Legend has it that one day Ernest Hemingway bet his lunch companions he could write a novel in six words. They took him up on it. He penned: “For Sale: Baby Shoes, Never Worn” on a cocktail napkin and collected his winnings.
Like so much about Hemingway, legend and fact will never get sorted out. But what’s true is that six-word stories have a big following. Check out Six Word Stories on Reddit. Some examples:
“Therapist wants date. Who’s crazy now?” Submitted by Tommehboi
“Santa outsources manufacturing; elves vote Trump.” Submitted by apaganplace
“Trembling, they moved Lovecraft to nonfiction.” Submitted by kirbysag
It can be fun to create your own stories. Frustrating, too. But I’ve managed a few. Here’s one:
“Wife found your earring. Divorce imminent.”
The challenge for me is trying to crunch stories into six words. Like this one:
“Blogger dies holding breath while waiting for your comment.”
Won the Lottery. Laundered the ticket.
Laundered lottery ticket grounds for divorce.
Pilot to passengers: “Trust me.”
Blogger cramps up trying to think of witty six-word response.
Come on, Leanna—
Blogger dies holding breath awaiting comments.
And here’s a story I hope to read when I get back in a couple of months!
Return from Paradise: Martin Sheen elected.
Come in out of the sun, Patsy.
Novelist. Don’t do short.
Parsing Bradford’s comment: fact or fiction?
Clock hands move. Time moves on.
Blogger now breathes. Comments are posted.
Whew!
Author just wrote THE END.
Can’t wait till I’m there, too.
“Heiress steers clear of pauper’s son.”
“Heiress throws beer at pauper’s son.”
“Heiress sheds tear over pauper’s son.”
(It’s a tragic romance trilogy, you see.) 😉
I’m thinking it’s best I stick to a longer format, but that was fun! Thanks for sharing your blog with me.
I applaud your rich character development.