"Get In and Get Out." A Chat With Lynn Mundell, Editor of 100 Word Story

Flash fiction magazine Editor takes us inside this journal of gems

Another editor interview is in the books, friends!

Today I had the pleasure of chatting with Lynn Mundell, Editor of 100 Word Story. This magazine is dedicated to fiction and nonfiction no longer than, you guessed it, 100 words.

Lynn and I discussed the origin of her magazine, which began when she met her co-editor Grant Faulkner while working at Charles Schwab. This is certainly not the typical origin story for most lit mags. Nonetheless, they made a great team. Their magazine has been in operation for over ten years.

At the outset, Lynn did not have a familiarity with the genre. She ensconced herself in the world of flash fiction, meeting writers in the form and trying some of her own. I wondered if there was a rivalry between writers of flash and writers of longer fiction. Lynn shared some insights into the challenges flash fiction writers face in the world of mainstream publishing.

And, of course, what are the secrets of great flash fiction? You’ll have to watch the video to find out! We discussed issues of compression, surprise, emotional depth and trusting the reader. She also read two beautiful pieces from the magazine that accomplish these tasks, and we discussed what the writers did to make these pieces sing.

If you’d like to learn more about what this magazine publishes, or if you’d just like some beautiful flash fiction in your life, be sure to also get a copy of Nothing Short Of: Selected Tales From 100 Word Story. (Full disclosure: I have a piece in there too!)

Submissions to 100 Word Story will re-open in about a month. The 100-word limit does not include the title. They are particularly interested in seeing more creative nonfiction.

Thanks to everyone who came out today. I love seeing your faces!

And a special thank you to Lynn, who not only answered all of my questions but who put up with my very annoying technical issues, and was kind and gracious throughout this jagged little Q & A. (Apologies to all for these tech glitches. I’m on the case!)

Happy viewing!

Reminder: The next interview will be with Tommy Dean of Fractured Lit on Tuesday, November 30th at 11:00 am est.

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