Sudden Flash: Formatting and Style

Paragraphs and page layout

When you read the stories here, you may notice that we use block paragraphs with double-spacing between. We are not looking for pieces that require an unusual layout, artistic indentations, single-word paragraphs, etc. Generally speaking, most paragraphs should contain more than one sentence. We are not looking for poetry. Further, if you have used an unusual layout, it is likely to be lost in email. If your story genuinely requires some strange formatting, please explain it in your submission.

Spelling

Either American or UK spelling is fine. Please be internally consistent.

Punctuation

We highly recommend standard American punctuation, as described by Grammarly. Please don't be stingy with commas in complex sentences. Please remember to use double quotes, "like this," not 'like this.'

Your name

Whether you use your real name or a pen name, please be consistent. The name in the byline should match the name in the biography.

Third person biography

Please understand the difference between first person and third person, and write your bio in third person.

This is a first person biography (not what we need): I am a part-time firefighter, writing stories while waiting for emergencies. My stories have been published everywhere.

This is a third person biography: Jane Doe is a university student in Chicago. She collects butterflies in her spare time. Her first novel, Don't Kid Me, is available on Amazon.

Note that if you do not provide a biography, we will invent one.

Present tense or past tense

Please decide whether your story is in present or past tense and stick to it.

Editing

We are editors, and sometimes we edit. We may correct punctuation, spelling mistakes, and small grammatical errors or conflicts in tense. We may change some formatting to conform with our style. We will not make major changes without first consulting with the author.

Length

We are looking for pieces of 600 or fewer words, although we occasionally publish longer essays on the craft of writing, and book reviews or editorial content which may be longer.

If you need help counting the words, try Word Counter. If your story is 601 words, simply remove a word. If it is 610 words, try rewriting some long sentences, finding one strong word that can replace two or three. If your story is 650 words or longer, remember that some publications draw the line at 700, while others seek stories up to 1,000 words or more.