Some novellas-in-flash involve storylines (and story-worlds) that are clearly fictional – for example some of the books mentioned in this recent list of speculative/sci-fi novellas.
Other writers draw entirely upon real life experiences for their NIFs, even to the point of calling their book a “memoir-in-flash”.
Below are some examples of recent novellas-in-flash that depend heavily on lived experiences. Where the book has been presented specifically as memoir, this is noted in the list; where the NIF has been presented as “autofiction”, or fiction derived directly from autobiographical experiences, this is also noted.
There are bound to be many NIFs I’ve neglected that could appear in this list! Especially as it’s not easy to tell which ones are re-presenting autobiographical experiences as if they were “fiction” – unless an author lets readers know.
Are there other NIFs that should be added to the list below?
With your help, let’s put together a comprehensive survey of this genre here. Please comment with your suggestions (title, author, publisher, year – for ease of locating!) below… I’ll be especially grateful to hear from authors about their own books!
Memoirs-in-Flash or “Autofiction”:
• The Lover (1984) by Marguerite Duras (a novella as a stream of fragmented memories, drawing on the author’s real life experiences)
• The Two Kinds of Decay (2008) by Sarah Manguso (memoir that reads like a “memoir-in-flash”, though not described as such upon publication)
• With a Zero At Its Heart (2014) by Charles Lambert (a novella composed of miscellaneous microfictions, all about one person – based on the author’s real life experiences)
• Ongoingness: the End of a Diary (2015) by Sarah Manguso (a memoir in fragmented diary form)
• Finding a Way (2019) by Diane Simmons (originally described as a short-short story collection, but equally considered as a novella-in-flash, and drawing upon real life, as described by the author)
• An Inheritance (2020) by Diane Simmons (a novella-in-flash drawing upon family history)
• The Naming of Bones (2021) by Jan Kaneen (described as a memoir-in-flash when published)
• Take Two (2023) by Caroline Thonger and Vivian Thonger (an experimental memoir-in-short-chapters, including letter extracts, drawings of objects, playscripts, poems, and illuminated micro-stories).
• A Tricky Dance (2024) by Diane Simmons (a novella-in-flash drawing upon real life experiences)
• Fingling the Snargle (2024) by Sarah Mosedale (a memoir-in-flash)
Please add your suggestions below!
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