1. Character Development: While brevity is key, you need enough to establish your characters and give them some depth. Even in a short piece, readers need to understand their motivations, desires, and conflicts.
2. Setting and Atmosphere: Setting and atmosphere contribute significantly to the story's impact. Cutting too much might leave the reader with a vague or incomplete understanding of the world your story takes place in.
3. Emotional Impact: Flash fiction thrives on emotional resonance. Cutting too much can weaken the impact of the story, leaving the reader feeling emotionally detached or unsatisfied.
4. Conflict and Tension: Flash fiction relies on building and resolving conflict within a compressed timeframe. Cutting too much can weaken the conflict, leaving the story feeling flat or lacking suspense.
5. Thematic Resonance: While flash fiction often explores a single theme, cutting too much can obscure that theme, leaving the story feeling incomplete or lacking meaning.
6. The Ending: The ending of a flash fiction should be impactful and memorable. Cutting too much from the conclusion can leave the reader feeling confused or unsatisfied.
However, it's crucial to avoid redundancy and unnecessary details. Every word should serve a purpose, and you should be ruthless in eliminating anything that doesn't contribute to the overall impact of your story.
Here's a good rule of thumb: Consider the following while editing:
* Does it advance the plot?
* Does it develop the characters?
* Does it create an immersive experience?
* Does it contribute to the emotional impact?
If the answer to any of these questions is "no," consider removing it.
Ultimately, finding the right balance between cutting and keeping is a skill that takes practice. Don't be afraid to experiment with different approaches and see what works best for you.