The Seriousness of Humor
“Humor is what happens when we're told the truth quicker and more directly than we're used to.” -George Saunders
I have noted that darkly comic flash fiction is hard to find. Publishers seem eager for serious and tragic stories. I’m finding that good funny (and especially funny/sad, the hardest to pull off) stories are very much missing in the world of flash fiction publications. If you can write it, or learn to, you’ll be doing something specialized and rare.
Have you read some good examples of funny/sad flash fiction? If so, please share. In the meantime, I will delight you with yet another story by Jeff Landon here. The wonderful “Zoo”, published in New Flash Fiction Review. And one of my own funny ones, “Probably, I’ll Marry You” from Ilanot Review.
Forgive the blatant self-promotion, yet I think my flash suite “Lashed” published by After Happy Hour (2023) meets the funny/sad criteria. I too remain mystified why serious/tragedy is taken more seriously, but I think that’s the way it has forever been in the arts.
Here’s the link:
https://afterhappyhourreview.com/AHH%20Issue%2018.pdf
Love these examples! I think one of my stories published in Matter Press matches the theme: https://matterpress.com/journal/2023/04/03/how-to-cherish-your-daughter/