeier, D. E. Hardy, Jose Hernandez, Diaz, Mihee Kim, Suzan-Lori Parks, Alyssa Quinn, and Claudia Rankine.

Reviews

PRAISE FOR THE FIRST EDITION:

Although this book is a writing guide and anthology for the short form, Hummel and Lenox include sections on key concepts that are relevant to any class in writing fiction--for example, image, voice, style. The authors address thematic and stylistic concerns of brevity in recurring chapter features such as One-Sentence Workshop, which allow students to try out aspects of short-form technique. The opening chapter includes an in-depth history of the short form, a rare offering in such flash textbooks The authors include work by writers as varied as Charles Baudelaire, Terry Tempest Williams, and Ocean Vuong, and the result is a thoughtfully produced volume offering variety in theme and approach, national origin, cultural background, and time period Summing Up: Recommended. - CHOICE

[A] comprehensive book with helpful sections on narrative voice, time and space, sentence structure, logic, humor, revision, and other integral elements of craft specifically geared toward the short creative prose form. The guide is filled with writing exercises and prompts, and includes an anthology of over fifty exemplary short-form pieces. - Poets & Writers

A complete introduction to the art and craft of extremely compressed works of imaginative literature. Aspiring writers are introduced to both traditional and innovative approaches to the short form and demonstrate how it possesses structure, logic, and coherence while simultaneously resisting expectations While especially and unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library Literary Studies and Writing/Publishing collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students and aspiring writers. - Midwest Book Review

Author Bio

H. K. Hummel is Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, USA. She is the author of the poetry collections, Lessons in Breathing Underwater, Boytreebird, and Handmade Boats.

Stephanie Lenox is an instructional editor for Chemeketa Press at Chemeketa Community College, USA. She is the author of the poetry collections, The Business, Congress of Strange People, and The Heart That Lies Outside the Body.