A story in six words? Madness
typed for your pleasure on 27 October 2006, at 2.56 pmSdtrk: ‘Watch that man’ by David Bowie
Anyone can write a story. Not everyone can write a good story, though. And not every one of those everyones can write a good story using only six words. Calling these writers ‘adept’ is being far too verbose, so I’ll just call them ‘a’.
I’m reminded of the Shakespeare quote ‘Brevity is the soul of wit’, and the faster, better version, ‘Brevity is wit.’
(Airlifted from Penda’s Diner)
Very Short Stories
wired.com | Issue 14.11 – November 2006We’ll be brief: Hemingway once wrote a story in just six words (“For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”) and is said to have called it his best work. So we asked sci-fi, fantasy, and horror writers from the realms of books, TV, movies, and games to take a shot themselves.
Dozens of our favorite auteurs put their words to paper, and five master graphic designers took them to the drawing board. Sure, Arthur C. Clarke refused to trim his (“God said, ‘Cancel Program GENESIS.’ The universe ceased to exist.”), but the rest are concise masterpieces. (edited for space)
Computer, did we bring batteries? Computer?
– Eileen GunnVacuum collision. Orbits diverge. Farewell, love.
– David BrinGown removed carelessly. Head, less so.
– Joss WhedonMachine. Unexpectedly, I’d invented a time
– Alan MooreEpitaph: Foolish humans, never escaped Earth.
– Vernor VingeIt cost too much, staying human.
– Bruce SterlingWe kissed. She melted. Mop please!
– James Patrick KellyIt’s behind you! Hurry before it
– Rockne S. O’Bannon
I came up with a handful whilst at work today; most of them were shite. I found that a number of what I’d written were almost epigrams; one was ‘The Rolling Stones — still alive. Why?’ — that’s not a story. Funny yes, but not a story. It’s almost harder than haiku!
+ Falling, he regretted nothing. Except breakfast.
+ Angry bears with hatchets; hilarity ensues.
+ A singularity? That’s impossible! OH SHI–
+ The cats knew, and fled first.
+ Anneke’s exposed mechanisms gave her away.
+ The Liston knife — Jack’s favourite tool.
+ In battle: ‘I forgot my pistol?!’
+ ‘You’re my Doppelgänger?’ ‘Yes, now die.’
and my personal fave:
+ This sandwich tastes funny. Like… flesh?
If any brave souls care to try their hand, go for it and leave your results in the comments. Mindbending but fun!
Random similar posts, for more timewasting:
the blog equivalent of the mirror test on May 17th, 2005
おみくじ, courtesy of the Internets, or, CYBER OMIKUJI 2099 on July 17th, 2005
October 28th, 2006 at 10.11 am
Regretted: Syringe and twice monthly defecation.
October 28th, 2006 at 11.49 pm
Gown removed carelessly. Head, less so.
Oh, Joss, why are you godly?
(that wasn’t my entry, though it clocked in with the requisite word count.)
Hmm… lessee…
But I was immune! Wasn’t I?
But now I had no mouthwash.
What color was the safe one?
Odo says, ‘off with the metatarsal!’
Pants off, the hat still worked.
My deflator wallet transcended this bakery.
But oh, what a cell phone!
October 30th, 2006 at 5.01 pm
Brilliant work, lads. 🙂
October 31st, 2006 at 2.04 pm
hey dcat… here are my attempts at the 6 word thingee:
the sky was fire and drowned.
a torn dress dusty with crickets.
she stood up when it came.
quiet things sang in the end.
nothing now but watch it go.
October 31st, 2006 at 4.43 pm
Melle Mel –
your consecutive tales remind me of ‘Little House on the Prairie’. AFTER THE APOCALYPSE.
Well done!
November 1st, 2006 at 8.42 am
Large women on amigos can’t cook.
November 29th, 2006 at 11.23 am
Her lap. My vomit. Bad date.
November 29th, 2006 at 5.24 pm
Wolfgang’s story brevity made me chuckle.
AH GOD THAT’S ANOTHER ONE