Language as a Medium for Communicating the Nuance of Memories

Microfiction edited by Jerome Stern

Microfiction is a collection of short short stories (under 250 words). The stories must be effective—that is, possessed of emotional impact—despite the short length, which does not allow for traditional character development, setting realization, evolving dramatic arc, extensive climax, etc. To that end, the following are some tricks the authors employ to create a successful narrative in a short space.

1. Use archetypal relationships—eg, mother, father, brother, sister, lover, wife, husband, friend, etc. Employing these identities sets up relationships that carry emotional weight without the need for detailed characterization.

2. Use irony to heighten emotional impact. Situational irony occurs when the reader or character expects one thing and another thing happens. Dramatic irony occurs when the reader knows something that a character does not. Irony complexifies ostensibly simple narrative dynamics, allowing the author to talk about one thing while simultaneously explicating another. It dramatically increases the emotional impact of the narrative.

3. Setting must be specific and clear early on. Where we are in space and time is an important information for grounding the reader in the world of the story, as well as supplying information about how to think/feel about the characters. Also, setting is an important tool for establishing tone and mood—that is, how we are to think/feel about the characters/situation.

4. Chronology should be straight and linear. Jumping around in time—eg, flashbacks—confuses the present moment and diffuses tension.

5. Language must be clear and, for the most part, literal. Complex syntax, elevated diction, or intricate metaphors bump the reader out of the immediate moment of the story. It is a diffusive effect that can work well in longer stories, but in stories this short serve only to alienate the reader from the action and diffuse tension.

 

Synthesis

On the wide site, micronarratives are used to tell significant memories from childhood. The goal is to capture the importance of the memory, why it "stung," and how it shaped/reflected a worldview at a formative age. To that end, they are microfictions, with a basis in fact.

 

Wabi-Sabi

A Remodeled Kitchen

A Christmas Sofa