In today’s world, the one thing we have plenty of is options. Whether you are buying a new car, a mop to clean your kitchen floor, or an electric toothbrush, there are an overwhelming number of brands, models, styles, and price points to choose from. 

So, how do you decide which one is best?

You can spend hours, if not days, reading and researching customer reviews and consumer reports. You can ask friends and family for their opinions and experiences. You can adopt a hands-on approach and test the products at the store or in your home. 

But will any of that information help if you aren’t sure what you want, or, more importantly, what you need from the product? 

Probably not. 

A new sports coupe that can go from 0 to 70 in less than thirty seconds is terrific, but not if what you need is a vehicle to safely transport your family of six. 

The same is true when researching less tangible products like online flash fiction writing courses. What is considered the best for you depends almost entirely on what you want to gain from the course.

A good starting point is to ask yourself some basic questions: 

• How much time can I devote to the class? 
• Are peer critiques vital to me? 
• Am I most interested in revising existing work or creating new work? 
• How long do I want the class to last? 
• Do I have the necessary tech to meet the course requirements?
• How much direct instructor feedback do I desire?
• How much can I spend on tuition?
• What genres do I want to focus on? 

Your answers will help you narrow down which online writing programs you should consider. 

Flash fiction, a medium ever-growing in popularity, is a genre of storytelling defined primarily by the story’s word count. By most standards, to be considered a flash story, the word count must be at or under 1,000 words.

But don’t be fooled by the number. Short by no means equals incomplete. The challenge of writing flash is adhering to the strict word count while including all of the critical elements that make a story engaging and satisfying. 

Presented are five different online flash fiction courses to make the process easier. These five run the gamut from short to long course lengths, light to heavy workloads, and low to medium intensity levels.

I have provided a breakdown of each course based on 

• length
• structure
• intensity
• objectives
• intended student audience
• tuition 

Where: Writers.com

https://writers.com/course/writing-flash-fiction 

Course Name: The Watching Eye/Thinking Mind

Course Length: 10-week online course, small groups

Start Date: April 1, 2026 

Intensity level: high

Instructor: Barbara Henning

Intended student: for writers of all backgrounds and experience levels

Course structure: online

Objective: improve understanding of craft and storytelling in general and in flash fiction 

• written lectures
• online direct instruction
• reading and writing assignments
• nine new flash fiction pieces will be workshopped by each writer 

Tuition: early bird: $645. Standard: $755

2.

Where: Fish Publishing

https://www.fishpublishing.com/writingcourse/flash-fiction-writing-course

Course Name: Flash Fiction Writing Course

Course Length: 12 weeks 

Start Date: determined once you enroll and complete tuition payment

Intensity level: high

Instructor: Mary-Jane Holmes

Intended student: open to writers of all levels

Course structure: online

• the course must be completed within three months of the start date

• ten modules, each focusing on one aspect of the flash fiction writing process

Objectives: 

• complete a polished body of flash fiction
• submit the body of work for consideration in the Fish Flash Fiction Contest
• explore 
• flash story structure
• setting
• character
• plot
• narrative perspective
• word choice
• dialogue
• the start and the finish of the story
• the four categories of flash fiction 

Tuition: $335

3.

Where: Writing Workshops.com

https://writingworkshops.com/collections/upcoming-flash-fiction-nonfiction-workshops/products/30-short-stories-in-30-days-national-flash-fiction-month-2025

Course Name: National Flash Fiction Month: 30 Short Stories in 30 Days

Course Length: 4 Weeks 

Start Date: July 1, 2025

Intensity level: medium

Instructor:  Holly Lyn Walrath

Intended student: open to all experience levels and genres

Course structure: online 

• lectures, craft materials, reading assignments, and writing prompts are all available online
• weekly assignments are completed based on the writer’s schedule, although there are weekly deadlines 
• no set meeting times 
• instructor interaction via Wet Ink- an online classroom
• there is no peer critique as the focus is on producing new material

Objectives: 

• create new material via instructor-provided writing prompts
• finding the author and character voice
• story crafting, which includes exploring hooks, twists, and turns 

Tuition: $299

4.

Where: Writing Workshops.com

https://writingworkshops.com/collections/upcoming-flash-fiction-nonfiction-workshops/products/writing-flash-fiction-a-one-day-zoom-intensive-with-robert-anthony-siegel 

Course Name: Writing Flash Fiction: A One-Day Zoom Intensive with Robert Anthony Siegel

Course Length: 1 Day 

Start Date: August 30, 2025

Instructor: Robert Anthony Siegel

Intensity level: low

Intended student: open to writers of all levels of experience

Course structure: online 

Objectives: 

• create new material and improve understanding of the genre 
• complete rough drafts for four flash pieces
• workshop writing
• explore 
• conflict
• the power of image and metaphor
• the relationship between text and subtext

Tuition: $99

5.

Where: Gotham Writers

https://wp.writingclasses.com/courses/flash-fiction-nonfiction

Course Name: Flash Fiction & Nonfiction

Course Length: 1 day in person, 2 days via Zoom, or 3 weeks online

Start Date: one-day intensive in NYC, May 1, 2025 (10 am-5 pm)

See the website for Zoom and online dates.

Intensity level: low

Instructor: Arlaina Tibensky 

Intended student: open to writers of all levels 

Course structure: in person, via Zoom, or online

Objectives: 

• provide an overview of how to write flash fiction and flash nonfiction with brief lectures
• create new flash fiction
• explore story development and revision techniques 
• understand key elements: ideas, structure, protagonist
• explain three effective forms for flash

Tuition: one day in NYC, $175

6.

Where: PocketMFA

https://pocketmfa.com

Course Name: Fiction Cohort

Course Length: 13 Weeks

Start Date: Spring 2025, application deadline: May 1, 2025

See the website for details.

Intensity Level: high

Instructor: students select mentors from a wide range of professional writers based on the student’s interest and the mentor’s areas of expertise

Intended Student: writers who are committed to their craft and are interested in growing and developing their skills

Course structure: one small group Zoom meeting per week for 13 weeks led by the group mentor. 

The meetings include peer review, mentor review, and direct craft instruction. At the start of the program, students work with their mentor to determine their program and writing goals. Together, they devise a time-based plan to accomplish these goals. 

Students also have lifetime access to the many peer and professional resources and opportunities offered by PocketMFA, such as critique partners and summer seminars. 

Tuition: $3297

Important Takeaways

A quality course will always offer these key elements: 

• a qualified instructor 
• craft and developmental instruction
• constructive feedback from peers, the instructor, or both
• you should end the course with at least one polished piece of new or significantly revised writing under your belt

For more information on writing courses and furthering your education, visit PocketMFA at @pocketmfa.com to take our writer quiz and learn more about our upcoming Fall 2025 cohort.