Contemporary essays, fiction, and opinion offered regularly by author Anne Brandt.






Question for the week
Do all commands begin with verbs?
Ten minutes to
write.
Less time to
read.
Short Story
Posted: 02/14/08
According to “Smith” -- an online storytelling community that encouraged reading, writing, and sharing -- “legend has it that Hemingway was once challenged to write a story in only six words. His response? “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”

It got me thinking about what I might write; so driving to my piano lesson I conjured the following stories:

“Pawn shop. Tiny diamond. He proposed.”

“Headlines blared: Abductee found alive! Miracle.”

“Teenagers drinking. Driving. Crash. One survivor.”

And in honor of the day: “Valentine’s Day. She broke my heart.”

Trolling the Internet, I found that the November 2006 “Wired” offered many six-words stories. I’m glad I didn’t read any before creating my own, as I think some are much better. Here, with the author identified, is a sampling:

K.I.A. Baghdad, Aged 18 - Closed Casket - Richard K. Morgan

Epitaph: He shouldn't have fed it. - Brian Herbert

Bush told the truth. Hell froze. - William Gibson

Dinosaurs return. Want their oil back. - David Brin

Bang postponed. Not Big enough. Reboot. - David Brin

Metrosexuals notwithstanding, quiche still lacks something. - David Brin

Death postponed. Metastasized cells got organized. - David Brin

Will this do (lazy writer asked)? - Ken MacLeod

Clones demand rights: second Emancipation Proclamation. - Paul Di Filippo

Commas, see, add, like, nada, okay? - Gregory Maguire

Weeping, Bush misheard Cheney’s deathbed advice. - Gregory Maguire

Corpse parts missing. Doctor buys yacht. - Margaret Atwood

Starlet sex scandal. Giant squid involved. - Margaret Atwood

Time traveler's thought: "What's the password?" - Steven Meretzky

Parallel universe. Bush, destitute, joins army. - Steven Meretzky

And finally, one last attempt on my part: ADD version -- Wind separates Rhett, Scarlett.


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