I’ll teach you all this in six easy words
In its November issue, Wired Magazine said Hemingway once wrote a short story (his best, he said) in just six words:
“For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”
Thirty-three authors took their best shot at writing “A Very Short Story.”
Here’s just a few of my favourites Wired Magazine published:
Longed for him. Got him. Shit. - Margaret Atwood Bush told the truth. Hell froze. - William Gibson (Vancouver’s best!) Cryonics: Disney thawed. Mickey gnawed. Omigawd. - Eileen Gunn Dorothy: “Fuck it, I’ll stay here.” - Steven MeretzkyOver at MetaFilter many tried the six word story, some succeeded; most failed miserably.
Okay, it’s easy to be a critic. Harder to come up with the goods. Here’s some of my own six word stories.
Scored, shot. Cigarette ruined the condom. Space time anomalies travel in packs. Raindrops keep falling — oops, my nose. Make me a woman again, Scarlett. Speak, speak to me of desolation. Turn back time? As if, whatever. See dead guys on the sidebar? Pray in patent leather shoes? Never!
Looking forward to seeing your prose in the comments!
(Link from The Presurfer)
October 28th, 2006 at 1:14:21 PM
Ah, very creative.
Well I posted two of a science fictiony sort on my blog, but they aren’t prose.
http://www.magahiz.com:8080/frabjous/b2006/xenomorphx.html
http://www.magahiz.com:8080/frabjous/b2006/ordersinplainsight.html
The hay(na)ku is a poetic form invented by Eileen Tabios.
October 28th, 2006 at 2:28:12 PM
Thanks RichM - learned something new today — was not familiar with the hay(na)ku poetic form.
October 29th, 2006 at 5:10:04 AM
Did you know about the (much more expansive) 55 word story form invented by an editor in San Luis Obispo? That one’s for stories where you would like to have setting, character, and plot all at the same time.
October 31st, 2006 at 9:50:43 PM
Thanks for reminding me about the “55 word story” site. I have seen it before but intend to go back for another look — and maybe try writing within their guidelines. As I can tend to ramble in my writing, the word limit helps me focus and edit which is a big help. Thanks again for the info.