Welcome to Flash Fi, the future in 220 words or less.



Let's address the elephant in the room - why do we limit our stories to 220 words? Shouldn't science fiction - and thus the words used to describe it - be limitless, almost by definition?



There's no single answer. A heavy-duty US outlet is 220 volts. The editor has spent nearly a decade in steel trade journals, with the average article length hitting right around 220. Short-form writing absolutely dominates electronic communication, from Twitter to texting.



Most importantly, however, is the poetic nature of short-form writing. Each word must be selected with care. Efficiency is the name of the game. Like a circuit board, each line must have a purpose.



There is no room for waste in 220 words. It’s like tight code. It’s like the refrain of a song. It’s the beat of a burning star, sending volumes into the void with just a narrow frequency and a repetitive rhythm.



Plus, it’s easy to read on a mobile phone.



So, welcome to F…