Six-word stories

[Jitter]

I am sometimes fascinated by really really short writing, such as the six-word story (or, well, by the haiku). So here’s a place for that! 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.

A classic of the so called genre is: ”For sale: baby shoes, never worn” attributed to Hemingway although his authorship is unclear. But nevertheles it gives you an idea.

This thread is for our six-word stories as well as discussion and comments about them. Other microfiction includes the drabble (exactly 100 words) and it’s multiples double or triple drabble, the 50-word “dribble” or mini-saga, and the 280 characters or less long format originating from Twitter. Any interest? I know some of you have written SSSS drabbles at least!

As an aside, microfiction is a lot easier in Finnish! The above piece would fit into three words: “Myytävänä: vauvakengät, käyttämättömät”. So I was kind of hoping to find an existing format of a few more words than six, but apparently this is what has been named. Howver I suggest we allow a title of up to three words in addition to the six in the story proper. So, maybe give it a try?

Perhaps post your six-word story in bold and comments etc in normal text. Feel free to comment without coming up with a ”story” as well.

[Jitter]

So I’ll go first

Ever since, I’ve avoided all mirrors

[tehta]

Ooh, another writing challenge! Happy to participate. (One point, though: as with the haiku challenge, I might actually find this easier if there were some prompts. Just to prevent that whole 'blank page, so many choices' paralysis.)

Also, since you welcome discussion, I would like to throw in this EM Forster quote:

The king died and then the queen died is a story. The king died, and then queen died of grief is a plot.

I would like my six-word efforts to be more plot than story... But we will see.

[JoB]

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 ... !?

[tehta]

Birth, life, death, zombie apocalypse, undeath.

Sigh. That's more of a story than a plot.

[Jitter]

Who knew apocalypse is so satisfying?

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

[RanVor]

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

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.

[Jitter]

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.

[RanVor]

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.

Nice. I shall report for duty.

[muidole]

I had become what I despised.

Feels more like an opening or closing statement to a story rather than a story in and of itself though.

[moredhel]

Six words is really not much and I am not good at the poetry stuff but I try to do one:

never tell anybody what you are!

[JoB]

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:

"Excalibur ... ! Hephaistos' Repairs feels honored, Sire!"

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.

Sun blissfully rose above better-prepared armies.

A classic of the so called genre is: ”For sale: baby shoes, never worn” attributed to Hemingway although his authorship is unclear. [...]
As an aside, microfiction is a lot easier in Finnish! The above piece would fit into three words: “Myytävänä: vauvakengät, käyttämättömät”.

(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) ...)
(No, we would definitely not put this classified as a single word unless the newspaper charges an arm and a leg per word! )

[wavewright62]

Those circles? Hmm. See, no circles.

[Jitter]

It’s lodged. Now you’ll never die!

[RanVor]

You really shouldn't have done that.