Week 12 Lab: Learning About Microfiction

Before taking this class, I had never heard about microfictions before. I had the opportunity to read a few this semester with the random readings we do to leave comments. I feel like this style of storytelling is pretty refreshing. It boils the fiction down into just one concept. This makes it a lot more focused. I really like the example that the NPR transcript gave: "For Sale: Baby shoes, never worn." (from Talk of the Nation)

I read the Tiny Tales of Nasruddin by Laura Gibbs. I chose to read these partially because Laura had recommended them to me before at the beginning of the semester. I really enjoyed how witty and quick-thinking Nasruddin is, even if his solutions aren't always correct or appropriate. I think what I learned from experiencing these stories is that you need to try to strip away a lot of the fluff and unnecessary detail. like the story I referenced before, you don't know anything about who is selling the shoes or why they are either. You need to let your brain fill in all the details and realize that either this is a baby clothes store, or the mother had something unfortunate happen to her baby.

I think next time a story lab comes up, I will try to do a micro-fiction of my own.

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Reading Notes: Japanese Fairytales: Part A

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Mythology and Folklore

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