Also referred to as micro-fiction, a minute, sudden fiction, postcard fiction or a palm-sized story, the fiction form adopted by Virginia Woolfe, Ernest Hemingway and Franz Kafka is in the midst of a resurgence.

Meyer, of Melbourne, has just released her first book, a collection of flash fiction called Captives.

Yesterday the literary blogger held a workshop at Launceston's Adult Education Centre on writing the super-short stories, which are usually less than 1000 words.

Meyer, who has just accepted a role as flash fiction editor for a West Australian literary magazine, said writing to such a short length was difficult but stimulating.

``I found the limits that it puts on you, the challenge of it, forces you to be really creative and there is just so much you can do with so few words,'' Meyer said.

``But it is hard to do right, and the one thing I like to do in the workshop is also talk about word choice.

``Even coming down to commas, everything is so important in such short pieces to produce an overall effect that the reader walks away with.''

Meyer said the internet had encouraged a growing community around flash fiction.

``My book is doing pretty well for what it is, because it's quite new for people in Australia to see a collection of flash fiction published,'' Meyer said.

``I think there is a bit of a hunger for something that's short and satisfying to read.''