Challenge yourself to write a six-word story that conveys a situation or a feeling and maks the reader to come up with the context.What?? Only six words? How in ... !?
Btw I started thinking about the titles and it can make a huge difference! I at least get very different images:
Ever since, I’v avoided al mirrors
Vs
Emil
Ever since, I’ve avoided all mirrors
Vs
The cleanser
Ever since, I’ve avoided all mirrors
It is, except that I set the rules and allowed titles :) But you are absolutely right, it’s not allowed in the format.
However I think the example goes to show how the story is actually created by the reader and not by the six words in themselves.
Deep breaths. You’re a ranger now.
Isn't that kinda cheating? Using titles to expand the context beyond what can be contained in six words is a bit like adding extra words to the story.The kind of "cheating" I'd expect is to drop proper names that come from another well-known story (factual or not) and bring a boatload of context with them:
However I think the example goes to show how the story is actually created by the reader and not by the six words in themselves.Goes without saying (pun intended). That also means that many readers will feel left out of the loop, and another thing I expect to see quite often is that the story prevents them thus feeling alienated by providing them with an in-story "buddy" who shares their ignorance and uncertainty.
A classic of the so called genre is: ”For sale: baby shoes, never worn” attributed to Hemingway although his authorship is unclear. [...](Can be put into three words in German as well, though I'm under the impression that it sounds more "natural" in a four-word variant (of several possible ones) ...)
As an aside, microfiction is a lot easier in Finnish! The above piece would fit into three words: “Myytävänä: vauvakengät, käyttämättömät”.
Making Variety Sandwiches, using hot peppers!
;D
How did you even break this???Drop it from orbit. The classic.
(Things like "that´s" or "don´t" count as one word, right?)
A rocky beach. A cold sea.Oohhh, Tuuri....
Oohhh, Tuuri....
Oohhh, Tuuri....
At the bottom, lay spent coffee grounds.That is seven words, not six.
That is seven words, not six.
*throws crowbarrd out of the thread*
:'D :'D :'D "Oh Dear, Guess Coffee Didn't Help"Thus began the crusade of Espressonia.
Thus began the crusade of Espressonia.
The boom yanked us from dreamspace... wish we were still there, though.
How did it go so wrong?"Go wrong"? Care for a demonstration?
"Go wrong"? Care for a demonstration?
Your call is important to us."No, you will hang up first!"
"No, you will hang up first!"I hung up, out of frustration.
(Having actually talked at that point is optional.)
Honestly, I didn't see that coming.Nor going away anytime soon, either.
The beagle lands on the moon!Well, it landed safely (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beagle_2), alright, but ...
Often, human minds don’t survive this.Let's pinpoint the definition of "survive" ...
Just how hypocritical can you get?
The moment I waited for came.... and then it kept walking briskly.
Sinking the Titanic was a mistake.
Suddenly I understood my growing uneasiness.I'll step on my butts now.
I shot the sheriff. Everyone cheered.The sheriff's dead? That's bad news.
My shadow turned, opening its maw... and all it said was "f0oD?".
Without my contacts in, I read that as:How's that for a clerical error.
Run! Run! Run! There are nuns!
This must be the fifteenth spider!No, it is only the ninth.
You did well. I am proud.
I hope this means you passed. ;)Hope leads to disappointment, my friend.
They thought we wouldn't fight back.
Because we must. There's no alternative.At least not one we'd like.
At least not one we'd like.Bad alternatives are easier to find
Swan takes only the good stuff!Files won't give you any lip.
Wait. Why am I not bleeding?... it wasn't a blood feather (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pin_feather) anymore?