Sunshine Coast author Athena Law will deliver her workshop at the culmination of a week-long arts residency at the Brushtales Cabin.
Workshop suitable for all ages and levels of writing experience. All welcome.
Workshop: intro to Flash Fiction
Short, but not always sweet
Saturday 24 October
1pm – 4pm
Venue: Brushtales Cabin @ Rocky River (approx 30 min from Drake Village)
Address sent upon registration.
Cost: $15 for participants
rockystars price: $10 for participants
ABOUT THE WORKSHOP
Time to level up your writing skills — bring your creative, curious self to an afternoon diving into the ultimate art of compression: flash fiction.
Flash fiction is a complete story told in a very brief format, usually sitting at 300–500 — sometimes up to 1000 — words long. Short stories have been around forever, however the digital age has made flash fiction increasingly popular and accessible.
This ultra-short form is now internationally celebrated by literary journals, anthologies, and competitions dedicated to the art of brevity.
Flash is perfect for writers chasing the satisfaction of a small, completely formed story (and the dopamine rush of finishing something!) and for readers seeking a quick fiction fix without sacrificing depth.
During the workshop with multi-award-winning flash author Athena Law, you’ll learn:
what flash is
the elements of effective flash,
how to find a satisfying resolution, and
how to create a complete story in just 300 words
“After stumbling into the world of prompt-based flash fiction competitions, I realised I’d discovered the cure for writer’s block!
Not only that, flash has given me literally hundreds of opportunities to experiment with voice and form.
Plus, who doesn’t love the rush of finishing something?”
— Athena Law (previously a notorious non-finisher)
What will be covered?
The elements of effective flash
What ‘enter late, leave early’ means
The power of an opening line
Hermit crab writing
Effective use of language: when every word counts
Prompt-based writing exercise to create your own 300 word (or less) piece
Finding a satisfying resolution
Editing your piece for optimal impact
Future flash opportunities and competitions
Suitable for: everyone!
all ages welcome
any level of writing experience
non-fiction writers
homeschoolers
Parents/guardians and accompanying children welcome, there is space to relax while the writers write.
Ready to start something you’ll definitely finish?
Bookings open in September. Add your email below to be notified.
Want more?
Make your visit to Rocky River more than just a day trip, with camping and accommodation options.
Join other workshop guests for Friday or Saturday nights (or both!), with a communal dinner cook-up and time to explore the Timbarra River, trek to Mad Wally’s Boulders, feed the friendly cows, or just kick back and enjoy the peace of the bush.
Unpowered camping: $15 per person, or $30 for 2–5 in a family / night
Prefer a real bed? Ask Jess about indoor options.
Got questions?
Workshop presenter
Athena Law is an award-winning, Pushcart nominated poet and short fiction author, whose stories have been included in several print anthologies, with two more launching in late 2026. She’s won the esteemed Not Quite Write prize for flash fiction TWICE, once for her creepy flash fiction ‘It Never Rains But It Pours’ and more recently for her heartfelt poem ‘Waiting’, the Scarlet Stiletto ‘Best Retribution’ Award for her story ‘The Model Husband’, and the Mulga Bill Poetry Award for 'a geriatric mother they write on my chart'.
She lives on a hill in the idyllic Sunshine Coast hinterland in Queensland, where she shares a book-filled study with her antique typewriter and entitled ragdoll cat Tolliver. She’s currently editing her first novel and is hard at work on her second – a rom com set in the Darlings Down featuring a haunted pub, ghostly matchmaker and all sorts of small-town shenanigans.