- Improves your editing skills. Writing to such a tight word count (my speciality is 100 words) means you must improve your editing. I've found my "useless" words, the ones I write into a story almost subsconciously. These are "very", "that" and "actually". Actually, just what do these add to a tale? Nothing! They convey no information, or indicate change of mood or setting, and all they do to your pacing is slow it down! The great thing is now being aware (nearly put in a "very" there!) of my "weak" words I can and do look out for these in all my writing and stamp them out ruthlessly!
- More Competitions online and in print. Entering and winning/being shortlisted for competitions is widely recommended as a way of getting your name/work out there. And there are more flash fiction competitions available now. You could send out several flash pieces to several competitions! And while flash has its own skills to learn, you will get more work out there than if, say, you just stick to writing novels and entering contests for them. (Also the fee for a flash fiction competition will be so much cheaper!).
- Great Way of using material too short for standard length competitions. Says it all!
- Use as practice for writng book blurbs. Book blurbs are notoriously difficult to write but by summarisng your book (and doing so as a flash piece), you are effectively practising writing the blurb! The word count is going to be about right.
These are just some of the advantages. Why not give flash a go?