Novella-in-Flash Resources
I provide specialist mentoring and developmental editing services for people who want to write and publish a novella-in-flash.
Since 2018, I’ve helped many writers prior to the publication of their novellas (at publishers including Ad Hoc Fiction, V. Press, Flash: the International Short-Short Story Press, Bottlecap Press, Ellipsis Zine, Reflex Press, Fiction Attic Press, Alien Buddha Press, above/ground Press, WTAW Press, and Hamish Hamilton). I’ve been teaching creative writing in Higher Education since 2017 (and in community settings since 2011). I’m also the author of the first ever full craft guide for writing a novella-in-flash. I believe strongly in a supportive editing/feedback process that builds on each writer’s unique strengths. You can read some testimonials by previous clients here: novella-in-flash testimonials.
I host a dedicated website providing free resources here: novella-in-flash.com. There is also a free-to-access Facebook community open to all – see the box below.
Standard Manuscript Appraisal
- Developmental feedback before submitting to a publisher or competition.
- Confirm how ready your manuscript might be, and identify priority changes that need to be made.
- 2-3 pages of manuscript appraisal.
- 90-minute conversation (online via Zoom) to discuss feedback, brainstorm ideas, and explore options for moving forward.
Enhanced Manuscript Appraisal
- Detailed developmental feedback before submitting to a publisher or competition.
- Confirm how ready your manuscript might be, and identify priority changes that need to be made.
- Minimum 3-4 pages of manuscript appraisal.
- Up to 2hr conversation (online via Zoom) to discuss feedback, brainstorm ideas, and explore options for moving forward.
- Line-by-line copy editing recommendations to bring extra vitality and finesse to your manuscript, helping it to shine and stand out among submissions.
Getting Started
Please send an enquiry (giving brief details of the project, including word count AND number of chapters, and stating which type of help you are looking for), through the contact form.
Novella-in-Flash Experience
Michael Loveday is a mentor and editor, and has worked as a Visiting Lecturer in Higher Education since 2017. He has provided editorial support and mentoring on over 30 published novellas-in-flash aross a variety of leading publishers. His book Unlocking the Novella-in-Flash: from Blank Page to Finished Manuscript (Ad Hoc Fiction, 2022), the first ever complete craft guide to the form, won an Arts Council England Award, the 2024 Independent Press Award for Writing and Publishing, a Best Indie Book Award, a Cadmus Book Award, and was a Finalist or Runner Up in four other international book awards.
Michael was the judge for the 2019 and 2020 Bath Flash Fiction Novella-in-Flash Awards, and has given talks, workshops, interviews and chaired panel discussions on the novella-in-flash – including for the Flash Fiction Festival (2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 & 2025), the National Association of Writers in Education (2019), Novel Nights (2019), National Flash Fiction Day New Zealand (2021), London LitLab (2022 and 2023), and Sheffield Hallam University (2023). He has also hosted the free-to-join Novella-in-Flash Writers & Readers Facebook Group since 2021.
He has written numerous articles about the novella-in-flash / novel-in-flash, including a series about the history of the form for SmokeLong Quarterly magazine. Read Michael’s articles here.
Three Men on the Edge (V. Press, 2018)
Michael’s novella-in-flash sequence Three Men on the Edge (V. Press, 2018), which consists of three short, related novellas-in-flash, was shortlisted for the 2019 Saboteur Best Novella Award. Link
“A beautifully crafted novella-in-flash, small and perfect slices of life written with skill and heart.” (Kit de Waal)
“Three Men on the Edge took me unawares and made a huge impression. To me it represents what the Republic of Consciousness Prize is all about. Denholm, Gus and Martyn are wonderful creations and Michael Loveday renders their world with great skill and empathy and subtlety.” (David Collard, chair of the judging panel, Republic of Consciousness Prize 2019)