The Book of Mini-Sagas

by Brian W. Aldiss (Editor)

Collection of several hundred short fiction stories, each exactly 50 words long, among the thousands submitted to the Telegraph Sunday Magazine competition. The mini-saga 50-word story idea was originally invented by writer Brian Aldiss and the newspaper The Daily Telegraph. — Mini-sagas are used in business, as an educational tool, a creative outlet, and a source of entertainment. They are not poems, but rather "bite-sized lessons for life and business". They are often used to stimulate creativity, stretch your thinking, determine the essential elements of a story, or enhance discipline in writing. They are often funny or surprising.

As with any other form of fiction, a 50-word story should have a beginning and an end, a plot and character development (even if they are only implied), and a theme, meaning, or purpose of some sort. Many 50-word stories are built around twists or climactic moments.

256 pages, Paperback

First published October 10, 1985

About the author

Pseudonyms: Jael Cracken, Peter Pica, John Runciman, C.C. Shackleton, Arch Mendicant, & "Doc" Peristyle.

Brian Wilson Aldiss was one of the most important voices in science fiction writing today. He wrote his first novel while working as a bookseller in Oxford. Shortly afterwards he wrote his first work of science fiction and soon gained international recognition. Adored for his innovative literary techniques, evocative plots and irresistible characters, he became a Grand Master of Science Fiction in 1999.
Brian Aldiss died on August 19, 2017, just after celebrating his 92nd birthday with his family and closest friends.

Brian W. Aldiss Group on Good Reads

Reviews

[Rhys · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brian Aldiss is one of my favourite science fiction writers. I first began reading him when I was 17 or 18 years old, a collection entitled The Canopy of Time that has stuck in my mind ever since. And yes, I remember when he judged the mini-saga competitions run by The Daily Telegraph in the early and mid 1980s. The mini-saga, a form Aldiss invented, caught the public imagination. I wrote a few for the competitions (but never won anything).

It was therefore a little disappointing to read this book of mini-sagas by the master himself and to discover that most of them actually aren't very good. True, there are some gems here, but generally speaking most of the examples are duds in the sense that they aren't full stories in miniature but something else, namely weak jokes or simply gnomic observations. A few are rendered in verse but only sometimes to their advantage. My favourite mini-saga here is one featuring a mermaid.

[Alexander Peterhans · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I hoped this would be more than what it actually is - it's a collection of little witticisms, a bit of poetry, some wordplay.. nothing special.

There are a couple of little gems in there, when Aldiss refrained from basically telling a 50 word joke.

[Richard Kettlewood · Rating 4 out of 5]

RA

Bite size Brian Aldiss. Epics on a postcard please. One of the most striking flash fiction images was of a mermaid crucifixion in a submerged cathedral. Which I read at Easter by a quirk. Good quickies by a master who has much larger talents.

[Reda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shortest of the shorts. Witty, smart, surprises you in seconds! A good book to learn how to appreciate every single word and how to use them to write beautifully. Love it.