For over twenty years, Brilliant Flash Fiction has been publishing vibrant stories from around the world, illustrated with dazzling photography. The March 2026 issues continues this legacy, with stories about two academics seeking literary inspiration through a drunken wilderness adventure (“Camp Hemingway” by Robert L. Penick), a sibling rivalries (“A Jarring Point of View” by Steven Whitaker and “Glass Sister” by Christy Hartman), women who desire belonging (“Cracks” by Elodie A. Roy), develop a new sense of self (“DOLLS AND ACTION FIGURES” by Danielle Ellis), and disconnect from their past as their memories fade (“Reunion” by Terrye Turpin), and more works by David Waters, Gareth Vieira, John Francis Istel, and Katrina Megson, with photographic illustrations by Laurie Scavo. Brilliant Flash Fiction is free to read online.

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Established in 2014, Brilliant Flash Fiction is a nonprofit literary journal dedicated to sharing striking short fiction from writers around the globe. Each story appears alongside vivid photography, creating a visually engaging reading experience. The journal also hosts writing contests and shares craft advice through social media, all without charging any fees. Committed to showcasing distinctive international voices, Brilliant Flash Fiction invites submissions from writers at every stage of their careers. Recent contributors include Dirk Kortz, Alethea Paul, Hannah Wyatt, Tracy Royce, David L. Updike, Samuel Cromwell, Jonathan Worlde, Bethany Bruno, Benjamin Brindise, Pravy Jha, and Mandira Pattnaik.

Discover loads more great lit mags with our Guide to Literary Magazines, Big List of Literary Magazines, and Big List of Alternative Magazines. If you are a publication looking to be listed in our monthly roundup or featured on our blog and social media, please contact us.

The March 2024 issue of Brilliant Flash Fiction’s tenth year of publication is an oddball mixture. (And please note that one must scroll down through the issue to read the stories, exactly as one scans a menu of tasty dishes.) Ever wonder what your pancreas does when it steps out of your body? Scroll down to read “La Dolce Vita,” by Jedediah Smith. And, in case you’re wondering, the strange artwork illustrating the March issue consists of photos taken inside a car during an automated carwash.

“Marion Checks In,” by Norwegian Kjetil Jansen, explores a bit of what-if Psycho movie territory, and speaking of Psycho, “DINNER SERVICE” by Suzanne Johnston is every waitress’ nightmare. The top story, “Softee,” by Elizabeth Gassman, involves a bewitching ice cream truck driver. “Allerednic” (Cinderella spelled backwards) by Rachel Rodman is a never-ending hard-luck story, and there is so much high-quality flash fiction here to read, including the off-beat “Miss Purse” by Ezra Solway, and “Poppy is My Half-Sister” by Zach Murphy; “Minotaur Dresses in the Dark” by Emma Goldman-Sherman, and “Neil” by Ende Mac. Oh yes, and that story about a crow’s text messages, by George Walker. Read it all and feel your imagination s t r e t c h …

Brilliant Flash Fiction online quarterly for September 2023 opens with original flash fiction by Pamela Painter, “You Are Like Me,” followed by Sharon A. Pruchnik’s Kafkaesque and delightful “Extinct.” A fabulous Halloween story by Charles Rammelkamp, “Houdini Seance,” is must-read material, as well as Oumaima H’s long-titled story about learning to ride a bike. The September issue is all good, solid flash fiction by talented authors, and visitors to the website can find information about BFF‘s Pop-Up Writing Contest.

Discover loads more great lit mags with our Guide to Literary Magazines, Big List of Literary Magazines, and Big List of Alternative Magazines. If you are a publication looking to be listed in our monthly roundup or featured on our blog and social media, please contact us.

The most recent quarterly issue of Brilliant Flash Fiction (March 2023) is an eclectic mix of stories. In “A Bottle Cap” by Sean Burke, a dysfunctional family party illustrates how badly we can hurt the ones we love. “Yasmin” by Lucy Hooft hauntingly describes a Damascus emigrant’s yearning for her native land. “Across the Bay” by Bayveen O’Connell is the story of a daughter‘s struggle for independence. “Where the Light Killed the Stars” by Aston Lester is the depiction of a boy’s love/hate relationship; “the writer’s voice is phenomenal,” remark the editors. “On Hold” by Jennifer Lai is a witty and melancholy snapshot of life as a single divorced mother. “They Will Feel Lucky” by Slawka G. Scarso is a tale with a twist, clever and moving. Leah Mueller’s “To the Sword-Swallowing Woman in Uranus, Missouri,” is a great fun piece of flash, well-summarized in the last line: “… I never cared much for normal folks.” “Constant Vigilance” by Matt Goldberg is a tongue-in-cheek look at violence in America and our tragic lack of viable solutions. “Four Square and Ray-Ban” by Rashmi Agrawal is a first-person account of a ‘have and have-not’ friendship. Brilliant Flash Fiction is a nonprofit organization celebrating minimalism at its finest.

Publishing quarterly online on the last day of January, March, June, and September, there’s still plenty of time to enjoy the newest Brilliant Flash Fiction, featuring works by CJ Erick, Emma Louise Gill,  Karthik G. Nambiar, Abha Iyengar, John Salter,  Mary Sloat, Barbara Kurzak, Danny Riordan, Joe Baumann, and Michael Harper. Brilliant Flash Fiction welcomes submissions of stories of1000 words or less and pays $20 per piece accepted.

The June 2022 issue of Brilliant Flash Fiction online literary magazine offers readers a variety of subjects to choose from. Just check out this lineup of stories that adhere to the ‘not more than 1000-word” limit: “Gorilla vs Dogs” by David M. Rubin; “Brown Bear, Brown Bear” by Lauren Voeltz; “Good Neighbors” by Tim Frank; “Far Enough” by Sai Shriram; “Act One, Scene Five” by Rajiv Moté; “My Whole Life” by Elizabeth Kerlikowske; “Love” by Ernesto B. Reyes; “Whiskey” by Sam Selvaggio; “Hockey Night, 1963” by Debra Bennett; and “Wherein the Labyrinth the Fridge Lie” by Nic Arico. It just seems there has to be a story in here for every reader. Check it out today, and if you’ve got your own story to share, BFF is open year-round and is a paying market.