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On Writing: Essential Story Elements
In grade-school English, you were probably taught about plot, theme, rising and falling action, the climax, and so on. And that was...

Gnerphk
1 day ago1 min read
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On Writing: Relatable Characters
On rare occasions, we'll publish something that's twisted around, upside-down, back to front, or that's missing important parts —...

Gnerphk
Jun 152 min read
62
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Reader's Pick For May
Once again we have a new Reader's Pick story, voted for by you, our loyal readers. This time, unusually, the winner hasn't been in any...

Gnerphk
Jun 141 min read
80
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March Theme Prompt Winner
Editors' Choice: "The TQL Gambit" by David Barlow is the editor's pick as the winning theme story for March/April. Congratulations...
Jim Dutton
May 183 min read
67
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April Reader's Pick
It's that time again! We have a new Reader's Pick story, voted for by you, our loyal readers. The votes have been swinging this way and...

Gnerphk
May 161 min read
74
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May Theme Prompt: Many Minds
Write a sci-fi story about the mind. Of course, you'll use your mind to write the story (I hope). But that's not what I mean. That...
Jim Dutton
May 114 min read
207
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Had Is Not Your Enemy
I've seen it countless times. Some seminar lecturer or junior college teacher says, "The past perfect tense is a sign of bad writing."...

Gnerphk
May 42 min read
66
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It's Reader's Pick Time Again!
This month, with a come-from-behind win, our Readers have Picked... " Mother Knows Best ", by Randall Andrews, with an impressive 41...

Gnerphk
Apr 201 min read
83
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Chatting with AI About AI Content
First, let me say, DON'T DO IT! Don't submit AI-generated content to SFS. We strive to publish quality flash science fiction here at...
Jim Dutton
Apr 196 min read
70
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And Is Your Enemy
Yes, you read that right: "And" is your enemy. So too are "or", "but", and all those commaed lists half a mile in length. Anything that...

Gnerphk
Mar 292 min read
94
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It's Time For Another Reader's Pick!
This month, we've got an especially close race, so much so that we've been forced to add another Honorable Mention. Cool, huh? Our...

Gnerphk
Mar 151 min read
142
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March Theme Prompt: Begin at the Big Ending
Your story must begin at the end of your plotline.
Jim Dutton
Mar 84 min read
133
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Congratulations! The Reader's Pick is...
...new (to us) writer Joshua Mannix, and his story " At the Yatai on Kuiper Station Nine "! Well done! As with every such prize,...

Gnerphk
Feb 161 min read
107
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November Theme Prompt Winner
Editors' Choice: " Human's Best Friend " by Alex McNall is the editor's pick as the winning theme story for November/December. ...
Jim Dutton
Jan 252 min read
71
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January Theme Prompt: Galactic Brackets
Write a sports- or gaming-related sci-fi story. Let the competition begin! Well, it's already begun in a number of venues. In the US, the...
Jim Dutton
Jan 183 min read
166
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Readers Pick for December...
Congratulations to our very own J. Millard Simpson for winning the December Reader's Pick with 44 rockets for his story, " Potboiler " --...
Rod Castor
Jan 121 min read
112
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Santa's Elves are Busy!
Merry Christmas, everyone! When my kids get up on Christmas morning and race to the living room to see what is under the Christmas tree,...
nathankrupa
Dec 22, 20242 min read
41
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The Readers Have Picked...
Nina Miller, " Lost Citizens of the Fringe " as November's best story, with an amazing 40, count them 4-0 Rockets. Congratulations!!!...

Gnerphk
Dec 15, 20241 min read
72
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November Theme Prompt: Aspirational Utopias
Write a sci-fi story set in a fictional utopian society. I admit I have lost track of what a majority of Americans envision as our ideal...
Jim Dutton
Nov 17, 20243 min read
129
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Our Readers Pick for October...
The readers of Sci-Fi Shorts have done it again! Congratulations to our very own J. Charles Ramirez for his clear victory with " The...

Gnerphk
Nov 10, 20241 min read
86
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Announcing: Subscriber Submissions Month
One of the most frequent topics we chat about in the (metaphorical) smoke-filled lounge labeled EDITORS ONLY is: "What can we do to...

Gnerphk
Nov 1, 20242 min read
155
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Announcement: Featured Writers
Change can be good, friends, and I'm not talking nickels and dimes here. Most of our writers' stories here at Sci-Fi Shorts are kept...

Gnerphk
Oct 26, 20242 min read
162
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It's Reader's Pick Time!
The September Reader's Pick is finally in, after an extended and at times very close race.

Gnerphk
Oct 21, 20241 min read
93
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