Flash Fiction as an Exploded Diagram

I’ve had to make a slight change in plans based on WiFi availability (why I’m reluctant to spend a few dollars to pay for WiFi after all I spend for the hardware to tap into it makes no sense at all): Since I have 3G service on my phone by not my iPad, I’ll be blogging via the WordPress iPhone app. Let’s see how it goes!

Yesterday: My husband and I arrived on the train to a warm and sunny if very windy day in Chicago (later we learned that the wind was the northern edge of the devastating storm that hit much of the Midwest). We walked from north of Water Tower Place to the Hilton to pick up our registration materials, and back. Exercise for the trip: check.

The 9 a.m. session on publishing flash fiction was led by editors from PANK, NANO Fiction, matchbook, SmokeLong Quarterly, and the Cupboard. I took a lot of notes, which I’ll share later, once I have my laptop. For now, though, here was my takeaway moment, from Roxane Gay:

Flash fiction is like “an exploded diagram with a narrative arc.”

I’m not sure if I’ll be able to post again today, but I’ll try. If not, until tomorrow…